Spitfire8

Thanks to those who responded! We were able to fix the Packard's wiring and now the lights are functioning properly. Bill.

I’m helping a local friend with a 1932 903 5-passenger sedan that has erratic operation of the dome light, rear quarter-lights, running board lights and rear seat lighters. In addition to these lights operating in erratic patterns, at times the ammeter will jump to a -10 indicating excessive current draw (short)! We’ve identified two wires bringing power to the rear passenger compartment; one from the headlight switch (“hot” only when switch is “on”) and another “always-hot” wire that comes off the ammeter (and should probably be fused). Unfortunately, the wiring diagram doesn’t cover wiring to the interior. So we have the task of sorting all this out and are seeking clarifying information: 1) With headlights "on," does opening either rear door turn-on the dome light and/or the quarter-lights above rear seat? 2) Or, does opening a rear door operate only the running board lights? If so, do both lights come "on" if either door is opened, or only one light? (I'm assuming those lights are also powered off the headlight switch.....right)? 3) IF the dome and rear quarter lights are NOT operated by the door switches, I assume they're operated by the finger switches on the "B" pillars. Are the dome and quarter lights operated by specific switches or do both sets of lights activate when either "B" pillar switch is flipped? To further complicate matters, both wires at each rear seat lighter are grounded but one would normally receive always-on power (for safety, we'll keep each lighter's circuit de-activated). And all this wiring is behind upholstery........... Any wiring-wisdom greatly appreciated! Bill.

Good information. Thanks to all who responded!

Members: Anyone know what the original (new) compression PRESSURE ( not ratio) was for the post-War Chrysler straight-8? Thanks!

Hello All: I've seen 1941 Cadillacs described as both series 61 and 62. So.....: 1) Were both models offered in 1941? 2) If "yes" to above, how does one tell the difference between the 61 & 62?

I wonder if this problem could be solved by making a flat bending jig out of 1/2" or 3/4"plywood, in which the outline from the fender curve is traced onto two pieces of wood; one piece for the "outside" of the curve and another for the "inside" of the curve. The two pieces would be fastened to a backing-board with a narrow gap for the stainless bead in between. Pressing the bead into the groove would "pre-bend" the metal and not allow it to kink. This should (in theory) make it easier to then form the final bend on the car.

When/if you repair your cracked door, be sure not to over-tighten the center latch when reassembling. Many of these dash doors are cracked because when the door is closed, the upper left and right corners come to rest against small rubber buttons. If the center latch is adjusted too tight, the door is bowed when closed; eventually stressing and cracking the plastic. If you're fortunate enough to have an undamaged door, keep it that way by setting the center latch to fully "catch" just as the door touches the rubber buttons, and close the door only with very light hand pressure.

Cranking the engine to prime the fuel system (as opposed to turning on an electric pump) allows the motor to start building oil pressure prior to firing off..............

Gary: I replaced the big felt washer with a modern seal in my '36 President. Been several years ago and didn't take photos.....sorry! I removed the original felt holder from the cover and turned a new steel shell, also from cold-roll, to hold a modern press-fit seal. I recall curving the underside of that shell to fit into the "bulge" in the cover to provide "centering" (important), then carefully soldered the shell into the cover and pressed the seal into place. (Didn't record the number of the seal....... sorry again)! One concern was adequate seal lubrication, but I hoped enough oil would be splashing off the gears to keep the seal wet. Also made a few longitudinal "lines" on the shaft, beneath the seal, with a fine scuff pad to help channel a minuscule bit oil under the seal lip. Three years now and no sign of external leaking oil so guess everything is working as planned........... Bill.

I'm experiencing the same high-output problem with a third-brush generator and a fully-retracted third brush. Would adding a resistor in the line at the regulator's field terminal lower the overall output of a continuous 20-25 amps, which seems quite high? Just wondering.........

Exhaust leaks can often be detected by using a propane torch set to a low/small flame. Passing the flame over a leak will either extinguish the fire or cause it to flutter.

I believe your '48 Chrysler already has a sintered-metal fuel filter attached to the fuel pickup line in the bottom of the fuel tank. Adding an additional filter outside the tank increases the resistance your fuel pump must overcome in order to draw fuel. As such, I'd seriously question whether a fuel pump with a glass bowl filter was used by Chrysler on this car. You can verify an in-tank filter by removing the sender and peering into the tank. The metal filter mentioned above is about the size of a hockey puck. It is non-removable and non-serviceable. Although if plugged, some cleaning might be accomplished by blowing compressed air into the fuel line.

