Re: KPack's 1954 Panama

Posted by kevinpackard On 2020/9/14 19:27:13

Well this has been a frustrating day.

I made separate ground wires for both the parking lights in the front. Soldered to the light socket and grounded to the ground on the left and right junction boxes. Passenger blinker works normally, driver does not come on in the front. Instead the dash indicator comes on for that side only. The 229D does not work on the driver's side at all. Just a high rate pulsing on the driver rear light, nothing on the front. I'm not sure what else to look at.

I ran wires for the rear lights and hooked them up just like the wiring diagram shows. They must have been installed after the car was delivered because they had run the power wire under the car, when it should have been with the main wire loom (or at least I assume). The ground wire was disconnected in the engine bay so I have no idea where they had hooked it up. It is supposed to go to the back of the instrument panel and attach to one of the circuit breakers. So I made up wires that were routed correctly and attach in the correct places, but the reverse lights do not come on.

I also drilled a hole in the flange of the fuel tank to get a better ground because my fuel gauge is not working. I grounded to the fuel tank door screws. The gauge still does not work. The fuel sender is brand new.

Then I tried to start the car to get the engine running and give it some exercise. It had trouble starting, and when it did it is very rough and I hear a definite knocking. It ran great last week. I have no idea what could have changed in that time. It's always had a bit of a tap when first starting that goes away as soon as the engine warms up a bit. But this sound is different.

So now I'm 0/4 for my projects today and I'm afraid that somehow the engine is damaged. Just one of those days where I question my choice of project.

-Kevin