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

Hi All,

Out of curiosity only, does my '54 Patrician have flat tappet valves?

According to the Packard Engine Serial Number Reference chart in the Literature and Manuals section of the website it has hydraulic lifters.

EDIT - Click on the photo for a larger image.

Attach file:

---

  (33.05 KB)

The way I understand your question, it has hydraulic lifters AND flat tappets, just like my 1953 Cavalier. I think only some of the pre-war motors had roller tappets.

Isn't the hydraiulic lifter the tappet in the case of a '54 Patrician?

As I understand it, the question is about "flat tappets", e.g. whether the part that contacts the cam is a flat surface or a roller with bearings. The 51-54 288/327/359 engines all used flat tappets. The other possible distinction is whether they were "solid lifters",e.g. needing to be adjusted every so many miles, or had hydraulic lifters that automatically adjusted. I believe the '54 Patrician had hydraulic lifters, as did the Cavalier, whereas the lower-priced models had solid lifters, though I think they could be equipped with hydraulics as an option(?), see also the image attached grabbed from the parts manual. From what I can read the "Senior" 8 and V-12 from before WWII had roller lifters, but in a more complicated system than illustrated in the web page linked, where they operated on a pivot, as in the second image attached from the 1938-39 Service Manual.

theengineblock.com/battle-of-the-lifters-flat-tappet-roller-solid-hydraulic/

Cheers. Sorry for writing so much, just been spending a lot of time thinking about this stuff recently.

Attach file:

---

  (35.39 KB)


  (46.75 KB)

Not of confuse the issue but the lifter body where it contacts the cam is not flat. It is supposed to have a slight radius.

As for tappet vs lifter, there was the lifter body and the hydraulic insert but I have not checked the parts book too see exactly the terminology used by Packard.

Thanks for reminding about the curved face of the tappets, one reason I guess it is good to replace the tappets if one can. The 51-54 Parts Manual calls it the "Tappet Assembly".

Any good automotive machine shop can regrind the radius but needs to be sure not to grind through the case hardening. If that happens, then they definitely must be replaced but otherwise can easily be reworked.

Hello all. A word of warning: NEVER put new lifters on a used cam, or old lifters on a new cam. Cam lobe surfaces and the base of lifters are hardened (usually induction), and have to be run in together. That means moly grease on the surfaces, and follow the cam maker's run-in recommendations. With new parts, what looks smooth to us, on a micro scale is rough. New lifters alone will rapidly wear through the hard layer on the cam lobe and result in serious cam wear. One advantage of these low revving flatheads is they only need soft valvesprings, which means reduced cam wear. If removing a cam with the intention of reusing it, the lifters should be kept in order ans go back in their original bores.
Lifter bases are radiused so they rotate, this evens wear. If the cam and lifters are working, don't fix it. Re-radiusing the lifter base, that is removing the run-in surface on the lifter. I wouldn't recommend it.
Gary