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I just realized that my packard has the old points AND coil. I am 32 an don't know crap about points, heck, I didn't even know that I HAD points. I thought that coils were what did away with them...Duh! Well you learn something new every day! I am going to keep running points so as to keep my 49 as original as possible. Sooo, on a car that has been recently woke from a 3 year sleep, what should I do to the points, condenser, weights,any other parts that I don't know I even have, ect. Thanks, Steve

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I'd suggest you join a local Packard Club or other old car club and find an old grey haired guy to teach you. It's not too difficult to tune the old Packards, but at first it's like juggling with your feet. Stick with it and you'll get good.
First step is to get a shop manual, or at least a Motor manual for the 48-50 cars. You will need a timing light and a multi meter, plus a good feeler gauge as a minimum. Remember if you change the points or adjust them, you also have to adjust the timing. I was taught many years ago that you always replace the condenser at the same time as the points. You should also get a new rotor and probably a new distributor cap. If at all possible, try to get a cap with brass contacts rather than aluminum. Maybe this is a picky point with me, but I like the brass versions better, as I think they work better.

First replace the condenser, then the points. You have to remove the distributor cap and bump the engine over, usually with the starter, until the points are fully open. Adjust the points using the feeler gauge. This is tricky, you just want to make the points tight enough so that the gauge will have a little bit of drag on them when you pull the feeler gauge out from between the points. Then test the engine and see if it will start. Once it starts, you can hook up the multi meter, turning it to "points" and see if it reads to the correct dwell. If it doesn't, you will need to monkey with the adjustment on the points some more. After you get that set up, then adjust the timing by loosening the clamps on the distributor and turning the distributor left or right. The timing light is hooked up to the battery, and by shining the light on the harmonic balancer on the front of the engine, you can adjust the timing to the manual. It is best if you clean off the marks ahead of time, with the engine off. Rub a piece of white welders chalk or a spot of paint on the correct timing mark. This makes it easier to see. I always like to tune my cars up in the garage where I can turn the lights off to make the timing light show up better. After the timing marks are set properly, tighten down the distributor. Now test the engine - it should start easily and quickly. Once you've done that, take the new distributor cap and line it up with the old one, using the notches inside of the cap. Swap the spark plugs wires to the new cap, one by one so that you don't get them in the wrong order. It also helps to take some masking tape and mark each wire ahead of time, to help prevent mistakes. You can now swap out the rotor. Hopefully now everything will run correctly. Course all of this assumes that the carb is working ok, and that the vaccum lines are on tight and not leaking.

I would also suggest that first you drain the old gas out of the tank and put in fresh gas. The old stuff is going to be bad and will mess up everything you've tried to do. Also drain the old oil and put in fresh oil - I like the Shell Rotella, 30 weight. Also, you should pull the old plugs out and clean and adjust them to specs. The old flathead Packards are good at collecting water around the plugs and getting rusty. While the plugs are out, I like to put maybe a teaspoon of automatic transmission fluid in each cylinder to help loosen things up. It will make the engine smoke when you start it, but it helps free up things. I would also recommend that you turn the engine over with the starter or by hand at the very first, just to make sure that you don't have a stuck piston or other nasty things going on.

Hi Steve; as you've previously opened this question on another forum, I've posted some comments there that I hope will be helpful.

PS - just saw Dave Grubb's comments, and he gives excellent advice as he always does. Do make the effort to get a Motor's Manual that covers your year car - as Dave says they are an excellent source for info, specs & "how to". I pretty much do as Dave suggest except that I always remove the distributor from the engine. It's far easier to see exactly how to set the point gap and also gives the opportunity to clean and inspect and lubricate. In addition to the oiler or grease cup there are other areas requiring periodic lubrication. Also give you the chance to inspect the distributor shaft bushings and other internal parts for excessive wear, check the integrity of the ground and low voltage leads and connections, etc.

The basics of it is, the coil is a step up transformer. Transformers only work with AC current. A condenser is a capacitor. Capacitors act like batteries except that they discharge all their juice at one time.

When the points are closed, the condenser charges and the coil is at full saturation. When the points open, the condenser releases it's charge backwards through the coil making a one cycle AC current. this is stepped up to high voltage and it jumps the spark plug gap.

The point gap is how the amount of time the points are closed is adjusted to get full charge in the condenser and full saturation of the coil. If you hear the term dwell angle, that is a function of the hight of the points cam lobe and the placement of the points pivot point. If you are at the correct points gap, but the dwell angle is off (you need a dwell meter for this measurement) that mostlikely means that the wear block on the points is worn. So even if the point gap doesnt look burnt, you may need a new set.


That said, three years won't hurt anything so it will mostlikely work at least good enough to get the car started. After it's running, you can test for things that need tuning.

