Packard Forum Index » V-8 (1955-56)

had both valve covers off...

the drainback holes themselves were not plugged, but the channels were filled with what appeared to be remnants of former valve cover gaskets. it looks like someone changed the gaskets sometime previously and left some of the scrapings. this was causing the oil to pool up, especially around the middle cylnders valves. another test ride tommorow will tell.

See p. 6 of the engine section manual depicting the entire engine oiling circuitry. Look CLOSELY at the rocker arms. NO, NOT THE SHAFT but the rocker ARMS themselves.

EARLY 55 rockers had an oil hole in the them directly above the pushrod socket. There is some STB or SC or other factory documentation regarding the oil hole in the ARM.

"channels were filled with what appeared to be remnants of former valve cover gaskets"

Probably NOT gasket material. INSPECT THE REMANATS CLOSELY !!! Are the y like hard black plastic pieces about the size of a corn kernel with a SMOOTH slightly curved side????
Most likely they are the UMBRELLA valve seal that has broken up. Probably some of them stuck in the drain bacl holes too. Be sure to run a rod down the drain back holes allthe way down about 12-16 inches. When u pull the oil pan u will most likely find the pieces there too.

USE a GOOD lite source and look AT THE VALVE STEMS. U will most likely see the broken umbrella seals. Poke at them with a dull object to see how hard they are. They should be real soft. THis is NOT ez to do because of the valve spring but it CAN be done with time and patience. I've done it.

at least some of it definately WAS gasket material, though there were some little chips. these chips were tiny, maybe half or a quarter of a kernel. i dont doubt you, but tommorow will tell.

im assuming kanter sells these seals?

ALSO PLEASE run the engine withthe valve covers removed (even if u don't drive it) to verify or refute my claim that the oil to the overhead just barely runs down the side of the rocker arm perches, and CIRCLES AROUND the bottom of valve spring rendering nearly no lube to the stem. OR, does it give u a bath in a few seconds???? If it gives u a bath then look at the rocker ARMS to see if there is a hole in the arm directly above the pushrod socket of the arm.

I ran my 56 Executive (hood off ) 70-80 mph for 8-10 miles round trip wityh valve covers removed and only got about 5 very small drops on the windshield and maybe a dozen very small drops on the inside fender apron.

your right about the oil. it just dribbles out at timed intervals, circles around and flows away.

AND i'm guessing that the INSIDE TOP of the valve covers were dry as a bone too when u first removed them????

I don't know if Kanter sells the seals or not. BUT BEWARE:
There are TWO, count them TWO seals. One on the valve retaining collar and then the Umbrella seal on the stem.

When u get the Umbrella type be ABSOLUTELY sure that they are big enuf in the opening so as not to get stuck on the valve guide if and when they push down that far.

I am using MOPar Umbrella seals on my 56 V8. They are are very shallow and resemble a REAL umbrella shape rather than a cup shaped affair. I was unable to determine what to do about the seal on the collar.

Sealing these valves is problem i have not yet perfected.
The Umbrella type seal that rides on the stem is NOT desireable for any ohv engine despite the fact that many non GM engines use them. The problem is that they get hard and break up after about 40-50K miles. OR they loosen on the stem and slide down against the valve guide.

Packard did a half-ass job on the valve seals. The collar seal IDEA is OPTIMAL but then putting the silly umbrella on the stem is strictly farm plow engineering. The problem with Packards collar seal is that it is cemented or vulcanized in some way to the collar itself. So how do we rplace them????? I don't know. The Chevrolet seal is a seperate seal and the valve is grooved for it. I don't know what to do so the MoPar WIDE SHALLOW unbrella seal for the stem was the best i could come up
with at the time. A better solution is to add a sheet metal shedder to the top of the spring and over the outside of the spring ala Chev. V8. Look at the SBC engine and mock it.

a sheet metal cover to surround the spring to keep oil away from the stem/ sealed area? interesting. i have the perfectmetal for that too... would that render a seal replacement unnecissary if installed right?

I dont think ive ever seen a sbc up close, except for under hoods at car shows. ill have to track someone down who knows about them and can pull a valve cover for me.

SBC has an EXTRA groove in the valve stem just below the keeper grooves. A speperate square sectioned o-ring sets in the groove and is compressed into a taper in the retaining collar whe nthe collar is installed. This is similar to Packrds seal on the collar but the packard valve has no groove and the seal is affixed to the collar in someway.

The SBC has NO other seal touching the stem at any point. It has ONLY the o-ring as described above.

ADDITIONALY, the SBC has a sheet metal umbrella that fits over the top of the spring and is held in place by the valve collar. It extends down the OUTside of the spring about 3/8 inch. THey never wear out. I can measure an SBC sheet metal umbrella if u want know.

What have u found to make the sheet metal shedders from???? I never could find anything that was just rite. I really hate those damned MoParseals on the stem that i put in.