Packard Forum Index » V-8 (1955-56)

At this point I am through. I've had bad experiences with many shade-tree mechanics that have destroyed my faith in any honest people here. The car will sit in my garage, up on blocks. Another wasted effort and lots of money wasted.

I thank all of you for your help along the way.

Just take a break from the car for a month or two. Every once in a while i have to do the same thing. Go play with some other toys. That's what i do.

I'd sure like to own the car. Just too far away tho.

Just take a break from the car
Agreed, you have too much time already invested. It may be an aggravating thing right now, but get a fresh start and just do it methodically. Truly, the TL was probably the most reliable of the new features. Just too bad a butcher got hold of it somewhere along the line.

If you do run it only via manual switches (which I would view as a crime) make sure to do it through the limit switches and solenoids, as in the service counselor "steep driveway kit" that way you are assured that you can not over travel the system.

MrPB, is the 'steep driveway kit' the same as the 3-position switch and harness that I got from Max Merritt?

I've got a question and that is I have the car up on jack stands while trying to let the motor untwist, does this put an unsurmountable load on the TL system? The car's rear end dropped to the ground when I applied power after disconnecting the manual switches that were connected to the TL solenoids. There are 2 jack stands on the frame just ahead of the rear tires.

I believe the Max Merritt kit is a replication of the steep driveway kit, I'll have to look it up on their site to confirm. If it wires into the logic circuit for the T-L system and uses the limit switches and controls the solenoids in the engine compartment then it is the same. Some people improvise their own by wiring +12V to the motor directly, and that is where all of the trouble begins.
I noticed your signature, T-L was designed by the late Bill Allison, a man I knew, he was a brilliant mind, an "Engineer's engineer". The system works, and gives an uncommonly good ride for what passed as passenger car ride and handling in the mid 50s.
A big problem you will find with having a Packard worked on by anyone who is not in the old car business, or knowledgeable about Packards is that they did not always do things the way Ford, GM and Chrysler did, this makes them "weird" to many, and in "Might makes right" America, "different" is often interpreted as "wrong", when in reality it is just different.
Most corner garages try to pull a Packard over to their thinking instead of pulling their thinking over to what Packard did. A Packard is a well-engineered car, don't let anyone tell you different.

"I've got a question and that is I have the car up on jack stands while trying to let the motor untwist, does this put an unsurmountable load on the TL system? "

I'm not sure what that is really supposed to mean. The motor will never "untwist". The TL gear box and motor STAY in whatever position they are in since the last time the motor ran. It's NOT like u can just lift the back of the car and everything 'untwists' to that particular level.

Calrification:

Lifting or pushing down on the car will NOT cause any movement in the GEAR BOX nor the MOTOR. THe only thing that will move is the suspension parts. So lifting the car to "unwind the motor" just will not happen. Nothing INSIDE of the TL gear box will unwind either. Only the torsion bars will unwind just a little or wind up just a little.

Don't worru about undue strain. The only undue strain that can ever occur is overrunning the TL GEAR BOX. The gear box is the ONLY part that can be strained.

Note that MrPB's advice about running your manual switch thru the limiters switches is good advice. HOWEVER that ASSUMES that the limniter switches are in good condition AND/OR some previous owner did NOT fill the TL gear box with chassis grease or some other type of heavy grease.

Since this car is exhibiting such significant problems i advise to simply run two wores from the motor to the manual switch and then a fused hot wire to the manual switch from some convenient source.

Once the bugs are worked out then go back a few months later and start rewireing to your hearts content.

I've bee nrunning my 56 Exec for 12 years and 25K miles without going thru the limit switches and using only the manual switch on the dash. NO PROBLEMS!!!

I DO HAVE to be careful not to run it up or down too far. But that is not rocket science to determine when the car is about level. I have 2wo eyes and some sense of balance and ability to know if i am going up or down.

MrPB, I've taken my smart-a** tagline out of my signiture, so please forgive me.

PV8, I think that is what I must do, a simple manual switch, after I get the damned things ass off the ground.