Here are a couple additional considerations to add to those already posted: 1)" Wiggle" and re-position any spark plug wires that touch other wires. A weak spot in the insulation can allow the high voltage to jump to another wire, causing a spark in a cylinder that may have an open intake valve. 2) Be sure there are no carbon or metallic-particle tracks between terminals on the inside of the distributor cap. These conductive pathways can also lead to a crossfire. 3) Another sign of retarded or non-advancing ignition timing is overheating. Watch your temperature gauge.

Don: In my President, I use Chevron Dello 400, straight #30. This is a non-synthetic diesel oil containing 1200 ppm ZDDP (just to be safe). I buy a box containing three one-gallon containers from my local auto parts store at reasonable price. To avoid a "dry" start on a new motor, I'd remove the spark plugs (faster spinning), ground the coil secondary and turn the motor with the starter until I saw movement on the oil pressure gauge. Bill.

Hello all: I'm writing for a friend who has a '34-40 series, but no internet capabilities. In the process of doing some rear end work, it was noticed there is apparently no pinion oil seal installed or mentioned in the shop manual. Is this normal for a torque-tube equipped vehicle? Is the differential lubricant just allowed to creep up and down the inside of the torque tube? If one were to park nose-down on a steep hill, could this become a problem? Thanks in advance for any insights here. Bill.

As a long-time C-39 owner, I'd offer the following: 1) NEVER use an "old-stock" oil filter. You likely have no knowledge of the conditions under which that unit was stored for the last fifty or sixty years. During that time, the filter medium may have disintegrated or decomposed and using that filter runs the risk of drawing degraded filter material into your motor. Do you want to risk plugging your oil passages in order to save a couple dollars? 2) I always change the filter when doing an oil change. Filters are inexpensive compared to the well-being of your motor. Also recommend Chevron Delo 400 30-weight oil. Your car was designed for a mono-viscosity oil. Delo 400 has adequate ZDDP additives to protect your flat tappets, without needing to purchase additional supplements. 3) For me, the correct/best filter on the market for your car is the Wix 51062 (NAPA may have NAPA brand made by Wix). These have a metal body (rather than paper) and also have a cork washer, top and bottom, to contact against the "stops" in the filter housing. 4) IF you're missing the big rubber "O-ring", I'd suggest taking the canister to your local industrial/bearing/hose supplier and selecting a ring-fit that is snug but not overstretched. Oil the ring so the cap slides-on smoothly.

Thanks to those who responded. I've decided to max at 45 lbs., torqued in 5 lb. intervals, to hopefully avoid stressing the aluminum. After the first several short drives, I'll retorque each time, when cold, again to 45 lbs. With a newly-decked block and surfaced head, I also decided to not apply any coatings on the copper gasket. I want that copper to "bite" into the adjoining metals without any compound in between. We'll see how it goes!

Hello all: I'm curious what final torque values are used on ALUMINUM cylinder heads from 1930s-era vehicles. I realize there may be some variation among different makes, but am wondering what final values have proved successful. I have a '36 Studebaker President with aluminum head, and there is no shop manual information on this topic. A period Motors Manual says "83 lbs." which I feel is WAY too tight for this motor. So I'm hoping to get a general sense for final torque values from those who have successfully torqued other makes' aluminum heads from this time period. Thanks in advance for any wisdom here. Bill.

Here's a photo of a '37 President chassis in the Studebaker Museum. Left rear motor mount bolt circled in red.

Unless the '37 changed from the '36, those parts are not from the rear engine mount. The '36 President used two long, maybe 5/8" diameter bolts that ran through passages at the rear of the bell housing and threaded into steel-core molded rubber mounts that were bolted to the front crossmember.

Rick: Good luck finding even those "secondary" bearings. When I recently tried locating them, most were no longer available. Bill.

Hello all: I'm seeking a working distributor vacuum advance to fit a '36 President. According to the "green" book, the following units will interchange: '36 Dictator, '34 & '35 Commander, '34-'36 President. Thanks for any assistance. bill.allard@comcast.net

Echo: I think you'll find you need TWO bulbs and TWO bulb holders. Your current taillight bulb is likely an 1157, with one filament for nighttime running lites and the second filament for brakes.You have no "unused" filaments available for turn signals, and you don't want to make either of those filaments serve double-duty. Instead, you'll have to add a second bulb holder with a single filament bulb like an 1156. Only other option is to mount separate rear turn signal units somewhere on the exterior of the car.

If the flashing indicator light is to work, I believe the switch body needs to be grounded. Given that most steering columns are painted and provide a poor ground path for the switch, you might consider adding a 5th wire from the body of the switch and attaching it to a ground location under the dash.

I'm not familiar with the 120s, but I'm wondering why any fender light would have a dual-contact lamp holder......... unless it was a high and low beam fender light. Guess anything is possible, but that seems odd to me. Maybe some budding electrician has "tinkered" with this car in the past???