Packard Forum Index » V-8 (1955-56)

Follow Owens instruction on the radiator flush. If that does give enuf improvement for your demands then possibly rodding out the radiator will. That will require taking the radiator to a shop that specializes in Rodding out radiators. I would not try rodding it out in the home shop.

If someone has a long neck radiator of some kind, i'd guess it would still work, but would read low 10-30 degrees max

Would think in order to be a good reference the cap would already need to be on for ready comparison when the problem was in progress. Reading low wouldn't help in diagnosing but more importantly, as many have found trying to use a modern short cap with a long neck filler, they don't work well together. No seal & no pressure would let the problem happen earlier thus throwing in another variable as well as letting the coolant escape.

For the V8 cars, it might be a nice little item to have as a matter of routine. Leave it on as the regular cap until show day.

There is also a product called "Water Wetter". I've never used it. Know very little about it. Supposedly it has better cooling capacity than anitfreeze or plain water.

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Unless you've swapped out your radiator, I believe you have a long neck radiator. The use of a standard (short neck) 7lb radiator cap by the previous owner on my '50 was a contributing factor to an ongoing overheating/overflowing problem (the primary cause was a bad thermostat that wasn't opening). As pointed out by HH56, a standard cap won't seal or pressurize a long neck radiator.

The recommended 50-50 mixture of anti-freeze and water while giving good protection against freezing (-34F), does not provide the best medium for transferring heat. A lesser amount of anti-freeze will help with the heat transfer. I see where you live in Chicago, and need the freeze protection during the cold months.

You could change out your winter mixture and replace it with a weaker mixture for warm weather driving. I would not recommend straight water as it will rust and corrode your cooling system. Maybe straight water with a anti-rust/anti-corrosion/lubricant additive would work Maybe the water wetter product is something to look into.

A lower temperature thermostat (160F) will get the coolant circulating sooner and will give more operating temperature range, but will not in its self prevent over heating (as has been previously mentioned).

These are simple changes you can explore before going into more complicated (and expensive) remedies. Just a suggestion.

Frustrating to not be able to fully enjoy your Packard during the peak driving months.

(o{I}o)

As described a few posts back, here's a cooling system flushing gun that was pretty much a standard tool of the auto service shop of the era for flushing cooling systems in the car. Water and compressed air inlets are obvious; on the outlet side the brass fitting is in place because the last time it was used was for a heater core. Otherwise you just slide it up over the lower radiator hose to get a proper fit.

If you see one at a flea market, I advise picking it up. They often go for as little as $5. Very good addition to the old car owner's tool box.

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Why doesn't everyone just learn and accept this and get on with it? It's a good thing Packard didn't have tire pressure gauges inside the car for you to look at. Then on a hot day when the tire pressure increased you would all be heading for the side of the road to let out some air. Just think of all the explanations as to what is wrong with your tires you would receive.

Yes Bob1951. It's kind of amazing isn't it???

So many will UNconditionaly bore engines that do NOT need it. Do a lot of fancy UNnecessary head work, buy premium grade tires at outragous prices that require a pound of weight to balance, among other gimmick processes. But they'll insist on variuos remedies, processes and band-aids for POSTwar radiators that when NEW were extremely thin metal structures to begin with and only good for about 25 years at the very MAX.

THe solution to the radiator problems are so (relatively) cheap and simple it denies most people of cocktail party bragging. Therein lies the problem.

When you don't know much (that's me) sorting out internet advice is maddening and tends to leave you paralyzed with indecision.

I budget a few bucks to take care of the car; I want it to work correctly. I don't want to abuse it.

On the other hand, I don't feel affluent enough to try every solution, no matter how heartfelt the advice.

I really wish there was a better way to sort this all out.....

The key is DIAGNOSTICS. Sometimes it requires relatively inexpensive equipment and/or spare parts to run diagnostic evaluation of a problem or ALLEGED problems.

In this particular case of alleged overheating the easiset and cheapest diagnostic is to use a reliable engine temperature gauge to determine if the car is actualy overheating or not.

The overheating evidence u presented as ruff running engine under conditions u described could very well be due to modern gas. I get the same stumble on mine once in a while after long sessions of idleing or very slow operation.

Usualy, overheating will be accompanied by conspicuous ker-plunking sounds of the coolant trying to boil in the radiator and engine. Mite not be able to hear it while driving but will be easily heard if one simply walks by the front of the car or lifts the hood.

Go ahead and install the pusher fan. Give it try. Not real dificult to do. But if the problem persists then what????? At some point it will be necessary to determine actual engine temperature if the problem does persist.

Also note that most pusher fans are maounted directly on or very near the face of the radiator. Not sure how to accomplsh that on the V8 model Packards due to the cross brace of the radiator support.