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GENERATOR: Decided I give the smaller generator installation another go. Got it in there, lined up, hooked up. It was rebuilt in 1986 and has been stored since. The bigger generator is being rebuilt and will be ready next week.

I had every reason to believe this one was ready to go. Famous last words. No juice. I set a makeup mirror on top of the front seat so I could the ammeter, started the car. Had a wire connected to the brown Field terminal with the red paper around it. When I touched the other end to a ground (the one on the inside of the fender. Nothing.

There isn't a piece of paper or anything to remove when a generator has been rebuilt is there? This is supposed to be the definitive test for the generator. I did it several times and on a ground on the firewall.

I'm going to take it out and take it to Philbin when I pick up the other one. I might check the continuity of wiring before I do. I just can't believe this.

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There isn't a piece of paper or anything to remove when a generator has been rebuilt is there? This is supposed to be the definitive test for the generator. I did it several times and on a ground on the firewall.

Not that I'm aware of but if the generator hasn't been in operation you should polarize it. With everything connected briefly touch a wire between the BAT and ARM (or GEN) terminals on the regulator. There will be s small spark when they connect and it doesn't need more than a second or two. Once that is done try it again and see if any change. If still no go and the wires are good then it or the regulator needs looking at.

Howard,
To check continuity I pulled the instrument panel. Boy I'd sure done a good job of holding it place. I have continuity and everything is nice and tight back there. Now to re-fasten it.

I did the polarization thing and it didn't charge. I started through the manual again.

1. I checked to be sure the regulator and generator were well grounded. That they were.

2. I repeated the Field to Ground test, setting up the mirror. This time CHARGE! So the polarization fixed that and the generator is good.

3. Have to see what's next. But now the focus is on the regulator.

Thanks again for excellent guidance. (The picture shows no charge because too many things to coordinate, plus you're only supposed to touch ground briefly.)

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Great picture Joe!

I was having a regulator problem (perceived problem???), and even changed it about 3 times. It was not a continuous non-charging problem. Sometimes it would, sometimes it wouldn't. I think I finally decided that with regular use, it seemed to work fine.

GENERATOR REGULATOR: I picked up the generator today from Philbin. It needed refreshing, but apparently it was functional when I brought it in. Though I managed to get the smaller generator in the car, I'm putting this refurbished one back since it is more correct.

I tried understanding the regulator and the tests, but decided to replace it. I was doing some things wrong. The Air Gap I finally realized is between the winding and the bottom contact on the Armature and Battery components, Not between the contacts themselves at the top. Well, the thing didn't work with the contacts touching, so I set them .048" apart per the spec. It still didn't work.

Turns out NAPA sold me a regulator that someone else had returned. It was defective. I did suspect a little something because the box was beat up, there was no instruction label on the cover, no packing, and no instruction sheet inside. I just don't have the confidence yet to suspect the part is the problem...a new $65 part...is the problem. I assume I'm doing something wrong... which is pretty much the history since starting this. Eventually I get there, with help. This time it was different. Not me.

West, I'm really trying to understand the regulator. How to test it conclusively and how to adjust it. When I was a kid, I would hit it with my hand and more often than not, it worked again.

NAPA gladly exchanged the regulator. the new one works great. Charges up. Goes to 0. Turn on the headlights, heater, fog lights...flips to discharge an instant then immediately to 0.

CARBURETOR: The Carter is working fine. No more pinging since retarding it one notch on the distributor.

The Stromberg spring that No One has (unless they rebuild your carburetor) that I found on the stromberg website for the AAV-26, Bob Earls thinks will work. The diameter is only .007" different than the bushing on the fast idle cam.

BRAKES: I have appt with Les Schwab first thing in the morning to check and adjust the brakes back to where they should be prior to the Accurate experience.

WEDDING: July 6. Have to drive bride and dad to roof top of Hotel de Lux.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESN-neFrKa8
Practice run this weekend.

SANTA CRUZ: Thinking of ambitious drive to Santa Cruz CA, 700 miles via the coast route. Am I dreaming? Gee I just barely got it running again. In 2 weeks.

Mal, Thanks for compliment on photo. That mirror has a heavy magnet on the bottom that secures it well to the metal and "roll-bar" at the top of the seat. Plus it magnifies and swivels around at any angle. The service instructions often do not take in consideration that one person has to do the job.

GENERATOR Before I went to Les Schwab to re-adjust the brakes, I had to switch generators. I'm an expert at this now. One rule I discovered of mechanical repair Always Fasten the Most Difficult Bolt to Align First. In this case the front bolt had to go through three holes.

BRAKES: Again a perfect job by Les Schwab. Unfortunately, only in the West.
http://lesschwab.know-where.com/lesschwab/cgi/index?design=default&lang=en&mapid=US&mapid=US

CLUTCH: My clutch it slipping in 3rd under strain because I think there is oil on the clutch. Gary Brinton has replacements for $125 or so. I don't think I should drive those 700 miles without replacing the current one. I don't think there's a way to clean it without pulling it out. I did add copper washers on the back section of the oil pan and the pan has been sealed recently., but the horse is out of the barn.

In the meantime, the car is running beautifully. Am I happy or what?

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Joe, I see we prefer the same hair style. Yeah, you look like a happy guy.

(o{}o)

Trying to keep a cap on that bald head in hot weather. Yesterday bought a chauffeur's cap and provided transportation around Portland for my first wedding gig. Our accountant's daughter. How do you say No when you could find your business in financial ruin? Lots of fun, especially when the husbands sent their wives with me to the after-party at a nearby bar while they walked there.

The joys of Packarding.

The only failure (and there could have been many from temperature, standing at idle, on, off, on again) were my parking lights. The blinkers and stops were fine. My horn didn't hold its clarity with all the honking, so I will need to adjust them.

But worth it for the fun and the compliments on the Duchess. She was in her glory.

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SLIPPING CLUTCH: There's still a fair amount of oil under the car. I'm attempting to remove any oil on the clutch by spraying it with brake fluid. The ideas was to remove the bell housing and spray the face of the clutch.

I removed the bell housing. There was no gasket on it. There was oil on the flange. There is a patina of oil inside the housing.

I expected to see some real space between the flywheel and clutch faceplate. It looks to me like it's about 1/8th of an inch. Is that right? (I pictured maybe an 1-1/2 clearance so I could see the face.

So I should just spray everything, maybe not the bearing, and try to clean the oil, oil residue, whatever, out of there, wiping with a rag?

Also, should I turn the engine over with the starter, no ignition? Then spray again?

If you've done this, please advise.
I'm also going to call a friend.

Thanks,
Joe

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