Packard Forum Index » Post-War (1946-54)

Quote:

Try the main NAPA store in Portland. Their number is 503-283-3134. They've always been very helpful in interested when I've dealt with them. You might want to mention your experience with the Vancouver, WA store. It's not the first time I've heard bad things about it.

Good Luck,

The Beaverton NAPA store is quite good, also. Mostly older guys who don't look at you in shock and shake their heads when you say Packard.

NAPA 7212 versus 7204

I don't think the NAPA 7212 will fit in my 1940 under seat battery box area. The opening in the floor won't take more than 11 inches. The 7212 is 13-1/2 inches long. The other dimensions W and H for the 7212 fit. The CA 1170 and ColdCA is 975, which would be nice.

NAPA 7204 is a Group 2 battery, 6 volt, and would fit perfectly. 10-3/8 L x 7-1/8 W x 9-3/8 H. But CA is only 940 and CCA is 780.

Unless it's a mistake, the price for either is the same: $109 plus $12 core (my current battery is a Diehard, not good for exchange at NAPA).

SLOW CHARGE versus FAST CHARGE

6 months ago I promised my physician a ride in the Packard, thinking it would be finished by then. He scheduled an extra 15 minutes for my appt today.

Last night I put it on the charger, 2 amps/ 6-volt setting. This morning it hadn't budged past the second of 8 indication lights. However, when I switched to fast charge, 12 amps/6volt setting, it lit up all the lights including the green one at the end.

Despite the questionable battery, I decided to drive it to my appt. and took him and his assistant for a ride around the neighborhood. Then after my appt I had to start it a 3rd time. Without any problem, it started right up.

So now I'm wondering if the battery is okay. In the past, the 2 amp/ 6 volt setting would indicate fully charged after a few hours on charge.

You mentioned it went dead after sitting for a week.

Is there a chance you have something draining? A light on but out of position & not able to be seen, a relay that is energized, something not working but turned on such as a radio or heater. Perhaps it is drawing just enough current your slow charge is almost matching the amount and that is the reason it didn't charge.

Have you tried turning everything off and removing a battery cable. If all is apparently turned off, the least spark that happens when removing or touching the cable back to terminal would indicate otherwise--If you see no spark, then it would be good to place an ammeter in series with the cable just to verify nothing having a tiny draw is on.

If there is no current leak then it would almost indicate a bad cell in battery which might charge up today but be flat again tomorrow.

Yes, Howard.
The clock, of course, runs all the time. It is not working now, so if I can extricate the fuse, I can check that. It was restored and keeping perfect time, but before I left, every once in awhile it made a sound like a moth trying to escape from an inclosure. I thought it was in the heater housing, but traced it to the clock. So that is probably the culprit. Instead of a click it was straining and vibrating. But it stopped and still kept perfect time.

There is an LED in the turn signal that never goes off. Very dim. I will check it, too, but I'm suspicious of the battery. Four years old sitting around waiting to be used. It was disconnected much of the time, but not all.

And yes, the radio may have been left on to kill the battery, but it should have charged up again. I will check for a leak with everything off. I'll pull the fuse on the blinkers.

After I took the battery out yesterday to have Sears check it, I charged it out of the car. Nothing connected. I only got a fully charged indicator light on the 12 amp charge.

Thanks for the suggestions.

thanks I didnt know what the positive wire going to the distributer ultimatly did ,is it a ground?A big mystery to me is what is the wire that runs from the steering gear box?

Wire from the steering gear box is the for the horn button.

Quote:


Don't you know? Thats for the "Power" Steering!!!

Sorry, couldn't resist.

Tee-hee

THANX!