RickAB

Thanks for the response Bob and Leroy. Bob -In fact when i recently looked back in the Maxwell Registry forum it was your posting way back many years ago that alerted me to Arias making the pistons. I have in fact bitten the bullet and orderd 4 new pistons, figuring that someone will eventually want my spare pair. If all else fails, I will restore my spare AB engine with them and keep it as a backup. Leroy - Yes, i'm in the Registry and know Vern well. Thanks for the tip on the othr Maxwell forum. I might wait until I have the pistons in front of me before I do anymore about advertising them. Don't want to presell them and find they aren't the right thing at all!! Thanks again for your replies. Regards

Hello there, I'm needing 4.5"+.040" pistons, pins and rings to suit my AB. Now of course I only need 2, but the manufacturer (Arias) only makes custom pistons in a minimum of four. This gives me two options - one, I find someone who needs the same size pistons and hardware and we share costs equally, or 2/- there's already someone out there who has gone through this exercise and has a spare pair sitting on the shelf. Any takers? Thanks

Hello there, I have an '11 AB running original bores (worn) and pistons and am getting too much oil past the rings into the exhaust system, so have decided to bite the bullet and get the jugs bored and fit new pistons. How far can a 4.5" AB jug be bored before getting too thin? Is there a standard off the shelf piston available with all the right dimensions to suit the original rods? Thanks in advance.

Thanks Leroy and Twrcars for your replies. Leroy - Maybe I should put in a drain tap/plug on the crankcase at about the position I think the oil depth would be just sufficient fot the rods to dip in. That way I can ensure that excess oil above that level can be drained off fairly easily. But the main thing is you think there should be at least some oil in there? ie you don't start it up with a dry sump? (Yes, i'm in the Registry) Twrcars - Yes, my car suffers from syphoning after the engine stops. I even unscrew the oil tank cap after stopping to destroy any pressure, but it still wants to syphon. Would be interested in seeing details of your shut off valve mod....although I'd be worried I'd forget to turn the valve back on when starting up! I take it you have to take your hood off to access this valve? I still wonder why the centre main doesn't have a check valve. Surely this oil line is subject to the same back pressure as the ones on the jugs? I also still wonder why there isn't some sort of crankcase ventilation. Has anyone out there made a vent mod? Thanks RickAB

Hello All, Can some of you knowledgeable enthusiasts please answer the following questions and help settle a 'discussion' I'm having with a mechanic friend - re the 2cyl AB Maxwell oiling system. 1/ Is oil needed in the crankcase? (No mention of it in the manual. Obviously it is needed in the transmission part, but does the crankshaft and big ends have to dip in oil?) 2/ If so, how much? 3/ How do you check this level? 4/ Should there be a check valve on the centre oil feed to the rear main/gearbox? (I know there is one on each of the jugs but I've had conflicting advice over the centre one, and again no mention of it in the manual.) 5/ Has anyone experimented with venting the pressure build up in the crankcase? (seems to be a lot of pressure in there with no effective means of ventilation. I understand many other similar engines of the time, like the International buggy for example, had simple flap valve type arrangements to get rid of excessive pressure) Am keenly awaiting your responses. Thanks Rick

Thanks Guys, particularly RickL for going to the trouble of the attachments. All very helpful. Yes, i'm starting to wonder if the 533 Phaeton is a rare car. I've also discovered that side lights were an option - any thoughts on that one? I'm also wondering whether this car might have an earlier body on than '28, say a '27. As you pointed out, Aussie imports did quite often differ in small details to their US cousins. I'm still to see what the dash layout of a '28 phaeton should look like. This car is missing a few jewellery type items, so will need to look into the availabilty of these before making a decision on buying it or not. Anyway, thanks all again for your feedback. Hope I eventually join the world of Packards.

Hello from Australia. I?m thinking of buying a fairly complete but unrestored 533 tourer (phaeton) that is for sale. I?m hoping someone can assist with a couple of questions I have. I believe it is 1928 - the engine number is around 144000 from memory. It has no sign of ever having sidelights. Would this be correct? The dashboard instruments are all individually mounted (a couple are missing) in separate, mainly oval shaped holes, yet photos I?ve seen of other ?28?s seem to show instruments grouped closer together under a common metal facia. Which is correct? Is there a difference between closed and open cars in this respect? What sort of comfortable cruising speed could I expect from such a beast? Any help appreciated. Thanks in advance. Rick