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

A big thanks to BIG KEV for posting the '48 owner's manual. I have a '49 - 23 series, and I could not figure out how to reset the trip odometer, thought it was broke or froze up after almost 60 years. After reading the manual online, I got it to work today! With the car not running, I pushed it up and turned clockwise and it began to increase the setting. I tried it again with the car slowly moving, and it quickly reset to zero with no trouble. Thanks again to BIG KEV and all you guys (or Packard experts of either gender)for all the help.

I could never get my trip odometer to work properly. If I try to reset it the numbers won't zero but I will try it with the car moving next spring. maybe that is the trick?
The 47 owners manual is very thin and not nearly as complete as the '48 one.

My trip odometer failed 21 miles in to the trip from the body shop. Every thing else kept working,speed ,tenths and actual miles but the trip quit.Any Ideas any one? Brian

Here's a link to "How Things Work". A modern version of the Packard system with plastic instead of brass. In the Packard system, while the principle is the same, the pegs and gear they speak of in the how it works article are a bit different in construction and actually hidden inside the respective wheels.

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/odometer1.htm

Since the trip tenths still works, the shaft and drive gears are intact. It sounds as if one of the gear/peg combinations which activates the next wheel in the trip reel is either broken or worn to the point it can't complete the movement.

The mileage and trip reels are almost identical, main difference being the trip reel has the tenths wheel along with a spring loaded input shaft that disconnects from the drive shaft and meshes with the reset shaft when the reset knob is pushed and turned.

Probably the best option is to send to a speedo repair shop and have them repair it.

Thank you for your input. I will check into it.Thanks again, Brian

The other thing to check is that the adjusting cable didn't drop back down and disengage the cogs. It is spring loaded so it shouldn't. But id the spring breaks or the cable is rusty, it could stay down.
Worth checking. Doesn't cost anything.