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I've seen or heard of this occuring rarely, generally following replacement of bearings and races. An easy way to prevent it is to follow the method Packard and other companies recommended in later years, which was to first over-tighten the adjustment a bit (perhaps 20 pound-feet) to insure that the cone (bearing)is fully seated properly into the cup (race), and then back off completely and then tighten to the final specification (later years) or degree of feel (earlier years).

Another cause can be failure to drive the bearing races fully onto their seats in the hub.

Thursday 5th February 2009

Drove the '41 over to Greenacre to have another front-end alignment check done by Brian after the right front camber and left front caster adjustments of last week. We've been having hot weather over the last week or so and the days heat up very quickly and that coupled with bumper to bumper driving in peak hour traffic formed a pretty stern test on the '41's cooling system which passed with flying colours! Got the '41 up on the alignment machine straight away on arriving and this necessitated having to jack the rear end of the apparatus up with a heavier car, read Packard, on it. Brian's initial check on the right front showed camber as now 0.5% positive which in our RHD world IS a positive, so one tick! Next the caster checks on the left and the right front showed 0 degrees for both, another tick. Then checking toe-in, Brian had to re-adjust the set-up he did from 2 weeks ago, the camber and caster adjustments had a flow-on effect which needed to be corrected. Now have a properly set-up and aligned front end.

A couple of things though, yesterday noticed some missing in the engine when accelerating which to my very untrained self might be fuel related. In my imagination I think it's fuel starvation but who am I to try and diagnose a mechanical malfunction? Same thing occurred today on the way to Brian's and back when accelerating in 2nd gear the '41 started missing. When backed off or accelerating gently the miss wasn't there. Had a word to Wade tonight at the Packard club meeting and he'll look at it tomorrow, suggesting we check the fuel filter first and then work from there.

Then on the way back after the alignment, had a minor scare when the right door of the Coupe swung open. This on a busy major road on a double lane flyover with a large semi behind. Well that was actually the best place to be as the semi driver honked his horn, slowed down and allowed me to pull up reach over close the door and get going again. All I could do at the time was give him a wave in thanks but fortunately a little further along the road widened into 4 lanes and when he came up inside me and stopped I was able to thank him in person. This of course was only made possible because I'm in a LHD vehicle in a RHD land, such is life.

Instead of going directly home I stopped at the RTA(Roads and Traffic Authority) office at Ryde because a week or so ago the Registration Sticker, so carefully applied on the 14th January, fell off! Found it laying on the back seat as I'd applied it to the left rear quarter window. And here in Oz it's an offence to drive a vehicle which doesn't display a Registration Sticker so I'd been sweating on it for a little while. I expected the Government, in it's usual larcenous manner, would charge a fee for a replacement Sticker. But to my surprise it was free! Imagine that! And only had to fill out very few lines on the form required for the replacement. A strange but true tale!

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Friday 6th February 2009

Following on from the "Wades Workshop" blog post this stanza concerns the '41 Coupe.

First up went for a "test drive" with Wade at the wheel so he could experience first hand the symptom's I encountered over the last few days. Did Wade's usual test route which is quite scenic as it loops around at the Ferry wharf near Meadowbank. And I'm pleased to say the symptom's of missing under load didn't disappear but were plainly evident, what's more Wade was of the opinion they were fuel related. Although when we were at the Ferry wharf with the hood up, inspecting the fuel filter which seems clear, another problem reared it's ugly head.

This was the ammeter which was showing a discharge and accompanied by an intermittent clicking from the regulator. Because Wade didn't have the equipment to test this he suggested, after we got back to the workshop, that I take the '41 to Ken at Tibby Rose Auto Electrical and get him to look at it. This I did, but by the time I got to Ken the problem had disappeared! Ken, nevertheless, hooked up his test equipment which showed everything was working as it should be. Very good of him, and even better he didn't charge for the time I wasted with him, but he did say to bring it back if it plays up again and he'll have a much better chance of finding the problem if I present it to him in that state.

Looks like the "gremlins" that can come with putting an old car back on the road are now present. And, because of time constraints today, didn't get to look further into the fuel problem and will do so on Monday.

