Packard Forum Index » V-8 (1955-56)

I finally got my 1955 Clipper Constellation running again after it had been sitting for about 15 years. I'm amazed I was able to accomplish that with my limited mechanical ability. One of the problems I had initially was that the generator became extremely hot and began to smoke after running the engine for only a few minutes. I bought an original rebuilt generator, installed it, but it still got hot and smoked. That problem was solved after I sought advice from this forum where it was suggested that the problem might be the voltage regulator. I installed a new voltage regulator and woolah!!! the problem was fixed. My other problem involves the torsion bar suspension. When I initially connected the battery, and turned the leveling switch on, the rear end moved up to its highest point and remains there. As advised by members of this forum, I've searched for any shorts in the wiring. I thought maybe a fuse blew out, but I have no idea where the fuse is located for the torsion suspension. I've looked for it, but I can't find it! Any suggestions on what to do to get the rear end of my car lowered? The car looks beautiful except for the high rear end. LOL. Thanks for any suggestions.

Dr Eli

Hi Eli:

When you turn the suspension on it should not change at all unless it is not level, so given it went extreme loaded indicates a problems with the height sensor.

This is a little lever that is connected to the bars the same way as a modern car with junk air suspension. I say modern junk because the Packard system is more reliable than today's computer gadgetry junk.

So get under the car and check the sensor position. My guess is the arm fell off. It is adjustable so if you move the lever manually the level should change.

Hope this helps.

The TL systems have two fuses but slightly different arrangement for 55 vs 56. 55 has the motor drive fuse inline in a red wire coming off the battery cable post at starter solenoid. There should be a holder a short distance away from the solenoid and wire will probably be a single conductor either alone or maybe strapped to a nearby portion of the loom. The other fuse which feeds the control switch is also used for brake lights and in 55 is under the dash in that block type multi fuse holder. It is the body feed fuse.

Before energizing again, as Tim pointed out crawl under. In addition to checking the lever and link making sure noting is bent or disconnected also look at the solenoids and limit switch assy mounted on the compensator. Make sure nothing is bent and the bracket is vertical or at least positioned so the transverse bars can respectively touch the lever on the limit switch. Make sure the buss bars connecting the limit switch to the solenoid center terminals has not touched any ground. Same with the wire between limit switch and control switch. The solenoids take a ground to activate so anything touching ground could have caused the problem.

Above all, since it took off without command, make sure of the position of the transverse bars with respect to the compensator gearbox. The long bar going toward passenger side must be on the back side and short bar to drivers side must be on the front. If the situation has been reversed and the long bar is in front some things must be done before energizing the system or damage can result.

Probably not on your car but verify a previous owner did not have a factory manual override switch installed. That would be a knob pointing down and mounted adjacent to the toggle switch which turns the system on or off at left under edge of dash. If you have one of those switches make sure it is in the center position so the level switch has control of the system. It there is one and it accidentally was pushed up that could also cause the problem. If you have any home made manual setup then the wiring needs to be verified to see exactly what was done and that the limit switches were not bypassed.