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(1) 2 »

Battery or Generator Problem
#1
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FREDERICK E WILEY
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Took the car out for a good drive this AM. `Lost turn signal, horn, brake lights and overdrive . Made it back to house. Car will not crank, totally dead. I do have interior lights, spot light, and radio but all very weak. NAPA battery # 7248 is 2 years and 9 months old. The ammeter was not over to C but just to the left of the middle dot. With lights on, it was half way over to D. It appears to me the generator was not charging the battery or the battery won't hold a charge.Every day is an adventure with an old car. Any help is appreciated.
1948 2262 Deluxe, Fred Wiley

Posted on: 2016/12/4 13:29
Fred in Florida







1948 Deluxe Eight Sedan 2262
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Re: Battery or Generator Problem
#2
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HH56
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As a first step I would remove the battery cables and clean the cables and battery posts just to make sure corrosion hasn't added a high resistance. That has been a frequent cause of some things working and things that require heavy current not working. Also check tightness of bolts where the cables attach to engine and solenoid.

If that doesn't help it gets more involved. The items you mention are on separate circuits. Turn signals have their own fuse, brake lights come off a circuit breaker. Both of those are fed via the ign switch. The OD has its own fuse and the horn has none. Both of those are fed via the battery terminal on starter solenoid as is the ign switch. The only common item is the battery or starter solenoid terminals.

The ammeter is between the solenoid terminal and ign sw so there could be a loose connection at the ammeter that would affect the rest of the items -- except the horn. If there is a bad connection, circuits fed by ign sw could be prevented from working. If that is the case there is not a ready explanation for why the radio and lights still work other than you note they are weak..

Posted on: 2016/12/4 14:21
Howard
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Re: Battery or Generator Problem
#3
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Owen_Dyneto
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All indications are that your charging system isn't functioning. I'd just do the standard test to determine if it's the generator or regulator that's failed.

Momentarily ground the field terminal at either the regulator or generator with a jumper, race the engine and observe the ammeter. If it now shows full charge the generator is OK and the regulator is suspect.

Don't leave the jumper grounding the field connected any longer than is necessary to perform the test.

Posted on: 2016/12/4 15:05
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Re: Battery or Generator Problem
#4
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DavidPackard
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I hate to admit this, but in my youth I discovered the functional relationship between a loose fan belt and the health of the charging system. Much later in life I noticed another one of my cars was not charging, so the first thing I checked was the fan belt . . . and don't you know that one was loose also. However in that case the real culprit was the water pump bearing had gone bad and that small amount of movement loosened the belt. The deluge of coolant followed the next day.

The point Fred is to check all of the aforementioned electrical system checks but don't forget the mechanical side of the system.

dp

Posted on: 2016/12/4 15:37
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Re: Battery or Generator Problem
#5
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FREDERICK E WILEY
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My electrical man determined the regulator was bad. I am trying to use NOS parts since this car is all original. Packard part no. 362858 Delco 1118278. I got a NOS Packard part no. 363858 Delco 1118202. This regulator does not work even though the parts company says this is the replacement for the original part. We also disassembled and cleaned the generator. Brushes good and it tested OK. Any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated.

Posted on: 2017/1/28 20:22
Fred in Florida







1948 Deluxe Eight Sedan 2262
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Re: Battery or Generator Problem
#6
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PackardV8
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Remove regulator cover.
Clean contact points. Use a file or sand paper. Most likely just a clean cloth will clean them enuf. INSPECT CLOTH FOR A RESIDUE LIKE PoWDER OR SALVE!!!!

Posted on: 2017/1/29 11:17
VAPOR LOCK demystified: See paragraph SEVEN of PMCC documentaion as listed in post #11 of the following thread:f
http://packardinfo.com/xoops/html/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=7245
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Re: Battery or Generator Problem
#7
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HH56
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If the regulator has had many years sitting on a shelf, I agree with PackardV8 on cleaning the contacts as they could be well oxidized. Be careful not to bend them and I would suggest using a fine tooth points file or a points burnishing tool rather than sandpaper. NAPA and many other parts stores carry the files and may have the burnishing tools also. The burnishing tool is a bit thinner and much finer toothed than the file. If you can't find them locally they are available online.

Sandpaper grit is not strong and designed so tiny portions of the granules will break off and present a fresh edge so the sandpaper stays sharp and usable for a longer period. The broken pieces of the granules can embed in the surface of the contacts and cause other problems down the road.

Posted on: 2017/1/29 12:16
Howard
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Re: Battery or Generator Problem
#8
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PackardV8
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Age of a NEW regulator not withstanding. I'vehad TWO different NON-Packard regeulators, one bought NEW from a dealer, NEW in a box. They were REpop regulators, NOname brand other than they APPEARED identicle to OEM and in a box that only RESEMBLED OEM box (no name on box).
BOTH regulators did not work upon installation. After i got over my disgust i took the cover off and cleaned the contacts. Been working fine now for well over a year.

We have to keep in mind that repop parts may need more than just customary service routine effort.

Some repop is strictly junk, some is very good but requires more than just standard shop practice fitment.

Posted on: 2017/1/29 14:08
VAPOR LOCK demystified: See paragraph SEVEN of PMCC documentaion as listed in post #11 of the following thread:f
http://packardinfo.com/xoops/html/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=7245
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Re: Battery or Generator Problem
#9
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Wesley Boyer
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Posted on: 2017/1/29 18:15
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Re: Battery or Generator Problem
#10
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custo eight
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Over the years, I have found that the first "indicator" of battery charging issues is the turn signal. When that stops blinking, you have about30 minutes to get to get somewhere to sort it out. If it started initially, then you can rule out the battery.

Posted on: 2017/1/30 9:13
Where principles are involved, be deaf to expediency. (Matthew Fontaine Maury 18th century oceanographer)
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