Packard Forum Index » Pre-War (1899-1942)

When working on my 1940 with the 356 engine I often use a remote trigger starter. To get it to work properly, I connect one wire of the trigger to the starter coil wire and the other wire to ground. Cranks the engine, but makes no sense to me. The coil wire I'm connecting to comes from the starter button on the dash which is hot according to the wiring schematic. So all I'm doing is grounding an open hot circuit (starter button not pushed)to ground? Now, if this wire was a ground wire, what I'm doing would make sense, as the trigger is simply replacing the starter button. However, a continuity test does show the wire to the coil is on the hot side!
Any guidance would be appreciated.
Thanks

I'm not familiar with this particular model. But cheque the starter button on the DASH. It has one wire, exactly one wire and only one wire connected to the dash starter button???? If so then the starter button on dash simply makes a ground when pushed. (grounds thru the dash). If that is the case then your remote button is acting in the same way.

IIRC Model A ford or maybe some later fords up thru early 40's had the same kind of starter button as did others. i.e. starter button grounds thru the DASH by a flat spring like tab on the side the of starter button bezel that contacts the hole that the buttton is pressed into.

If your dash button has 2wo wires then checque to see if one of the wires connects to ground somewheres.

There appears to be more than one circuit for the starter. Which setup you have would be the big question.

There are wiring diagrams on the PAC site for the 40 Super and Custom senior cars. I'm assuming one of those would be correct for your car. Using that diagram in conjunction with the voltage regulator schematic listed for seniors & shown in the SM, it would appear to be a grounding starter switch circuit. The junior cars use a different solenoid and on those the starter switch gets power from ign switch and would activate the solenoid with voltage.

It's unfortunate the diagrams are not a bit better but as near as I can follow, on Seniors it appears the small relay which activates the solenoid gets power right at the solenoid from the battery terminal. Whether that is internal or a short jumper, I can't tell. A black wire then goes from the solenoid to the starter button. The other black wire from button goes to the aux terminal T on the voltage regulator. Internal in the voltage regulator is a set of normally closed contacts that connect T to ground. When the engine is not running, pushing the starter button will ground the solenoid. As soon as engine starts and generator brings in the cut out relay, the contacts open preventing the starter from operating again as long as the generator is charging and cut out relay is active.

If that is the type setup you have I can understand how the remote switch would work it. You are just paralleling the starter switch and going to ground directly with your switch. If you have the junior setup then I'm at as much loss as you.

Think I have it figured out! Basic problem was, purchased one of those large color plastic covered wiring diagrams because the one the Packard site was hard to read. Well, the plastic one is wrong, it showed a hot wire to the starter button form the hot side of the ignition switch. Difficult to actually see back of starter button with out removing the heater. The Packard site wiring diagram showed only two wires to the starter button, one to the ground side of the starter solenoid the other to the cutout relay in the regulator. Yes, there is copper bar connecting the battery terminal on the starter to the solenoid. Now that makes perfect sense. If I have it right the starter solenoid is grounded through the starter button and the closed points in the cutout relay in the voltage regulator, until the engine is running and the points in the cutout relay open and disable the starter button. Is that correct?
Thanks

If I have it right the starter solenoid is grounded through the starter button and the closed points in the cutout relay in the voltage regulator, until the engine is running and the points in the cutout relay open and disable the starter button. Is that correct?

Believe that is correct.

Sounds like a Packard manual.

Although when I worked for Chrysler there wasn't much interest in fixing mistakes either. They just let the working people take it on the chin by not paying them.

As far as I know all Packard dash buttons were to ground, but I installed a number of relays to improve durability.

Thanks again for the help, and the idea of a relay for the starter button will keep this in mind if problems arise, however, I wouldn't think there would be much current flow through the starter button. Now on to the next item on the list to make this beautiful Packard road worthy.