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Re: Someone hooked the battery up backwards / new member 55 Clipper Deluxe
#51
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humanpotatohybrid
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Yeah that's what it looks like. In the service manual it implies they're removeable that way so I should be able to see well enough if they're free. I'll take a look today or tomorrow when I'm back over there.

Fortunately have a fresh can of PB baster and a dead blow hammer so we can hope for the best. If this isn't the issue then I'll need to start tearing it apart which I'm not against, but it would be a pretty big pain.

Still need to test the ignition system, then buy/find a set of spark plug wires, then change the oil before even trying to crank it over. Needs an oil change because the pan is about a gallon overfilled with diesel at this point.
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Posted on: 2022/5/14 14:23
'55 400. Needs aesthetic parts put back on, and electrical system sorted.
'55 Clipper Deluxe. Engine is stuck-ish.
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Re: Someone hooked the battery up backwards / new member 55 Clipper Deluxe
#52
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humanpotatohybrid
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Took off the valley cover. Fortunately all the lifters are free. Everything looks to be in good mechanical condition overall under there. Seems to be a piston problem, so I'm going to start tying to get the heads off. Fortunately with what I've done so far I've completed most of the preliminary steps anyway.

Posted on: 2022/5/15 18:29
'55 400. Needs aesthetic parts put back on, and electrical system sorted.
'55 Clipper Deluxe. Engine is stuck-ish.
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Re: Someone hooked the battery up backwards / new member 55 Clipper Deluxe
#53
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humanpotatohybrid
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On the instructions to remove the heads, it says to "disconnect the exhaust manifold from the exhaust pipe". Looking in the Fuel and Exhaust section, it says that the manifold bolts onto the crossover pipe. For me it's hard to see what is going on there, but the specs sheet says it should be 3/8" bolts, presumably using a 9/16" socket. Are these usually feasible to get off, or rusted in place?

What's the recommended way to take the heads off? Manual says to screw (14mm) bolts into the spark plug holes and lift it off with some apparatus.

How heavy is it? Is it feasible to lift off by myself or should I have another person? Should I take the hood off first?

Also, how do I get the head unseated in the first place? I loosened all of the head bolts but the head itself didn't seem to be movable. Just smack it around with a dead blow hammer, or?

Posted on: 2022/5/15 22:29
'55 400. Needs aesthetic parts put back on, and electrical system sorted.
'55 Clipper Deluxe. Engine is stuck-ish.
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Re: Someone hooked the battery up backwards / new member 55 Clipper Deluxe
#54
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JeromeSolberg
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I don't know all the details of the V-8's versus my straight-8. But the Packard V-8 as I understand it is of very conventional design, so tactics used for any other American V-8 of the 1950's and 1960's would apply as regards, say, exhaust manifold-to-exhaust-pipe bolts. Soaking them in Liquid Wrench, Sea Foam, or PB Blaster. Heat/Cold cylcles help too - heating them with a (acetylene or even hand-held propane) torch then quenching with something you can spray on them, like WD-40. On my straight-8 the exhaust manifold bolts were pretty rusty but did eventually come off. Another tactic (after the soaking and heat/cold cycles) is to use an "impact wrench" with a socket extension on it.

On the Straight-8 I found the easiest way to get the head off was to hit it on the side with a rubber mallet a few times, then there was/is a spot you can pry it up with a screwdriver without marring the machined surface. Don't know if such a spot exists on the V-8, but probably. After you get it to separate then progressively lift off by inserting, say, screwdriver blades and gradually work free. All that may not be as necessary on the V-8 since the head is not nearly as long.

I can lift off the Straight-8 flathead myself, which I cannot imagine isn't heavier than a single bank of the V-8 head, even though it does have lifters and valves in it. But again, Youtube videos of people working on big-block American V-8's would probably be a good thing to watch.

Posted on: 2022/5/16 11:06
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Re: Someone hooked the battery up backwards / new member 55 Clipper Deluxe
#55
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humanpotatohybrid
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Thanks! I'm planning to tackle that this or next weekend so I'll keep this thread updated.

Posted on: 2022/5/16 11:32
'55 400. Needs aesthetic parts put back on, and electrical system sorted.
'55 Clipper Deluxe. Engine is stuck-ish.
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Re: Someone hooked the battery up backwards / new member 55 Clipper Deluxe
#56
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Packard Don
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Not to state the obvious, but be sure you’ve located and removed all the bolts before banging on it! On some engines, they are in recesses or obscure places so are hard to see.

Posted on: 2022/5/16 12:55
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Re: Someone hooked the battery up backwards / new member 55 Clipper Deluxe
#57
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humanpotatohybrid
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Yeah. Fortunately they all broke loose pretty well, aside from the manifold-crossover pipe screws which I haven't tried. I screwed 3 back down before leaving for the week.

Posted on: 2022/5/17 7:51
'55 400. Needs aesthetic parts put back on, and electrical system sorted.
'55 Clipper Deluxe. Engine is stuck-ish.
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Re: Someone hooked the battery up backwards / new member 55 Clipper Deluxe
#58
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Jack Vines
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Quote:

humanpotatohybrid wrote:
What's the recommended way to take the heads off? Manual says to screw (14mm) bolts into the spark plug holes and lift it off with some apparatus.

How heavy is it? Is it feasible to lift off by myself or should I have another person? Should I take the hood off first?

Also, how do I get the head unseated in the first place? I loosened all of the head bolts but the head itself didn't seem to be movable. Just smack it around with a dead blow hammer, or?


The Packard V8 heads are heavier than the hubs of hell, around 60# loaded. When I was younger, I could lift one out over the fender with the hood on. Age and experience has taught that's not a good idea.

I wouldn't even try to pull the heads with the engine in place. What's the goal? If the engine is stuck, it's likely to require a complete disassembly any way.

However, if you're stubborn, try a cherry picker engine hoist. Use a short length of chain between the two outer exhaust manifold bolts. Take a light strain, bang with a 5# rawhide hammer or similar deadblow plastic hammer.

jack vines

Posted on: 2022/5/17 11:20
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Re: Someone hooked the battery up backwards / new member 55 Clipper Deluxe
#59
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humanpotatohybrid
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Thanks Jack, I'll keep all that in mind next weekend when I come back to it.

Posted on: 2022/5/22 19:20
'55 400. Needs aesthetic parts put back on, and electrical system sorted.
'55 Clipper Deluxe. Engine is stuck-ish.
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Re: Someone hooked the battery up backwards / new member 55 Clipper Deluxe
#60
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HH56
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There are small tubes in oil passages on each side that mate with the head and act like locating dowels. Be sure the head is free and will be able move slightly outward away from the block before trying to lift them straight up with any kind of hoist.

Attach file:



jpg  tube.jpg (46.64 KB)
209_628ad8a04d5d9.jpg 374X454 px

Posted on: 2022/5/22 19:45
Howard
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