Packard Forum Index » Pre-War (1899-1942)

Hi Owen,

not sure what valve it is - intake / exhaust, i have yet to find a diagram of the valve line up for the 384.

the photo below is the valve in question the X marks the valve on #3 cylinder. i believe it is stuck, tried to move it no luck. BUT, i do not have my spring compressor. loaned it to my brother years ago now he cannot find it, so i will have to get another one. do you have a recommendation for a spring compressor? the one i had was the large C shaped type.

also, if anyone reading this has a good used stamped rocker arm forsale let me know, so far i have only found rollers and pins online, no complete arms.

thanks for all the help, Dave

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not sure what valve it is - intake / exhaust, i have yet to find a diagram of the valve line up for the 384.

Dave, you don't need a chart, just look above and see which manifold branch (intake or exhaust) corresponds to the valve location, noting that in some cases adjacent ports are siamesed. If I run across a chart somewhere I'll add it here.

I find the C-clamp type of valve spring compressor extremely awkward and aren't really for use on L-head engines, especially if the manifolds are still attached. Look for one like the enclosed; there are lots of little variations on this theme but this one, a K-D, is quite rugged and has done more Packard valve jobs than I care to count.

EDIT: BTW is there a chance the lifter guide has broken? They are bolted in place and typically removed by removing the cylinder bore casting from the crankcase but with some difficulty can also be removed from below by removing the oil pan and then the pistons and connecting rods. If the lifter has sideways wobble more than just a few thousandths, it deserves a careful look.

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Hi Owen,

i am pretty sure it is the exhaust valve, the plug was wet with gas when i took it out, but not positive. both manifolds join at that location


no woble at all in the lifter, and it moves up & down freely no sticking.


thanks for all the help, i really do appreciate it.

Dave

OK, update time.

i have the head off and it is the intake valve for #3 that is stuck, well was stuck.

i have the valve so it will move, i have removed the keeper but i cannot get the spring or spring cap to let go of the valve. i try to pull up on the valve and it brings the spring up with it, compressing it and pulling the valve back down to the seat.

i have compressed the spring and looked to see if there is a bur or something catching on the spring cap but i cannot see or feel anything....

HELP, what would cause the srping and cap to not let go of the valve stem when the keeper has been removed???


thanks, Dave

You said "keeper" as in singular, there are pieces to it, did you remove them both? If so, nothing else holding it in place except possibly friction in the guide, the valve should pull straight up out of the spring and retainer. Patience.

I'm not familiar with the keepers on this particular application. But as OWen indicates there are other pieces that mite be holding.

HOWEVER, in some rare cases, if the valve was real noisy for many many miles of operation then it is possible that the end of the valve is mushroomed.

FIRST be sure that all the valve keeper parst are removed.

OK, i figured it out.

the end of the valve is mushroomed just enough to keep it from letting go of the spring.

i could not feel it with my finger but i looked and you can see it.

next stop, hours of careful filing.

Dave

Any way to get a Dremel in there with a small stone? The valves are pretty tough steel (exhausts more so) and I suspect it's going to be pretty tedious with a file.

And apologies for my comment about the 2-piece keeper, I forget which engine this was - of course it's a one-piece steel blade keeper, for some reason I was fixated on the more conventional half-circle types.