Packard Forum Index » V-8 (1955-56)

My "56 is sitting with it's nose to the ground. This is what I've done:
1. Replaced the lower solenoid since I didn't have voltage on the blue wire that connects to the small lug terminal. However, when I put a ground on that small terminal, the leveling system works and the rear of the car goes down . On the top solenoid, I do have voltage on the orange wire that connects to its small lug terminal.

2. Replaced the under-dash on/off switch just in case it went bad.

3. There's no voltage at the either terminals of the under-dash switch at any time.

What else do I need to check or replace

The solenoids rely on a ground to operate. Both solenoid coils are fed internally from the main terminals where the buss bar and fuses are connected. Both should have voltage as measured to ground at the small terminal. That would be the first to check. Remove the wire on each small terminal to isolate the solenoid and verify you have 12v to ground with the solenoid just sitting. If not on both, the one missing is either the wrong type solenoid, has an open coil, or is mounted improperly so the wrong main terminal is connecting to the buss bar.

The under dash switch is fed from the brake light switch. As long as the 7 1/2 amp fuse in the purple or pink wire connected to the solenoid buss bar is good you should have voltage to the brake switch. Voltage out on the light green wire when the brakes are relaxed. When you apply the brakes, the contacts switch and voltage is on the dark green wire for the brake lights and nothing on the light green wire. If that isn't happening check the brake switch. They are known failure items.

Once that is all sorted, the control switch gets voltage on the center light green terminal. It operates a relay when the car needs to level. The relay connects to ground and goes thru a limit switch and then to the solenoid. The limit switches are known to fail or the wires break where they bend to enter the back of switch so check those.

If still no joy then time to look for mechanical issues. Assuming the car has been working properly, the linkage and bars should be as shown in figure 21 of the suspension section of service manual. In particular, the transverse bars should be as shown with the short drivers side bar in front of the compensator and long passenger side at the rear. If they are not in that position, something has caused the compensator to rotate past center and things are now confused. All will manually need to be returned to normal position for the electric part to work properly.

Wouldn't putting a ground on the small terminal (blue wire)of the lower solenoid tell me that both 7 1/2 and 30 amp fuses are ok as well as the leveling motor and control switch? Should I have voltage on either wire of the under dash switch?

It would tell you the 30 amp fuse is good but not the 7 1/2. That goes directly to the brake light switch and then to the dash switch. The fact you have nothing on either terminal at the dash switch would suggest either the fuse is blown or the brake switch is bad or disconnected.

Hot Rod,

Had the same problem,

mine was a wire grounding on frame..could of been limit switch wire. I think..

Both fuses (30 and 7 1/2 amp) are good and I've replaced the stop light switch and I still have the same problem. However, I just noticed that only the right stop light comes on when I press the brake pedal: the left one (driver's side) does not come on and the bulb is good. Also, since I've updated the three prong stop light switch to a two prong, is there suppose to be voltage on at least one of the wires (green or blue)?

Hot rod

The green goes to switch under dash...

At work so I can.'t look wireing diagram

Should be a purple too...I believe. ..which is the fuse..

If you updated the stop light switch to a two prong, what did you do with the third wire which went to the old switch. Did you use one of the kits designed for allowing the use of a two prong switch or do something else?

In 56, on the plug that went to the old 3 prong switch, there should have been a pink or purple wire for power, a dark green for the brake lights and a light green for the level circuit. That third or light green wire is the wire which feeds the switch under the dash. It would normally have power via the 7 1/2 amp fuse anytime the brakes are NOT applied.

Also, did you get the solenoids verified and confirm there is power present at both small terminals when the car is just sitting and leveler is not activated.

Everything has been working just fine for the last three years, but all of a sudden when my fuel pump went out, the front end also decided to take a nose dive.

Yes I did use the kit designed to convert the three prong to a two prong and wired everything just as they described. On my two prong switch I have a dk. green and a blue wire connected. On the blue wire I have voltage which is connected thru the 7 1/2 amp fuse and the purple wire to the solenoid.

Both solenoids have power at the small terminals; however, I can't really tell if the leveler is activated or not. The only way I can get the car to level is to put a ground to either small terminal to get the car to go up or down.

I can't comment on the kit electrics since I haven't seen it but you have got to have power at one side of the dash switch anytime the brakes are not applied. You will have to find that light green wire where it connects to the kit to see how or why there is no power on it. Typically the kits use a relay to provide the power switching function for the level circuit. Perhaps that has failed or become disconnected.