Re: Where'd the Power Go?

Posted by Jim L. in OR On 2014/12/23 17:07:08

Thank you O_D & Howard for you prompt reply. The T-L system on my '55 has always seemed to be something of a perfectionist. In the past, whenever I've done something that makes the car sit "out of plumb" there will be one or two major corrections followed by increasingly shorter periods of adjustment - even if the car has not been driven. It will just sit there an cycle until it "gets it right" What seems to be happening now is that it after a major adjustment, it is trying for perfection only the motor is not coming on to do it. I will check the wiring in the trunk and as I returned the T-L system to the 3 prong brake light version right after I bought it I will check the wiring around it as I recall that having been butchered to bypass the brake light switch, the wiring was a bit of a mess. I will also check the trunk as I had been using the car quite a bit during this year's Indian Summer.

Also, as Howard suggested I noticed that the T-L Switch on the lower left portion of the dash seems worn (as in internally loose) I did buy a NOS T-L Toggle Switch in the same order that gave me the 3 prong brake light switch.

O_D mentions the initial current draw of electric motors which brought to mind something I think I saw when comparing the '55 T-L with the '56. I seem to recall the the '56 Chart called for a 30 amp fuse rather than the '55 20 amp fuse for the dedicated T-L motor circuit. If that memory is correct, could it be that Packard was trying to address a "blowing fuse problem"? A Slo-Blow 20 or 25 amp fuse would seem to be a happy medium. The fuse in the inline fuse holder is a SFE 20 - the same as the Body Feed. I wonder if the aging T-L system isn't drawing more current than it did when new when the T-L Motor kicks in. What is the prefix for Slow-Blow fuses?

But then again, the T-L motor works when a new Body Feed Fuse is installed so it doesn't look like the dedicated circuit is the problem.

I'll check the T-L Wiring as well as the trunk wiring and get back to you as soon as I am able - hopefully, it won't take a month this time.

Thank you once again Howard and O_D for walking me through this.