Packard Forum Index » V-8 (1955-56)

I removed the Ultramatic from my 55 Clipper and installed an overdrive from a parts car I had. Shortly after this swap, I started having a strange problem. Whenever I traveled over one particular stretch of road, the engine would die. The car would coast to about 10 mph and then the engine would start again but would buck like crazy. I would have to come to a dead stop and then the car would pick up speed as normal. No more problem until I once again traveled on this piece of road. I thought it was gas as the tank has never been removed and cleaned out. I took the tank out had it cleaned and sealed, Rebuilt the carb, blew out the fuel lines, installed an electric fuel pump, replaced the regular fuel pump, cleaned the fuel filter and once again the hit the road. Drove it about 200 miles and then hit that miserable piece of road and it died.

I started thinking about why this one place. It is a main hiway and at the place of problem, it starts to climb. I give it gas at this point, actually floor it because I like all the torgue this thing has. That is when the problem occurs. Maybe electrical.

I disconnected the od relay and guess what? No more problem. Of course the od doesn't work but I can still push in the knob and go free wheeling. I've cleaned the points on the relay, went through the electrical checks in the Packard Service Manual and rechecked all the wiring. I haven't tried it yet but am going to see if cleaning the relay has helped. If not I guess the only thing left is the od solenoid or governor.

Is this particular stretch of road the ONLY place u have tried to use the overdrive?????

Be surprised if governor but solenoid a good possibility. Assuming the car is in OD when you hit that stretch, by flooring the gas it's tying to drop into regular drive and sounds like the ignition coil short out not getting a fast or complete action & staying shorted.

First thought that comes to mind - when you floor it, you're perhaps energizing the ignition kill switch (3rd wire going to the coil from the switch over the accelerator linkage, assuming you have a complete OD installation). Just look at any wiring diagram for an OD car - the engine must be killed momentarily when kicking out of OD by flooring the accelerator. It should be killing the ignition just momentarily though.

Thanks for the come back. I have checked the wiring several times and I am sure it is correct. The wire you mention is there and going where it should. The kick down does not work that I can tell. The car has a fantastic 3rd gear and it is hard to tell, as dumb as it sounds, if it is downshifting to convensional. It has a 374 in it that I took out of a 56 Patrician I parted out with only 18,000 miles on it. Body and Interior were beyond repair,but the engine was great.

As for my Caribbean dimmer switch, I am going to have to climb under the car and look again. The switch is probably ok but I can see one of the wires to it is disconnected. I can't even get enough clearance to put the damn wire on. It is like the car was built around the switch.

If kick down doesn't work, then sounds like solenoid. When you hit the kick down switch, relay should open killing solenoid, spring in solenoid should kick it out and at same time kill the engine for an instant so solenoid can fully release, then as solenoid fully releases the contacts in solenoid should open the ignition short again. Kinda sounds like the solenoid is sticking or binding causing OD not to drop out and keeping the ignition shorted.

I just went to the car and discovered the following: With the ignition switch on and the od knob pushed in, the od relay is not energizing. I grounded the yellow wire on the relay and it energized. Evidently it is not receiving ground from the governor. How does that governor work?
I can't find any info in the Manual. The wire under the car is connected. Tomorrow I'll jack the thing up and try a jumber from the governor to the relay. Any info on this governor will be appreciaated.
Thanks

The governor won't energize the relay until speed is reached--usually around 15-20 mph. There is a good schematic & write up in service counselor 23 # 2https://www.packardinfo.com/xoops/html/downloads/1949_SC.pdf It is for the 49-50 R11, but electrically, wiring wise except for lockout switch virtually same as yours as to relay, solenoid, governor, kickdown, etc

As to how it works, a couple of flyweights spread apart via a linkage and will trip a microswitch type mechanism when, depending on the adjustment screw, speed is reached.

EDIT Changed R9 to R11.

Sounds like you have a "dead zone" on that stretch of road.

I drove over my dead zone today and had no problem. I really don't think the car is going into 4th gear while in od. The engine sounds and feels the same whether the od knob is pushed in or out and going between 60 and 80. The car does free wheel though with the knob in. Also, when free wheeling, when I floor it there is a hesitation but it feel like the engine catching up to the transmission speed. What would happen if I ground the od relay to energize it and drive that way as a test?
Any idea would be appreciated