If the car is running well, not much. There should be a small diameter "pipe" with a spring loaded cap attached to the distributor and you might want gently pull back the cap and send about 5-6 drops of oil down the pipe. Also there may be a pad under the rotor that could use some oil as well - initially about 12 drops to make up for the years of starvation. On the point assembly itself, there may be a small pad on the arm that opens the points and it could use a couple of drops as well. If there isn't any, smear a dab of Lithium Grease on the shaft where the point arm rides.

As to what kind of oil, I believe the manual calls for 20wt motor oil - which is getting real hard to find. However "3-in-one" or so called "Household Oil" should do the trick or whatever you're putting in the crankcase.

As to how often, I try to do it once a month. I feel it's a good habit to get into not only for the sake of the parts involved but it's good to check under the hood for oil level & coolant checks not to mention missing insulation on wires or anything else out of place.

If it isn't running well, points and condenser is a good place to start. Hopefully someone wiser than me can walk you (and me too) through that part of a General Tune-up.

Cool deal, I put this question on three sites and that way I figure that I will get ALL of the steps. VERY good advice! Thanks to all! First I heard about the oil pads too! I will be going one step at a time with it cause I want to service ALL of the long forgotten little bells and whistles involved. Now, to get some parts! Thanks!, Steve P.S. if anyone can think of other stuff I would not be used to on "new" cars and are Parckard specific please share, I want to learn ALL that I can about servicing this car so that I can use it for touring with confidence.

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1. Get an ignition points file and a feeler gauge. Dwell meters are often recommended but they are mostly just showmanship. The feeler gauge is far superior. THEN use a dwell meter to just CHECK the dwell if someone gives u a long convincing sales pitch about them.

2. The points MIGHT need to be filed once every 3 or 4 months if the car sets without running for long periods of time especialy in humid conditions. Do not use sandpaper except under severe emergency conditions.

3. Avoid replacing coils, condensers or any part of the ignition system UNLESS there is performance problems. IF AIN"T it BROKE DON"T FIX IT!!!!!

THe problem is that if u replace a coil or a condenser etc that has been working just fine then u run the risk of replacing with new parts that may not be of the same mfg'er quality. I.e u mite be replacing a good Delco or AL or Standard PRoducts part with some kind of a noname unknown "import" part.

4. Do not discard the old parts. If they are good carry them in the car as roadside repair parts.

5. Need to carry points file, spare coil,cap,rotor,plugs,points for road side repairs. They are usualy cheap parts and fit into small spaces.

THe points ignition is very ez maintenece once u get used to it. Very simple and easy and cheap.

I check points gap and file about every 5K to 10K miles. Frequency of such inspection can vary alot from car to car and environment to environment. I have one application here that i never touched the points nor lifted the cap in 12 years and more than 500 hours of operation.

Just check the points every 6K miles. U'll get a feel for often u need to do it in your particular situation. I have routinely gotten at least 20K to 25K miles out of the SAME set of points across a wide variety of engine applications from motysickles to farm tractors to cars lite trucks etc etc. before i had to replace.

Steve -

If you wanna learn the old ways, start by following the same road taken by the old ones who took care of these vehicles, new.

Among the many treasures in this site's archive are several examples of factory-supplied Serviceman's Training Booklets. I think you'll find the Ignition Service Training Manual of particular interest. Though written specifically for 19th-20th-21st Series (1941-47) cars, the theory of operation is the same. Of course, some of the equipment details (like coil location and mounting) change for the 22nd-23rd Series (1948-1950).

Point type ignition systems aren't difficult to work with. Keeping a spare set of points, a condenser, and a couple of small tools in the car is cheap insurance. In case of emergency, you can set point gap with a matchbook cover - until you can lay hands on a feeler gauge or dwell meter.

Meanwhile, know that the 1946-1950 Packard Service Manual is also available for download - section by section - for FREE. Though not as complete in its coverage as editions for later years, it pays to get familiar with what's there.

You'll also find supplemental service information neatly indexed in this site's online Service Index, with an installment specifically for 1948-50 (22nd->23rd Series).

Beyond that, there's a wealth of hands-on experience from the many forum participants, here.

A quick web search turned up these electronic ignition modules from Pertronix if you want to skip the points.

http://www.shopatron.com/home/search/591.0.1.1?q=packard&x=6&y=8

I've never had a 22nd or 23rd series Packard to work on or own but I have found that my 1951 (24th series) layout is much the same as my Grandmother's '35 so I assume that your's is much the same. With the Straight 8's everything including the distributor is right out where you can get at it. As such, I plan on keeping the points style ignition system on my '51. I've also heard some stories that Pertronix 6 volt ignitions don't wear as well as their 12volt.

The '55 has the distributor in the center of the engine way in the back and, like other V8's that were built the same way (Chevy, and other GM products) are a real bitch to work on unless you remove the distributor - something I've never established a comfort level with. With that in mind, I'm am considering a Pertronix ignition system for the '55.

Both system have their strong points (no pun intended) but personally, I feel it's good to learn the old system.


By the way, your Packard looks like one sweet car - beautiful. I'm glad you are dedicated to giving it the care it deserves!