Packard Forum Index » V-8 (1955-56)

HELP!!!

Today I bought a beautiful 1956 Patrician. It was in a shed out in the country - a true barn find we all dream of finding.It has apparently been restored (?) by a true car guy and appears like new.

The owner had become ill four years ago and died two years ago. It has been a year or so since the car was last started or moved. With the help of a new battery and a little either, the engine started nicely. The push buttons cycled the transmission through all the gears except "D".

The brake pedal was hard as a rock, immovable.

When we tried to back it out of the shed, we found all four wheels locked. Shifting between L and R didn't free them, so an hour later a flat bed arrived. In winching it out of the shed, three of the wheels turned. After a 30 mile trip, the fourth wheel freed up as it rolled off the flat bed. The transmission worked, too, and we drove a few feet to a parking space.

After hosing the dust off, we backed the car up for photos to secure an antique plate. The engine raced to move in reverse, but it backed up 30 for 40 feet. When we attempted to return the car to the parking space, the transmission would not shift. We started the engine and punched every button, but no response. When we shut the engine off, there was a clicking sound. Turned out to be coming from what appeared to be some relays on the driver side fender. The clicking continued with the ignition off. It was not a steady drum beat, but intermittent.

In attempting to restart the engine, the starter might or might not engage momentarily. It was if the transmission control was cycling through the gears. The starter would engage momentarily, as if the cycle was passing through the P and N mode.

If this diagnosis is correct, how do I fix it? Until today, my experience has been only on 55's.

If it isn't, I'm in even more need of help.

Any advice will be gratefully accepted.

Thanks,
Bernardi

P.S.
I hope the text doesn't get lost this time.

Quote:Reyman,

Congratulations on your "new" Pat. Hope your trans and other issues are sorted out quickly. And as you can see, No, your post didn't get lost this time.

One more thing, and you probably know what's coming here don't you? Could you please include your '56 Patrician in the Packard Owner's Registry here, together with a pic, any known history and how you acquired it?

Bernardi, the problem is in the actuator, on the transmission. A contact finger is either bent or the unit has overtravelled, and is now stuck in whatever gear it was in last. You need to get to the unit, and take it off of the car, I have put instructions on how to do that somewhere here on Packard info,I'm not sure where though!
Ole Book has a good unit I rebuilt, on the shelf, ready to go, that would be a quick solution, or you could fix it yourself. You may find that the Bakelite bridge that holds the fingers is broken and the fingers are bent. If you have to remove the motor from the actuator to get the set screw around to facing the bottom (reverse position) be careful, the armature wants to stay on the shaft and pull out of the motor housing and brushes, and it is a royal pain to get it back in the right way, and there is a danger of bending/breaking the phenolic plate that holds the brushes if you aren't patient. I have a special fixture now to do that on the bench, and it is only slightly easier with that.
I am in the UK right now (Tywyn, Wales, at the moment) I'll be back home after the 2nd of september.

Mr. Pushbutton -

Thank you so much for the information. I'll try to follow the instructions on removal and not break anything. That is such a beautiful car I can hardly wait to drive it.

Guscha =

How do I post photos? I 'll put a link to PICASA in the next post so folks can go there to see it.

Bernardi

I hope this link to Picasa works. It shows four views of the exterior and one of the back seat. Camera batttery pooped out before I got everything I wanted.


http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/sredir?uname=Bernardi00007&target=PHOTO&id=5509381982394533714&aid=5509381970845608401&authkey=Gv1sRgCNjm9eatuNPo0QE&feat=email


Bernardi

Congrats on your purchase....I looked at it last Sunday and am glad it has a great new home ..please let me know if you will be at any local shows with it

Jerry

A fine-looking specimen!

Mr. Pushbutton =

I found your instructions for removing the actuator. Much more understandable than the factory manual version. Thanks for posting them.

Bernardi

Mr. Pushbutton -

The car is now in a difficult position, almost impossible to get under to remove actuator and motor. Would it be possible to disconnect the control relay and actuator, then move the actuator by hand to engage a gear, any gear, so the car could be moved? The starter solenoid would be activated by a jumper. The brakes are still so tight that we cannot push it by hand.

Thanks,
Bernardi

Unfortunately, if you can't get under the car to remove it then you're not going to easily get to it to loosen it. You MAY be able to loosen the front nut that you can sort of see from the engine compartment and move it up and down, but then there's nothing to stop the motor itself from turning and "climbing" on the gear which wouldn't change the gear. If it's possible, it might be better to drop the rear of the driveshaft.