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PREPARING YOUR PACKARD FOR TOURING To print this page (or any other page on the website) right click on the page. A menu will appear; click on Print and your printer should format and print it for you. The following was originally prepared by Packards International for
their National Tours. I have used it
as a base and added some information. However,
is order to use this list effectively, take it to your car dont read it
in the living room. Look at each
item on the list and check it off. Think
about each topic. Example: When
did
I change the antifreeze?
If you cant remember, change it. Wishing you safe and happy touring!
Gary
Russell COOLING SYSTEM q
Clean radiator and engine.
If in doubt, have a rad shop backflush the system. q
Water Pump not leaking no chatter q
Hoses and clamps good condition. q
Radiator cap holding pressure, if that type.
q
Belts in good condition no fraying, cracks. q
Check coolant level.
Also change antifreeze if more that 3 years old. q
Thermostat working properly.
If in doubt, replace. ELECTRICAL
q
q
q Battery hold down properly fastened. q General examination of wiring. If original, check for frays, loose connections, corrosion. If replaced check ends of wire where they connect to the generator, voltage regulator, and headlight circuit to make sure the connectors are soldered to the wire. If not, solder them. This is very important for a 6V car as crimped connectors will not carry the current load required leading to low charging and dim headlights. q Generator, regulator, and starter in good operating condition. q Spark plugs and ignition wiring in good condition. Wiring should be solid copper type on 6V cars. q Distributor cap, rotor and points clean, no burning. Points properly adjusted. q
Check all lights head, tail, brake, turn
signals, instrument plus others such as trunk, glove compartment, etc. FUEL SYSTEM
q Recent fuel filter change. q Check all flexible fuel lines such as fuel line to fuel pump for good condition. If in doubt replace. q Check carburetor no leaks, accelerator pump working, automatic choke working. q Auxiliary electric fuel pump recommended located near tank. Handy for priming and emergency use as well as combating vapor lock. When equipped with an electric pump you should also carry a short length of gas hose with clamps to rig a bypass circuit past the mechanical pump. This is important because if you have to run on the electric pump you need to bypass the original so that you do not chance pumping gas into the engine crankcase if the diaphram is ruptured. q
Filler cap in good condition. ENGINE, TRANSMISSION, REAR END, EXHAUST
q Recent oil and filter change. q Possibly change oil in transmission and rear end if it has been several years. Suggest 90-140 for standard transmissions and rear ends. Mercon for automatics. q Check all oil levels at a minimum. q Check for any leakage and repair as necessary. q Check exhaust system for leaks, and general condition. Replace as necessary. q
Check heat riser valve for proper operation. BRAKES, CHASSIS AND TIRES
q Adjust brakes. q If in doubt, pull drums and check linings. While there, check for any signs of leakage at wheel cylinders. If it is more that 5 years since this was done now is the time. q Also check the rear axle bearings for grease and pack if needed. If there is any sign of rear end lubricant present, the axle seals should be replaced. These are often overlooked, so if they havent been checked in the last 5 years, now is the time. q Check fluid level. If down, find out where the fluid went. Brake fluid does not disappear. If the level is down, there is a leak somewhere. Do not just add fluid. q For Power Brake equipped vehicles, consider rebuilding the master cylinder if it has been more than 5 years. These can fail without warning. q Consider changing to silicone fluid to minimize future deterioration. q If the brake light switch is more than 5 years old, change so it doesnt fail on the trip. If converted to silicone fluid, change if more than 2 years old as the fluid tends to deteriorate these switches. q Replace any flexible lines that show any sign of wear, cracking. q Lube chassis. q Check steering box for fluid. Add 90-140 if needed. q Check power steering fluid if equipped. q For the 55/56 cars with Torsion Level suspension, check to ensure proper operation. If in doubt, replace control unit and brake light switch with conversion units supplied by P I. q Check the front suspension and steering components for cracks. PACKARDTIPS numbers 32, 33, and 36 cover these problems. q Check tires for general condition and tread depth. Check air pressure including the spares(s). If any unusual wear is present on front tires, have the wheel alignment checked. q
Make sure you have a jack and lug wrench in the
trunk dont assume. EXTERIOR AND INTERIOR
q Clean q Wax job for protection q Blankets to cover seats for protection? q
Floor mats for protection SPARE PARTS
q Make sure you have spare parts on board. For suggestions, check out the Spare Parts to Carry For Touring list SPARE PARTS (and other things) TO CARRY
FOR TOURING The
basis of this list was originally prepared by Packards International for their
National Tours. I have added a few
items that I think might be useful. Remember,
most things that can go wrong are simple things that can be easily fixed if
you have the part. Gary Russell ·
Flashlight ·
Fire Extinguisher inside car, easily accessible ·
Heavy-duty jumper cables.
Must be 2/0 to work with 6V systems. These cannot be bought; they have to
be made up by buying 20 of 2/0 cable (so you end up with a 10 jumper) and
two pairs of heavy-duty battery clamps. Clamps
must be soldered to the ends of the cables.
For 12V cars, the normal heavy duty cables that you can by in auto parts
stores are OK, however, make sure they are size 2, if possible. ·
Fuse assortment ·
Bulb Assortment one for each type used in your
car including headlights ·
Tool set. This
should include a brake drum puller for the rear drums for cars up to 1955.
These were made by Proto and can be found at swap meets.
You cannot get the rear drums off without it. ·
Radiator Hoses, fan belts. ·
Fuel Pump ·
Ignition Kit points, condenser, rotor cap, plugs ·
Minimum 1 gallon 4 litres water ·
1 2 quarts (litres) oil ·
Tube of silicone RTV gasket forming sealer such
as Ultra Black ·
Roll of electricians tape ·
Roll of duct tape ·
10 15 #14 Gauge wire ·
3 of 516 fuel hose and clamps ·
Fender and ground covers ·
Coveralls ·
Cleaning materials such as chamois, rags, etc.
·
Hand cleaner ·
Solvent ·
Cooling system sealer such as Prestone.
Do NOT use the powered sealers the milky white liquid sealers do a
much better job without any risk of clogging the system. ·
Silicone brake fluid if your car had been
converted to this. ·
Small floor jack.
The very smallest of these is adequate for changing a tire and they go
low enough to get under the axles when the tire is flat without having to dig a
hole in the ground, which is not always possible ·
Brake light switch.
All Packards with hydraulic brakes use the same switch (except the 55/56
with torsion bar suspension) mounted on or near the master cylinder. These can
go at any time an only take a few minutes to change. An Echlin SL 134 will work
for all. For the 55/56 models
have a new three-pronged switch on hand or convert your car to the
two-pronged switch using the kit you can buy from PNR. ·
If you REALLY want to be prepared Starter,
Generator, Water Pump, Voltage Regulator, Rear Axle with bearing and grease,
front wheel bearings ·
And the most important item A CELL PHONE and AAA/CAA
membership!
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