Packard Forum Index » General

I tested the compression today still chasing the same no-start issue and here is the rundown: #1, 0psi #2, 20psi #3, 0psi #4, 0psi #5, 70psi #6, 95psi #7, 93psi #8, 0psi So should I even bother putting some oil in the plug holes and re-check as some have suggested or is it screwed? It has no bubbles in the oil and it is nice and black not brown or milky. Would this keep it from running? How can it have ran when I parked it 2 weeks ago and now all this? Also I went to check the timing and best I can tell, there are NO marks of any kind on the balancer. Is it different on these? Thanks

Pull the valve covers and check the action for stuck valves.

If they aren't stuck then probably the chain slipped.

A friend of mine had 69 Lincoln Mark III that had set for 10 years. It took forever but we got it started. Even drove it for a short test. Turned it off and the next day - nothing. Just a whole bunch of stuck valves - which sounds like your problem to me. Others may have a better knowledge.

Thanks Tim, can I/should I clean them somehow while I am looking at them? Also, I found a timing chain and gears new but the want $140, is that about right, or keep looking?

A friend of mine had 69 Lincoln Mark III that had set for 10 years. It took forever but we got it started. Even drove it for a short test. Turned it off and the next day - nothing. Just a whole bunch of stuck valves - which sounds like your problem to me. Others may have a better knowledge.


That sounds JUST like my situation, only drove it for like 4 hours total, wouldn't it have barely ran if they were sticking then or no? I had some folks from the HAMB tell me that possibly since the car had been parked for 3 years that the new gas I added has stirred up the old stuff and "Glued" the valves. So that's two votes for drain the gas and change the filter. Before I check the valves and or the valve sticking fuel I want to check the timing and just check, it DID backfire thru the carb once so it is suspect. So how do I check the timing when I see NO HINT of a mark on the ballancer? I am used to SBC's where when you remove the spark plug you can see the piston how do I know when the #1 piston is at tdc?

Bad gas was the culprit in the Lincoln. It started running rough towards the end of the test drive. When we shut it off the gas/varnish congeald and cooled and dried. Result - stuck valves. Your backfire is to me another pointer to stuck valves. An intake valve sticks open, spark plug sets off the fuel/air and takes the course of least resistence - back through the intake manifold & then the carb.
Check the FSM. The marks are there, just buried.

Don`t give up.

Put a straw or something down the sparkplug hole. As you turn the engine the straw will move with the piston. When it stops rising your piston is at the top of the stroke.

Yup, I was thinking on the second day that a tune up was in order...This is giving me new hope as I was getting tired of checking parts that were NOT broken. Also, I remember when I filled it up with fresh gas thinking that it was either a small tank or had a lot in it already. Damn, I should have drained it! Well thanks again all, I will keep you posted.

Put a straw or something down the sparkplug hole. As you turn the engine the straw will move with the piston. When it stops rising your piston is at the top of the stroke.


When the compression tester told me 0 on #1 then #2 same thing, I was wondering if my gauge is worth a damn cause I have never seen a motor (that ran when parked two weeks ago) have ZERO compression, then scratching my head on that one I went to check the timing, for one there are no marks that I can see, so I have my son crank it so I can get number one up top and I don't feel nada so I stick a screw driver it it and it is right there like one centimeter from top so I have him bump it and still at the top! So then I am thinking broken timing chain, so I pop off the cap and hit it again and it is rotating just fine. Then, and THIS is what worries me cause I have no way to explain it,..I took out ALL the plugs and put a screwdriver in each hole and they are ALL at the top like that!!! AT THE SAME TIME! They don't move when cranking the motor! So that can't be the pistons it must be the valves right or no? Are they supposed to be right there like that or are they ALL stuck!? Since they are there how do I know when the #1piston it up, if I can't poke it with a straw or a wire? Thanks again all!

Maybe the straw trick does not work with L head motors. Your pistons must be moving or you would not have had compression in a couple of cylinders.