Packard Forum Index » Post-War (1946-54)

Something that is (surprisingly) simple to do and may shed light on the situation is to run the engine with the valve covers off (no worries, it doesn't make a mess!) and then listen to the lifters via a stethoscope. I found to really figure out which one(s) (though admittedly this is difficult and by no means foolproof) one does best if one puts the stethoscope directly on the plunger/lifter, noting that it moves up and down a bit.

Ross has another video where he shows adjusting the valves for an engine without hydraulic valve lifters which gives one an idea what it's like to run the engine that way.

Speedwell Garage - adjusting solid-lifter valves on a postwar straight-8

If you have no stethoscope us shade tree guys use a piece of heater hose.
Bob J.

I just watched the video. Fantastic!
I have not set the valves yet so this was just what I needed. Wonderful resource.
Thanks so much,
Bob J.

The easied way to check for flow issues is to temporary cap off the line to oil filter. This will first force 100% of the oil to the lifters. Also verify the 4-way fitting is in the right orientation so the outlet to the lifters isn't the port with the restrictor on it.

If you've verified that the restricted port (if present) is on the filter side and you'll capped off the oil filter feed and you still have lifter clatter then you know it's a filter issue vs a pressure issue.

Wat bought a stethoscope several years ago from the Bezoses and remember it being under $20 'Murrikan. Delivered.

By passed the filter and installed a 90 and plumbed up.

Got the flywheel repaired and installed and now once the starter gets here, will be able to fire it up and see how it does.

Side note, still trying to sort out the cylinder head and it appears to be from 51 288AT engine. Trying to reach Ross however it appears he's still on the road from the national meet.

Eric

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According to the chart, a 1951/52 288 AT head would give you a 9.10 CR, which is quite high.

Some folks have suggested using 2 head gaskets to drop down the CR.

The cylinder head is 73cc's and the compressed gasket thickness is .052 also, the deck is .008 positive (block was decked prior from what I could tell) which according the program I'm using nets compression at 10.17:1 which is WAY too high.

Need to find a cylinder head with higher CC volume after I get this oiling issue straightened out.

I have a couple other cast iron heads available on my Packard / IMPERIAL page, one of which just came from a 359, that might be better choices.

Regardless of which head you ultimately pick, if you can locate one (chances slim to none) one of the extra thick export head gaskets would give some very slight relief. But just plain forget about using doubled headgaskets - quick failure pretty much guaranteed.

My own experience with a 359 goes back to the 1970s. I used a Dremel to get a little more volume in the head over the valves using a 327 head from a 1951, and in order to keep the ping down to a barely tolerable level ultimately had to retard the timing, rework the distributor centrifugal advance, and use super premium fuel.