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

well here we go again..two weeks ago my sons and I checked the fuel system, fuel pump and carb no problem there plus fresh gas in fuel tank. well we got it running after two years being idle..all seemed well as i took it for a spin ( 4 miles)...35 miles an hour in the country. HOWEVER..Last night took it down to O Reilys( 5 miles) to get some cleaning supplies for the old girl.. all of a suden she started back firing and loss of power !!! uggh Some young guys helped me push it into O Rielys lot..tried again to start nothing. (i could smell the gas as i pushed the peddle to start ( so nothing there). My suspicions now led me to an electrical issue distributor or COIL. A young Jeep entusiast pulled into the lot. he said beautiful car man !! Wait i have a plug tester in my car..now crank it over. Nice blue spark on the tester.( so i have eliminated) a possible distributor issue ( for the time being) I now think it is a coil issue. I have had my Love for 25 years haha just a nice driver. and it has had the same coil since I bought the car 25 years ago.( the original Autolite type.) and god knows how long he prior owner had it . A check on the internet indicates that backfiring, loss of power and poor idle is an indicaion of coil failure. or the begging of coil failure.. I have ordered a new original AutoLite coil ( I like orginallity) your thoughts of these issues thank to all for your past input on other issues

Could be coil it it happens intermittently and hot but if your coil is one that connects to the ign switch via a wire inside an armored cable I would check the wire inside the armor or bypass it temporarily and see if the problem still occurs. Failed insulation on the wire and vibration shorting it to the armor is a known issue on that arrangement.

I would also change the condenser (even new ones can have issues).

The distibutor may be OK at times but check the electrical path in the distributor between the points and the terminal where the coil connects to make sure there is no way an intermittent ground can occur. I have no idea of how the path is done in your particular distributor but in those that have a flexible lead wire covered in fabric between the points and an outside terminal, the insulation on the wire can rot and fall off letting the wire intermittently ground if there is any movement in the dist such as an advance mechanism. On others, if there is some kind of rubber bushing where the terminal passes thru the case make sure that is intact and nothing can vibrate to touch the case.

If the dist is the type that rotates the body for an advance make sure the wire connecting to the coil has not flexed and broken near the terminal. Also make sure the ground between the distributor and block is solid with no high resistance thru the clamping arrangement. If it has the extra ground wire between the block and case also make sure no flex breaks are in that wire either.

Also check that the engine isn't twisting with torque and somehow shorting a wire or again, some wire in the ign circuit is tight or has a flex break that gets stretched or moved as the engine twists.

The 115Cs originally came equipped with Delco ignition systems. Autolite may have been fitted too, and a quick check of the parts manual will tell. JWL

Can't say with absolute certainty but the fact that you got a nice blue spark with the tester suggests that the coil is not the issue, I'd think fuel and look towards things that can cause an excessively lean mixture.

Howard and Owen offer good advice and suggestions.

I was returning from a Cars & Coffee event in my 115C when it began to run rough and get hot. I got it home okay. Doing some checking discovered the distributor vacuum chamber was leaking. This vacuum leak affected the air-fuel mixture causing it to be too lean which resulted in the rough running and power loss. A new rebuilt chamber fixed it. Just a thought. JWL

okay back to base on a fuel issue and not electrical
son was over and i suggested that we disconnet fuel line and crank over..oh oh no fuel to carb..then we disconnect the inlet side of fuel pump oh oh dry no residual fuel on he floor...he blew into the gas line goiing to tank and we reconnected all the lines he primed the carb a little and the old girl fired right up I now think the problem is Isolated obstruction in line, debris in gas tank or pickup tube he is coming over mid week and we are dropping the tank checking tthe gas line and the pickup tube and possible debri in tank