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Monday 9th February 2009

After finding the 2 NOS relays I'd bought off eBay over 12 months ago, together with the accelerator pump from the same source, headed to the workshop. Found Peter, owner of a '38 120, from the Packard club already there. Talked about O/D's because Peter has installed an R9 in his '38 recently but is having difficulties with it. While Peter was examining the R9 we'd brought back from the Central Coast, and here it's somewhat ironic because Peter lives there, Wade arrived. Peter then was able to source some fuel pump fittings for the MGC, that's right MGC, he's restoring at present. Wade then proceeded to make coffee for the guys and I had a cup of tea. Sometime later we were joined by Noel, owner of a Concourse condition '39 120 and the other '41 Coupe in Sydney but his is a 160, who was there to pick up a battery that Wade had charged up for him over the weekend. And this time I remembered to take a couple of pic's so faces can be put to the names. A lot of Packard talk resulted and by the time Noel and Peter departed it was after 11:00am.

Time to turn to the '41. Yesterday I'd driven it to the Packard Club's AGM, this in 40C heat, and again the '41 was missing and farting around under load. Later, after sitting in the sun for about 3 hours, the '41 didn't want to start but after about 5 minutes finally came to life. So far so good. But under load after leaving the carpark there is a gentle uphill road which almost proved too much for the '41. Had to pull over to let the cars behind me past as she was performing dreadfully. After a couple more similar episodes it had improved a lot by the time I made it home.

This morning it was still kicking and missing, but not as badly as yesterday and made it to the workshop OK. I'd parked the '41 outside the workshop in the expectation we'd be working on it and, because it was only 22C today, we ended up doing it in the carpark. Took the aircleaner off in preparation but, when the time came, it wouldn't start! Checked the accelerator pump was supplying fuel, operating OK! Checked there was spark to the plugs, also operating OK! Pulled No1 sparkplug out, all sooted up but gap OK, and the same for Nos2 to 8. Cleaned all the plugs in the blasting cabinet, it's great to have these facilities to turn to, blew them out, checked the gaps, all OK and re-installed them. Did it start? Yes, it did! We'd also taken the opportunity to read the manual about adjusting the mixture, so once the '41 warmed up Wade wound both mixture screws in then backed them off as per the book. Idled better and no miss! Went for the obligatory scenic test drive to the bay and back and the '41 performed flawlessly. Looks like it was a too, too rich mixture fouling up the plugs being the cause, but time will tell. Then off home, I'd promised my brother Lindsay and my handicapped nephew David I meet them at my folks place in the '41. Met them there and, after a cup of tea or coffee, took them for a drive around the neighbourhood. The '41 went very well and everyone enjoyed the drive with David asking lots of questions about the Packard before, during and after the drive. A very satisfying day.

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Mal, I am having a rich mixture issue as well. Might be my electric pump being too strong or the stromberg carb being too old. Anyway, setting the mixture and spark gap on mine did help a lot for easier staring although it is not perfect yet.

It looks like you are enjoying your car a lot and using it to show off as well! Keep well!

Mal-

Seems like a good couple of days, even with all the problems. Thanks for sharing, I really enjoy reading about these issues and how they are resolved. Gives me confidence and a series of steps I can take if I have the same symptoms.

I pulled my carb last year and had the local packard limousine company rebuild it for me. When I reinstalled it they told me the same way you did for setting the two screws, it helped immensely.

_Carl

Though one can do well "by ear" if practiced, probably the most accurate an easy way to set idle mixtures is with a vacuum gauge.

