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ť Forum Category: PT Boats of WWII
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ť Forum Name: PT Boats - General
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ť Topic: Packard Motor
http://www.ptboatforum.com/cgi-bin/MB2/netboardr.cgi?cid=101&fid=102&tid=393

I have a question that I hope my learned collegues can answer. I have been doing a lot of reading up on PT's, crews, battles and the like and I have found that the Packard motor was only meant to run for a few hundred hours before being replaced completely.

Time and time again I have heard the crews say how scarce spare parts were and how poorly the engines were running so that they could not attain full speed.

A few hundred hours is only a couple of weeks running time.

Besides poor fuel and clogged lines what was the biggest problem these engines exhibited?

[IMaGe]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/Gary%20Szot/ChiefEngineersPosition.jpg[/IMaGe]

Posted By: Gary Szot | Posted on: Jun 6, 2007 - 12:46pm
Total Posts: 193 | Joined: Feb 12, 2007 - 1:00pm

A schedule of specific inspections took place on these engines made daily, and after each 25 hours, 50 hours, and 100 hours of engine operation. Engine effeciency had alot to do with improper loading of the boat, fouled bottoms, props being damaged or nicked, rudders, water in the fuel, air leaks in the fuel systems or shaft problems. It is said that these engines should be over-hauled after 600 hours of operation, as worn pistons, rings, and cylinders caused loss of RPM's.

I am sure that many of the engines were nursed along due to a lack of spare parts or engines. These packards were very tempermental and even a downgrade from 100 octain fuel could cause problems. Engineers were often kept very busy keeping these engines fine tuned. Many things that could go wrong often did, but overall in talking with many Motor Macs the PACKARD MARINE ENGINE was one tough engine that when kept in fighting trim saved many lifes...

Posted By: Frank J Andruss Sr | Posted on: Jun 6, 2007 - 3:27pm
Total Posts: 3497 | Joined: Oct 9, 2006 - 6:09am

Frank,
I agree with your comments about how the PT crews nursed the engines. This is one of the areas where we (the US) were superior to the Japanese. This generation went though the depression and knew how to make the most of little. Making a dying Pt motor function was second nature to these guy's.We defeted the Japanese because we were able to out think, produce and most importantly, out devote. How they made these pylwood boats battle iron ships is one of the greatest contributions to warfare ever. It was not the boats, it was the men.

Alan Curtis

Posted By: Alan Curtis | Posted on: Jun 6, 2007 - 6:16pm
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered