Re: Vacation Car - 56 Patrician

Posted by CarFreak On 2023/4/12 16:15:27
Quote:

HH56 wrote:
With it failing with 3 control switches, does the leveler move in both directions if you use a small jumper wire and manually ground the solenoid wires at the control box? Touching the ground to either double terminal at the outside end on each side will bypass the limit switches and directly command the solenoids. Since you are bypassing the limit switch make sure a bar is not close to or will be driven into the center of the compensator and only touch long enough to see if it moves. If that works then you can be reasonably sure the solenoids and wiring to them is OK and you can concentrate on the limit switch or control box.

If one direction does not move by grounding the double terminal check to see if there is voltage at that same point. The way the solenoids are internally connected, they need a ground supplied by the control switch to work. At the outside double terminals you should be able to measure 12v to ground which is the voltage coming thru the solenoid winding. A solenoid coil could have failed or some have mistakenly tried to use an ordinary starter solenoid in place of the type the TL needs. Some cars have also had solenoids where water has gotten inside and corroded things to the point the plunger could not move.

If all that is good, then back to the command circuits. Control box inner contacts -- even in NOS switches off the shelf -- can oxidize from sitting and not pass enough current to bring the solenoids in. The limit switch plunger can stick keeping the switch open and the wire where it fastens to the terminal on the back of the limit switch can break. This is fairly common on the switch near the driveshaft if the wires are bundled and pulled tight. You can test them by trying the ground again at the single terminal to either side of the center green power wire.




Howard, when it comes to grounding the double terminal ends I have not done that. seems very simple to do. I will try this with the box that doesnt automatically send the rear of the car down.

when it comes to your second test Howard, I can continue with that after I do your first. I do know that when I ground the top terminals of either solenoids on the inner fender the motor does move. So I believe that says the solenoids are correct and they're are okay (?).

When it comes to the limit switches. I do know both are closed when the pivot arm on the compensator motor is parallel with the centerline of the car. I can take a test light and I see I am getting power at both terminals when I go from the back side of the terminal connections at both limit switches. I am also getting power at the connections on the compensator box that go to the limit switches.

The only time I am not getting power through both limit switch wires is when the rear sinks to the ground then I am not getting anything from my test light at the yellow wire at the switch or in the control box. Which I believe means those connections and switch are good(?).


Mr.Pushbutton, I can easily adjust those contacts. I can also clean up all the contacts and and check the solder like you mentioned in our message.

Do I know I am getting a good ground? I guess I do not know. When It comes to testing these boxes while on the car I bolt them to the frame in their mounting location. The frame and bolt have surface rust, but are not painted. The faces surrounding the mounting holes on the compensator box are painted but showing marks of bare metal where the star washer is digging into when I mount the boxes up. But given the issues I am having, to rule that out I can clean those areas to bare metal to insure a bad ground is not adding to my problem.

Thank you everyone for the help!

This Post was from: https://packardinfo.com/xoops/html/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?post_id=255802