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

Not sure if your Clipper has an armored cable between the ignition switch and the coil, but if so decaying insulation within the steel cable and intermittent shorting has driven even more mechanics to drink. Often in cars sporting new wiring harnesses you'll find this one single wire was never replaced, I've seen a few that barely had any insulation left at all. There is a symptom you can occasionally detect, the armor wrap gets excessively hot.

Also, remember that intermittent ignition failure, especially when the engine is hot, is (as noted by others) often a condensor problem, but is also a symptom of coil failure.

Thanks for all of the comments and suggestions.

Update - I got the car starting easily; but still running rough. While trying to set the timing, I noticed a significant carburetor leak. Coincidentally, I had purchased a NOS rebuilt carb from an old parts warehouse on Ebay just four weeks ago.

I installed the new carb, and that helped a lot. The old carb accelerator pump must have been shot.

I still have the timing problem; but I have borrowed an "older" timing light & dwell meter from a friend, which I intend to use (with crossed fingers) this weekend.

An additional request for advice - this car has a manifold heat riser which moves; but is missing the spring. Does anyone have a suggestion about finding a spring that might work for my 1947 Clipper ? Wouldn't this be a part that might be scavenged from any number of older cars regardless of make ?

Thanks again for your time and kindness.

Best regards,

Dave Blandford
cell 513-205-3188

Dave, if the heat riser spring you're refering to is the spiral wound bimetallic spring, you can get a new one from Max Merritt. But if your budget is a bit strained, you can also just wire the valve in the wide open (counterweight down) position. The car may be a bit balky for a few minutes while warming up but you should get satisfactory performance after that. Remember that volatile liquids like gasoline vaporize better at higher temperatures which is the purpose of the heat riser.

There probably is another small spring on the counterweight side which really isn't particulary important from a function viewpoint, more of an "anti-rattle" thing. You could find something generic for it at any decent hardware store if you so desire.