Packard Forum Index » Post-War (1946-54)

As HH56 pointed out, if it's a 356... it wouldn't have a Bendix. It would have an electro-magnetic mechanical engagement. If the starter solenoid was bypassed with power applied directly to the starter motor, the result would be a spinning starter with no engagement. The movement of the electro-magnetic gear assembly into contact with the flywheel is what [normally] closes a switch to activate power to the starter.

And unlike more modern permanent magnet motors, these starter motors have separate wound field coils and won't run backward if the battery polarity is reversed because the relationship between field coils and armature is established via the internal wiring.

Hi, thanks for the advice on starting an engine that has been sitting for a long time.

A question about wiring. Under the firewall mounted spark coil there is a wiring harness leg that contains 4 wires. Two of the 4 go to the carb starting switch, but I'm not sure about the other 2 wires. One of them is a heavy (10 ga.) that is always hot. What can you tell me about these wires?

Thanks, John Verity

Those sound like they might be the horn wires. Horns and relay are supposed to be mounted on a bracket spanning a couple of head bolts on top of head near rear. You can ohm wires out to be sure. The 10ga would be power straight from bat terminal on solenoid and the other would be from the horn button and would end in a connector approx 6" from bottom of steering box. The connector is a small round black plastic and joins to the wire from horn ring which passes thru center of steering box.

There appears to be a '47 wiring diagram on this site under "electrical".

Excellent A.E.A. wiring diagrams available on The Packard Club website. Select "Wiring" from the left-hand menu bar and then select the appropriate 47 Clipper diagram.