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I have tackled the after-market air conditioner in my 54 Packard Cavalier. Now that the hydraulic window project is finished, on to the a/c. The evapaorator is in the trunk with the left and right blowers. One of the blower motors does not work. Its not frozen, but it will not work. Does anyone know of an electrical motor repair (6-volt) who can check this motor out. Thanks for all input.

Here is a place that has had favorable mentions on other make forumshttp://jpintoweb.com/Home_Page.php I don't have any direct knowledge of their work but might be worth a call. There are probably others that advertise in Hemmings.

If there are any of the old time electrical shops in your area, they might also work on the small motors. If the motor cannot be easily or inexpensively repaired then possibly a universal 6v replacement heater motor might also work. I am using one of those to convert a 12v aftermarket AC to 6v.

You must be able to freely move the motor shaft (rotor) to thoroughly conduct the motor tests.

Attach the alligator clip leads to each of the motor power input wires.

Turn on the volt ohmmeter and switch it to the "Ohms" setting. Touch the lead ends together and the meter should read a direct short or zero ohms.

Attach the other end of the alligator clips to the leads of the volt ohmmeter. You should receive an immediate reading in ohms of approximately 10 to 100 ohms on the meter. This wide range takes into account for the carbon brush connection to the rotor windings.

Rotate the motor shaft very slowly in either direction. The ohm reading on the meter should change as you rotate the shaft. This insures that the carbon brushes are making contact through the commutation plate of the rotor.

Remove one of the alligator clips from the power wires and touch it to the motor frame. You must find a metal part on the motor case to see if the motor has a short to ground. If the meter registers a wide-open or infinite ohms the motor does not have a direct short to ground.

Rotate the motor shaft again. Again the meter reading should be infinite ohms or a wide open. If this is the case the motor is fine and perhaps the power source is the problem. Check the power wiring for any short conditions. If the motor does indicate a short or zero ohms you must remove the end case cover that conceals the motor commutation plate and carbon brushes.

Remove the end plate with the screwdriver. The long screws can be either a Philips or slotted head screw. The two screws will go through the case and into the shaft end of the motor case. Remove the screws completely from the motor.

Pull the end cover off carefully and inspect the wiring that feeds the carbon brushes. The bare copper braid wire may have touched the case. If it has, carefully pry the braid wire from the case and retest the motor for a short.

Pull the rotor from the stator portion of the motor, if the ohm test still registers a zero ohm or short reading between the windings and the motor frame.

Inspect the condition of the rotor windings. Chances are the windings maybe scorched from over heating or the protective varnish has been damaged. This will cause the DC motor to be shorted to the case from conduction through the shaft into the bearings and then the outside case. If the windings are damaged in any way, the motor will have to be rewound.

All good advice on the testing but I'd only add one caution if you take the end plate off to view the brushes. On some motors once the end plate or the armature is pulled out to view the brushes, it is quite the challenge to get the brushes retracted again in their holders so the armature can slide back into position.

Thanks for sending the information on JPinto rebuilders. I checked locally first and then went to Hemmings Motor News. Two of the Hemmings listings did not rebuild motors despite being referenced as rebuilders. I have sent JPinto an email and two photos of my electric motor. But on the JPinto web page there is an electric motor identical to my motor. We'll see soon. Will report back in and thanks to all the replies.

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Have not used them in years, but they have done many a small motor for me. All Safe Electric, in Canoga Park, Calfiornia.818-340-0974.

Just a thought,

Would a fresh air/heater motor work?

I can't tell the size of the motor compared to the one in used by Packard.

Issue would be 12 v vs 6

Troy, thanks for this tip on opening up my Packard electric motor. I will perform all of those steps next week when I get back into my garage. The motor shaft does turn, so it is worth the effort to investigate inside the casing. I believe the motor is stuck due to non-use, rather than long use. **quote from JPinto $300 to rebuild electric motor. **Packard electric motor appears to be the same as the heater blower motor, but I do not have a spare heater motor. The fan cage might be different, but it is the same motor I believe--6 volt. Great Memorial Day to all.

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Does anyone, with a historical perspective, know if "Frigikar" has any relationship to "Frigiking"? A Google and Wiki search seems to mix and match, making the names almost synonymous. Both seem based, if you look at the name plates on the units, in Dallas, TX. Fifty or so years ago, when I was working at a Volvo agency, I remember putting Frigikar underdash units in new customer cars, prior to delivery. My 56 Packard came with a Frigiking underdash unit that looks almost as old as the car itself, but still cools well, even with a R-134 conversion kit.

I suspect that the originating companies are the same, but somewhere Frigikar morphed into Frigiking. This might have occurred when OEM units took over and Frigiking became focused on units much bigger than mere passenger cars.

In my searches, I discovered that Frigiking did significant developmental work with major German car makers to try and bring their offerings up to American expectations. There appeared to be considerable back and forth with Mercedes engineers and technical expertise. I suppose that headquarters in Dallas made things much more a/c relevant than Dusseldorf. My 1987 BMW 635CSi coupe, black with black leather interior, could still use some American magic applied to its dual unit system to cope with the Atlanta summer. On the other hand, the single Frigiking unit in the Packard does fine.