Packard Forum Index » V-8 (1955-56)

Ever compared the big end width of a Packard and a Pontiac rod?

thnx, jack vines

not use'n them in this build. yes i have they are not quite right on the factory rods. however the aftermarket ones are made to customer specs, so width is not realy a problem.

Jack,and Eric, i'm thinking we should start our own thread about v/8 performance. in all honesty the factory pontiac rods would be useless to us. they are shorter and narrower. the closest factory rod i have found we may be able to use is gmc? 261 i-6 rods. if you want the info on them i'll send it. still looking for my info on the aftermarket rods.

FWIW, Eric is no longer building V8s.

Another FWIW, the Chevy 261" truck 6-cyl rod is more difficult to find than the Packard rods and not really any stronger.

If light forged pistons are used, the Packard rods are probably as strong as the main bearing webs and the lifter bores. No one I know has run a Packard V8 hard enough to break a rod. The main bearings and/or the crankshaft or the valves usually go first.

I have one more set of the custom 7.25" Oliver rods and am trying to decide whether to invest in another stroker crank or just stay with the stock crank and use a supercharger. Either way, the Oliver rods will handle twice the horsepower a Packard V8 would ever make.

thnx, jack vines

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This is true, I've sold all my good stuff to Mr. Vines recently. I've decided to go back to my "roots" and concentrate solely on the straight eights.

I agree with you jack, the 261 is not easy to find. and i would prefer an aftermarket rod anyway. as for the broken rod issue, it did happen. i have had in my "fleet" at one time on another several cars that became parts cars due to it! i was merely stating that in production form the 261 was the closest that i had found. Will you be at the national? am looking forward to meeting eric, would like to meet you too!

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Eric,

Yes, I have seen a few diesel pistons. They make dandy ashtrays. But as far as ultra-low compression, you probably know but some may not that the top of the piston basically is the combustion chamber, and diesel engines are very high compression as a result. Some diesel pistons have nothing but a little round divot in the top and often run compression of over 25:1. Hey, sparkless ignition. It's an idea we can all get behind.

By "Returning to your roots" I presume you mean turbocharged flatheads... or maybe a reference to a type of engine driven blower?

On the rod replacement discussion, Packard, would probably agree with Jack that they put a pretty strong OE rod the V8. SAE 1041 steel with an "I" cross section.

But I was surprised to hear that Jack knows of no Packard V8 literally "throwing" a rod before something else failed. If anyone would know I guess he would.

Packard say: "The connecting rod now used in the new V-8 has been conservatively designed and extensively tested under loads substantially in excess of those imposed under any driving condition." (Packards International Summer 1991 pg 34--emphasis added)

Hey jack! i finaly found the info on the pontiac rods! they are 6.800" long. the rod journal size is same as a v/8 packard, and the set cost around 400$

Measured the big end width? The Pontiac rods are much narrower than the Packard.

thnx, jack vines.

yes jack i know that STOCK pontiac rods are narrower .996" compared to 1.060". but remember we are talking about CUSTOM MADE rods!