Re: The Case of the Petulant Packard

Posted by Jim L. in OR On 2012/12/27 21:09:22

Thank you Howard & Pat both. Howard, your observations on the battery remind me that it never has had much "staying power". If it doesn't start with the first couple of tries, it had better start on the third or your out of the game. The battery is one that came with the car when I bought it in the Autumn of 2010 - and it didn't look especially new then. And Pat, both the carb and the starter are no more than two years old: Both having been rebuilt by good reputable people. However; given Murphy's Law, I will check them out.

As for the battery charger. It shuts it's self off when the battery voltage reachs 6.8v. I disconnected it around midnight this morning and by noon today, using my volt meter, it registered 6.24v. I tried the starter solenoid post and the negative post on the battery (at some point the car was switched over to Negative Ground and I've been giving serious thought to switching it back) and got 6.24v so I think the cable and connections are OK but I will clean them all tomorrow. The rest of the electrical measurements you suggest, Howard, I'll do tomorrow as it is cold out tonight - and the lows during the day are probably not helping much either.

Thank you both Howard and Pat for your help in this.