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

Hi Everyone,

I'm working on a 1948 Custom Eight for a customer. I purchased some new pistons from Kanter and need to know if you are supposed to swap the expander from the old pistons to the new ones. If I had to guess, I would say no, because the split in the skirt of the new pistons doesn't go all the way to the bottom like it does on the originals. I quizzed the salesmen at Kanter, and they didn't know.

Thanks, Jeff

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The expanders were not original equipment. Back in the day they were installed in old somewhat collapsed pistons to make a satisfactory economical ring job. The new pistons do not need them.

Thanks, I know that the engine in this car has been at least partially apart 3 times since 1973. I wonder if they were installed one of those times or even earlier. I wanted to have the engine bored out with all new pistons this time around, but the owner didn't want to spring for the extra grand to do it.

Jeff

I have also just bought an engine kit from Shiron at kanters Packard parts division. I have a 327 w hydrolic lifters ,kanter didn't have the lifters but max Merritt did I bought Fred's 288 head for a compression boost
My engine was 30 over so ill bore to 60 ,I'm assuming ill be the last rebuild I'm guessing that by the time my tenure with the car ends there won't be gasoline anymore perhaps some cleaver enterprising old car nut will figure out a hydrogen splitting fission attachment so the next owner I could continue to run the car for 3years on a cup of water
The engine apart is a massive lump of iron the block didn't it in tha machine shops set up so they had to reconfigure to get the big boy in their milling machine. My exhaust seats were fried and I could rattle the stems around in the guides reproducing the rattle sound I'd hear going up hills. Had some broken oil rings the cam looked fine
The crank made it in their lathe by 1/2 inch! What a monster
Their shop is strewn with little Toyota and Hyundai engines that look a lot like my rebuilt 220 v restaurant toaster