QuestionI had written you previously about my overdrive, but my mechanic says the OD has been "butchered" by previous owners, cable cut,etc....but he feels like it's always in OD now as he doesn't feel it drag down when driving at 35 MPH and letting off the gas, it seems to coast along well in 3rd gear with no gas pedal, and not gear down as one might expect. any thoughts?> It's an R-11 OD.
Also this car has a coolant leak and a 2" long horizontal crack at the top of the block just in front of the starter. Not a bad leak but still concerning. It's a 288 model and runs good. I've bought some product online that says it will fix nearly any block crack or head gasket leak as long as it's in the cooling system only. forms some type of chemical reaction and seals cracks. what do you think?
Also where can I get oil filters for this car...and does the oil bath air filter work well and how do I maintain it? Do all 36+ of the chassis lube points need to be lubed regularly or just once in a while for an occasional driver?
too many questions possibly,,,but thanks for your valuable and clearly understood advice.
(oh and I just bought another 48 packard online, all orig with 60K miles but smashed fender and door)
Thanks
Bill M
AnswerNo problem, I can talk about Packards all day long!
The R-11 is a very robust unit, and since it freewheels OK, and you didn't mention any problem with backing up, the unit is mechanically OK. The only problem you are having is there is no electrical control system operating. That can be anything from a blown fuse to a disconnected wire, to a bad governor, or a bad solenoid. All these things are easily and cheaply fixed, but you either have to get the book and figure it out yourself, or find someone who is familiar with the overdrive system. It is not hard to repair. If you need to replace the control cable, that is available too. All that does is allow you to lock out the overdrive so that the car will be identical to a non-overdrive car - no freewheeling in otherwords. What you have now is fine for around town driving, but for speeds above 55 or so, you really should get the overdrive working - you'll love it, and save a lot on gas.
Try the block seal - it might work. If it doesn't, you can have the crack welded or brazed up, but the engine has to be totally stripped down to a bare block to do that. It's probably easier to fine a better engine.
All the lube points were supposed to be lubed every time - 1000 miles or 6 months, whichever comes first. I know it's a pain, but that's the way old cars were, and that is why they last so long. My 47 now has almost 300,000 miles on it, and you'd think it was a new car!
Oil filter elements are still available from specialty Packard houses like Kanter Brothers in New Jersey.
The oil bath air filter is exceptionally effective - remember when these cars were new, many were driven on farm roads with lots of dust. They need to be taken apart and washed clean with kerosene, then filled to the "oil level" line with motor oil. You need to do this when you can feel grit in the bottom of the oil reservoir. I happen to live on a ranch, with very dusty roads, and I have to do mine about once every two years. You'll be amazed at the crud it takes out of the air!
Please contact me directly at dickb@sdccu.net if you want to take this discussion off line - I don't like to give out my e-mail, but in this case, I think I can help you a lot with advice and parts if you need any - and I don't want to do this via the all-experts service. Tell me where you are located - if you are within driving distance, I can help a lot with your new project car.
Dick
