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

big surprise on the 52/200 .I thought Id have solid lifters on that car ,with a 288 135 hp /5 main bearings
so I got some gaskets for the valve covers ,saved up, and went to the mechanic for my very first valve adjustment for the car .I had a fair bit of valve clatter the engine sounded like a diesel ,but runs fine and doesnt smoke ,id been using straight 30 wt oil
I called to see how it was comming this pm ,and he said guess what you have hydrolic lifters ,and they arnt adjustable ,so your valve clatter is from something else beside lifters needing adjustment
.hmmm... do the hydrolic lifters get gummed up or the springs get old,making loud valves ?? it turns out the timing was way way advanced ;I cleaned off the bottom crank pully and found a timing mark as directed in the site ;it was at 12 degrees btdc ,the distributer had to come out and go back in to be able to get it so it would adjust back to the 6 dbtdc the service manual required ,maby thatll quiet the valves

any clattering hydrolic valve thoughts??
ill have the engine number checked ,it must be a 327 if it has hydrolic lifters unless there were some 288's built that way
wheres the number near the oil filler hole on the flat flange?

Look above the starter on a smoothed area just below the head for the motor number. If nothing there, look about midway somewhere around the distributor also just below the head. It may be grease covered and faintly stamped like the timing marks. If you have the 288 with the option, there should be an H after the number. (There may be other letters as well.) Unless the engine is horribly worn or lifters very dirty, I wouldn't think that many lifters would be clattering.

Do you have the oil filter and if so is it plumbed off a tee fitting shared with oil sender on the bottom hole midway on drivers side. There should be a short curved tube connecting other side of tee to the upper hole which feeds the lifters. The oil filter return should connect to a fitting near the front of engine.

thanks
So hydrolic lifter were an option for the 288 ill find the number and look for an h ,Ill hve the oil passages checked maby ones bent
,maby the excessive advance I HAD is the culpret ,perhaps some top end oil might loosen them up ,marvel mystery oil or something have no idea about the engine wear ,the cylinders were ok as well as the bearings ,ther were a couple of broken oil rings so we looked at various parts of the engine when doing the rings over ....

Lifter and oiling questions aside for the moment, ignition timing at 12 btdc would give you preignition detonation galore. I continue, as I did from the very beginning, to believe that's the source of your noise, your description of it was absolutely classic,

Quote:
"It may be grease covered and faintly stamped like the timing marks."

Yeah, faintly marked is exactly the way the timing marks are on my 1948 2262 288 CID engine too. "Master Engine Builders". I'm not familiar with any of the Packard 8's so i was thinking all along it was just mine. Thanks for the tip.