Tech Help

Note from the editor:

What a wonderful group Packardites are! In the January 2009 Hexagon, I asked for help and got re-

sponses from all over. It was amazing to receive telephone calls, emails, and letters offering advice and people

sharing their experiences on how to eliminate the valve lifter noise in my 1955 Constellation. I also received

several calls from '55 V-8 owners who said ­ `when you find out ­ let me know!' I want to thank Bob Powell,

Earl Shrewsbery, Bill Johnson, Ken Chapman, Ray Vigeant, Douglas Wells, Dave Czarnecki, and many others

for their help. Here is what Dave Czarnecki, our Mid-Atlantic Tech guy had to say...

'55 V8 Oil Pump Calamity by Dave Czarnecki

Recently Jon Hatfield, the Hexagon editor, sent out a message asking for help regarding air bubbles

in his oil and noisy valve lifters.

Dick Boswell relates in a very eloquently written article printed in the Jan-Feb, 2007 Cloisonne Cal-

endar newsletters a number of his personal experiences with different Packards from his stable. One experi-

ence tied closely to recent symptoms noted by our prolific editor (Packard V-8 Bubbles ­ Noisy Lifters). In Mr.

Boswell's article which is reprinted, in part, below, Dick describes his saga with a `55 Packard 400 (circa 1970).

A number of `55 V8s have been afflicted with the common bad oil pump syndrome that was present

in so many of these Packard V-8 engines. This fault generally left the motor effectively shot ­ from run-

ning with air bubbles in the oil with the resulting poor lubrication. First to be heard complaining about the

bubbles (air) in the oil were the hydraulic lifters. Many of these engines "swallowed a valve" in that the lifter

pounded so hard (from the aerated oil) that the keepers finally came off and ­ in, went the valve to "mingle"

with the "fast moving" piston. The bubbles (air) in the oil were from the bad oil pump/air pump bushings

­ and later the engine failed completely from the resulting low pressure after all of the bearings etc., etc.,

were totally worn out from, again bad lubrication. Bummer for sure ­ my engine was still no good!!

Well, after then taking out the engine, having the crank turned, installing new inserts ­ everywhere,

putting in a new oil pump, installing new lifters, etc., etc., etc., it truly did run fine. I drove this car about

20,000 miles and it performed well."

[Ref: "Collectors of, workers on, old stuff," Dick and Sue Boswell, Hawkeye Packards, Editor of the Hawkeye Hexagon

newsletter. Jan-Feb 2007, Vol 53, No.1]

As Jon learned, in the very last years, Studebaker-Packard identified V-8 problems of early bearing

wear & lifter replacement. They found that the oil pump was defective and after some wear "wobbled" al-

lowing air to get into the oil lines. This air caused the lifters not to pump up fully under load and air bubbles

in bearings caused accelerated wear. Even a factory replacement pump would do the same after as few as

15K/25K miles.

A number of "fixes" have been discussed in the literature and on the Web, including "just run an ex-

tra quart of oil." I'm not sure if the "silver bullet" has been identified but here is one solution I noted on the

web, from the "The Packard V8 Club." www.1956packardpanther.com/PV8C_OHVOPA.html

See Part 2 in the June Hexagon ­ Ed.