Packard Forum Index » V-8 (1955-56)

ok. Mine ot plenty of oil too before modification.
BUT! The oil just runs down the rocker shaft perches, hits the internal top surface of the head and runs down the drain back holes in the head.
Let me be more specific:
Altho there is plenty of oil reaching the overhead it simply does not reach ANY part of the spring, stem, spring retainer. It just flows around the base of the spring and valve guide.

Again, i drove mine at 70-80 mph with hood off and valve coder removed and NO OIL ever spattered againt ANYTHING. IT simply ran onto the internal top suface of the head and down the drain backs.

The overhead oiling is not JUST for the rockers. Some has to splash toward the guide in somekind of controled manner.

Ditto my late 56, throws plenty of oil spatter onto the inner fenders at idle with the valve covers removed. I suspect that between manufacturing variances (tolerance stack-up), the several changes in rocker shafts and arms, oil pumps, and the like that there existed a very wide range of variation in how these engines oiled. That's why some seem to hit 100,000 miles without any issues, and others develop various maladies at half or even less that mileage. Certainly anyone who has one without the later cam plate and ring, if they do nothing else, should get one from Jack Vines and install it pronto.

Check th e internal top surface of the valve cover. Dry as a bone?????? That means no oil mist, no spattering or anything.

My valve cover inside is quite wet with oil, enough so that unless you turn it over really fast after you remove it, there is enough to really make a mess.

IIRC there is some STB or SC that indicates a rocker arm bore was changed in some way.

I have the late cam plate installed in mine that oils the chain intermittently. A new chain as of about 18K miles ago recently shows alot of slack by finger inspection with oil pan removed. IIRC it is a Lemco timing chain NEW 18k miles ago. Not sure about Lemco quality but it looked like a good chain. Never used Lemco products before that i can remeber. The oem chain with 34K miles was very loose. The new Lemco tightened it up alot when first installed. Gears showed a little wear but not enuf to replace.

My next chain will most likely be one of Kanters roller chain/sprocket retro fit kits.

I don't recall that one but there were at least two that dealt with the oil feed holes in the shafts. And then the change the rocker arms themselves - they were making a lot of lubrication changes on the run.

Pete Graves or one of the other last engineers at Packard spoke on these matters many years ago but I don't believe the talk was recorded so whatever he had to offer has been lost unless you were there to hear it. I wasn't, wish I was.

I'm wondering if Clipper and Executive were most likely built with odd lot or somewhat cull parts while Sr's were built with higher production and quality control parts.

My 56 Exec has original matching number engine but is painted the green over an original ivory paint (block only).

However, all of this does somewhat beg the question as to why EARLY 55's used the pee hole rocker. And why was it eleminated. I'm guessing to raise oil pressure. FROM THE FACTORY the push rod socket on my 56 Executive engine was oiled when ever the valve was CLOSED. That's 75% of the time that oil pressure is against the push rod socket.

I wouldn't think there would be any reason to believe Clippers were built with odd lot or "cull" parts or inferior engine parts of any kind.