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I bench tested my overdrive solenoid for my 48 Packard. It "buzzed" that is threw the actuator rod in and out repeatedly and very quickly about 3/8's of an inch. Is this normal? I am assuming that when it is attached to the overdrive unit, it engages and holds in position. Can anyone confirm this for me?

Brian Lesemann

I am assuming that when it is attached to the overdrive unit, it engages and holds in position.

There are others who know this much better than I so await their definitive answer, but I believe there are two windings, one to "pull" and one to "hold".

If you are talking about the 4 terminal R9 solenoid, it is normal if you only had one wire connected. There needs to be another wire connected to stop the "buzzing". If you have the 2 terminal R11 solenoid, there is a problem.

On the R9, you probably were connected to 4 to bring the plunger out. Once out, it opens a contact inside which breaks the circuit. That is a strong but intermittent duty pull in coil & can't take long time voltage. Once contact is broken, spring pulls plunger back in so the cycle repeats.

To stop the buzzing you also need to have a wire connected to 3 which is a continuous duty hold in coil. Once the pull in coil contact breaks, the hold in coil maintains the plunger in the out position.

If you had both 3 & 4 connected, there is a problem with the hold in coil.

Thank you. I did not connect both the #3 and #4 terminal, rather only the #4 terminal. I would prefer not to take it off again, and just assume it works. Is that a proper assumption, or should I take it off and bench test it again?

Brian Lesemann

It most likely is OK. The pull in coil & contacts usually are the parts with issues. What are your symptoms. By grounding various connection, the relay should energize and the solenoid should clunk which could help you isolate where the problem is.

As of yet, even with attempts to ground the solenoid at it's different switches, it has not made any sound. Which leads me to wonder if it is getting any power at all, or if it is not grounded.

This is why I was wondering about the key ignition. Or, a better question would be what is the 1st power lead making contact with the overdrive solenoid? Then I could go from that point and test each junction I am assuming that being part of the motor, it is already grounded.

Thanks

Terminal 1 of the relay box gets battery voltage and assuming lockout and kickdown switch, governor & wiring OK, when governor is at speed, a relay will energize and terminal 4 of relay box will supply voltage to solenoid 4. At same time, out relay box 3 to terminal 3 of solenoid. Solenoid should energize, OD light will come on, and when solenoid completes engagement, light will go out.

There should be an inline fuse near starter and there should be a set of contacts in reverse light switch in series with the power lead to disable OD when in reverse. All grounding is accomplished as you mentioned.

Do you have the econodrive manual here:https://www.packardinfo.com/xoops/html/downloads/EconoDriveTrainingBook.pdf

or the wiring diagram here:https://www.packardinfo.com/xoops/html/downloads/wirediagrams/48-9%20%2022nd%20Series.pdf

G'day Brian,
Although you have been a member of PackardInfo for some time, I'd like to add my as well as for including your '48 in the Owner Registry.

Welcome to PackardInfo, Brian

This is a very interesting thread. I am very familiar with the R-11 setup and somewhat familiar with the R-6, but have had no first hand experience with the R-9. HH56 is really making the R-9 easy to understand; neat!

The only thing I might add is that to my knowledge, if there is a switch on the overdrive cable housing under the dash, the overdrive knob must be pushed in (overdrive engaged) in order to energize the overdrive relay. If the R-9 does not utilize the switch on the cable, please excuse my mistake.

I look forward to following your thread.

Best of luck,
Jim

Howard if you ever want to sketch up some diagrams with notes, then I can turn those diagrams with OmniGraffle and post them for future reference. Might be helpful with all the various posts/threads we have had on the overdrive wiring.


Kind of a Howard's guide to trouble shooting the overdrive wiring.