Re: What voltage regulator with 1954 patrician

Posted by HH56 On 2021/12/2 12:18:51

Packard gave a rather lengthy procedure for adjusting the fan and generator drive belt with use of a special tool. You might check out the article starting on page 43 in this service counselor.https://packardinfo.com/xoops/html/downloads/SC/SC-VOL24NO9.pdf

I believe to just check you can still push down on the belt between pulleys and have it deflect a small amount. Just maybe less than the 1/2" they found to be unsatisfactory before developing the tool. The previous engines used a larger width belt so harder to push. Perhaps the 1/2" on the 51 and later engines resulted in too loose a belt. It is also important to have the proper width belt. Several have found some modern cross or replacement belts are narrower and rather than grabbing the grooves near the outer circumference of the pulley the narrow width allows it to fall down too far and ride the inner diameter.

I don't find a decent photo showing the bare special tool but basically I believe it was similar to the other special tool used for tightening the power steering pump. Essentially a curved lever with a provision to fit over the head of the front generator to bracket mounting bolt which positioned the lever part extending up behind the generator case. There might have been a hollow bolt head or maybe just a square hole in something welded at the bottom of the tool with a recess for the mounting bolt head provided a place for the torque wrench to attach. In using, when the torque wrench was moved to the specified torque it rotated the lever and applied the leverage force against the back of the generator to pivot the generator in the bracket and tighten the belt.