Wednesday 11th February 2009

Didn't get to the workshop but dropped into Repco, local auto parts store, to pick up an air filter element I'd ordered on Monday. Trouble was it didn't fit although the guy measured up the air filter element there wasn't one in the range as an exact fit so I ordered the closest available which turned out to be not close enough. Went and returned the element and got my money back so no drama. The guy who served me today asked what the element was for and when I told him '41 Packard said there was a guy around the corner with a Packard. Well the guy around the corner is Wade, and I was able to tell him that yes I knew Wade and in fact he was the guy who was helping me with mine. Then he told me, almost incredulously, that Wade drove his big red Packard almost every day which I was also able to confirm! Anyway the Repco guy suggested I try American Auto Parts,https://www.americanautos.com.au/secure.html, which was going to be my next stop anyway. At American Auto Parts, a speed and accessory parts shop, they couldn't help me either but the guy there pointed me in the direction of Uni Filters, a filter manufacturer,http://www.uniflow.com.au/. Rang Uni Filters on returning home only to learn they were now at West Gosford 36 miles north and not at Hornsby about 8 miles away. However as I had the dimensions of the filter I ordered one over the phone and should see it in the mail mid-next week.

In my travels today I noticed a Ford Pilot,http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Pilot at a pump when I pulled into a gas station. Now these aren't that common but what caught my attention was the driver pouring water over his starter motor! Took a pic then talked with the guy and he advised the "treatment" was to cool down the starter so it would start again! The Pilot, called by old-time Aussie rodders a "P Model Ford", has been rodded. It's now equipped with a Chev 350, literally squeezed in, Chev trans, Ford rear end and a Holden(Local GM Brand) front end with Leyland P76,http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leyland_P76 discs which have the same bolt pattern as Ford. He's got the biggest radiator he can get in there together with an auxiliary fan ahead of it but it apparently gets so hot, because of the close confines of the engine compartment, that the starter cooling treatment is the way to get it going again!

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Mal, I would like to suggest that you try a modern pleated paper air filter as a solution. You can probably find one that will fit, but this may require opening many boxes to find the right one. I have done this, to my oil bath type filters, and it works well. I have saved the original parts.

Monday 23rd February 2009

Before heading to the workshop installed the Uni Filter air filter which arrived last week. Then stopped at Wheel & Tyre Co, just at the back of the workshop, to have the spare on the '41 attended to because a couple of weeks ago when checking the tyres found the spare wasn't holding air! Rather than continue to tempt fate by driving without a servicable spare thought it was prudent to address the situation. Thought there would be three options. 1) A new or used 7.00 x 15". Not to be, only new 8 ply light truck tyres and those I didn't want. 2) A new or used equivalent sized radial. No, didn't have one. 3) A new tube with the present tyre. Decided to go this path, being it was the only one available. But Paul, the manager there informed me that if the rim was rusted a new tube wouldn't last long. Decided to take the tyre off the rim, examine the state of the rim and go from there. Turned out the rim is fine and the present tube held air in the water tank when tested. So it was all put back together but with a new valve and so far it's holding air.

Onto the workshop where Wade arrived shortly after I did and work commenced on the '34, and for more of that see the "Wades Workshop Project Blog". After that we turned to the '41 and addressed the non functioning speedo. The thought was that the problem was the speedo cable rather than the speedometer itself because when the cable was disconnected from the back of the speedo the end drive to the speedo fell onto the floor of the '41. With the cable disconnected it could be seen and felt that the inner cable was turning when the '41 was in motion. Before removing the speedo cable from the '41 removed the speedo drive from the R9 acquired a few weeks ago and cleaned it up. This was so the the speedo drive hole in the R9 on the '41 could be plugged while the cable is away being repaired. Took the drive off the spare R9 and cleaned it up. Then took off the firewall gasket and retainer and Wade fed through the speedo end of the drive cable. Wade then jacked up the right side of the '41, I placed a jack stand under the chassis, and Wade in his usual fashion slid under the '41 and removed the speedo cable from the R9. A quick clean up and I was off to General Instruments at Lidcombe in the '41 with the old cable and all it's fittings including the loose drive end. General Instruments are getting a few jobs from us with brake cables for the '39 and '41, repair of the '37 Super 8 speedo cable and speedometer and now this. And there I was presently surprised at the cost estimate of AU$77.00 but even more surprised that the job will be a new inner and outer cable and probably use all new fittings as well! I thought they would have to reuse the fittings on the present cable, but they only do so if they can't match the fitting as it's more trouble than it's worth in getting off the old fittings. Well that's the story they told me and for the price I'm not arguing against it!

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