Thanks Howard! I knew I could count on you. I will check the voltage regulator ground.

Hi all! Here is a report for my dad on his latest trip in his Packard mostly VERY good news with one question...

"Washed the Packard yesterday and took it up to the Coffee shop this morning. Drove like a charm. That power steering is a dream. When I got home, I checked the voltage on the battery, about 6.5 on idle and steady 8 volts with engine running at all speeds. The meter stays pegged up and back from the coffee shop. Maybe I'll try gong further and see what happens."

Some of you might recall the drama I had about a month ago with the voltage regulator(s). The new one I installed during the engine change was defective (points did not line up correctly and output was irratic) and I got it replaced then the second one was completely defective so we bought a third voltage regulator from Kanter (and that unit was the exact same vendor as was used from the other source) however at least this time the third unit worked.

The 6.5 to 8.0 volts seems a bit high. What are the thoughts from my Packard mentors? Is the Eightfold high enough to overheat the battery or possibly burn out some of the incandescent light bulbs?

Thanks again guys for all of your help...I am currently on vacation in Maui...I tried to find a destination where the Packard could not find me (just kidding Dad...I know you lurk on this forum!!!).

Anyhoo...I looked over the Service Manual (from my iPad by the pool) and discovered that the procedure for checking the end play of the axle shafts is there and Figure 35 even shows a picture of a guy checking the end play using the feeler gauge method.

I deleted the unnecessary pages and sent my dad a copy of the Service Manual with the important stuff highlighted to give to the mechanic.

THANKS AGAIN...Aloha!!!

[Poolside sunburned emoticon reading iPad added for dramatic emphasis!!!]

THANKS Owen...I knew I could count on you!!!

I will report back.

Bill

Owen when you said

>you'll have to check and adjust (via shims) if necessary the rear axle shaft end play - very important!!! It's well covered in the shop manual.

Could you please elaborate? My dad looked through the Service Manual and he said he could not find any procedure on this.

Any tips and tricks would be helpful.

Bill

THANKS for the advice!!!

My dad ordered a new rear axle bearing and seal and will have a shop do the work...guess he is afraid of leaving the car at the Packard Spa and Wellness Center again because those visits tend to be rather lengthy.

Are there any specific considerations when doing the R&R of the bearing and seal I should tell the shop about?

THANKS!!!

My dad reported that the brake lights are staying on. I replaced the brake light switch and test drove the car and not trouble and he just reported that the brake lights are staying on again.

Perhaps if the brake lines heat up and the fluid expands the switch could close. I told him to test it and drive the car and when he stops see if the brake lights are on then wait 30 minutes and if the lights go out that defined the problem as being fluid expansion and not wires.

I checked the fluid cap and it vents correctly so that is not it. Sadly the master cylinder and brake plumbing was not one of the items I addressed during the Pampered Packard Spa and Wellness Center visit last summer...I knew I should have dug deeper...

The only thing I can think of is that I used DOT 5 silicone brake fluid but that should not be an issue as silicone does not attack any rubber or metal and it should not expand any more than DOT 3 fluid does.

Are there any nuggets of troubleshooting advice from the wise old Packard owls that dwell behind my keyboard?!?!?

THANKS!!!

So here is the report on the charging issue...this adventure started off when the old faithful voltage regulator circuit breaker contact kept sticking closed and killing the battery so I decided to simply replace it. Ordered one from Max Merritt and installed it and it worked fine for a couple of weeks.

Then it became intermittent. I pulled the cover off and the voltage regulator contacts were not lined up and that was problem so I ordered another one.

The second one didn't work at all.

Generator field anf armature voltages were as expected...tried the other voltage regulators and they did not work... spent two days trouble shooting took the car to an old school generator shop who determined that all THREE voltage regulators were bad.

Ordered one from Kanter and it worked fine.

It appears that both Merritt and Kanter use the exact same vendor so it has nothing to do with who you buy it from...

Merritt stood by their product and will refund the money.

Anyhoo... what are the chances of getting two bad voltage regulators in a row?

Thanks!!!

So the smiley face goes on the top of the air cleaner lid (I have the round stove pipe air cleaner)

The Caution do not wash or oil will go on the clutch breather.

The AC Crankcase Breather will go on the side of the breather cap

How about the red Caution use approved oil to cover element decal. I assume it is for the oil filter. Does it go on the lid or on the side?