Packard Forum Index » Pre-War (1899-1942)

the schematic shows a body feed to light switch fuse and the other side to starter button This is a direct short where does body feed come from

Not sure which schematic you refer to as there are a couple of different paths used. Headlight switches are sort of a distribution center on earlier cars. Body feed is a fused supply to various items in the car rather than a supply to the fuse.

On all, the starting point is ammeter.

Su8 & 12 goes to what appears to be a splice then feeds both headlight switch and starter switch. Starter sw is also used as a tie point (may actually be splices or multiple wires on a single lug) to other places and finally to ign switch. Copy is poor but think body feed is called body lights on those schematics and comes from one of the fuses on headlight sw.

On the 6 & 8, slightly different. Ammeter goes directly to ign switch first which is a splice or tie point. Goes on to starter sw used as another tie point then finally to headlight switch where body feed again comes off one of the fuses.

G'day daryl38,
to PackardInfo. I invite you to throw more light on your '38 Packard by including it in the Packard Owner's Registry here on PackardInfo.

In the manuel it shows the body feed to the light switch. this is a 8 cyclinder car. It looks like that would be a positive wire from the frame. I think it must be a negative wire or it will short schematics are old and hard to read. Got the car started Sunday for the first time in over 30 years.

I added it picture shows what I started with 1 year ago

Don't have a schematic of any 38 body sections but doesn't appear body feed is doing much. Think the fuses were 5 or maybe 10 amp & usually enough to power things like interior or courtesy lights etc.

If you haven't already got it, there is an AEA schematic on the PAC websitepackardclub.org/ (Left directory column, then Library & Wiring) where you can download a possibly better schematic than the factory supplied one available in the manual.

Quote: for including your '38 Eight Business Coupe in the Registry. It certainly was quite a "challenge" from the pic included, also like your interior description of "rags".