56clipper Posted May 31, 2004 Share Posted May 31, 2004 Ok, so I'm having a crisis and I need an intervention! Over the winter, the front driver's side tire of my Clipper went flat due to a split in the valve stem. I jacked it up, put on the spare, and put the real tire in my trunk to fix later. I let the car down, no problem. I got the tire fixed last week, and put it back on the car. I jacked it up like before, put on the tire, and let it down. This time, The front end of the car stayed radically up, and the rear bumper is as far down as it possibly can be. The compensator motor is not kicking on, and up to that point it worked just fine. Also up to that point, the car was level. I had the battery disconnected while changing the tire so the compensator wouldn't kick on. I only jacked it up enough to get the tire just off the ground. The TL motor absolutely will not kick on. To make matters worse, I went to start the car, which to that point had been running fine, and it turned over, then everything quit - lights, engine, everything - stone dead. At that point, I left the car, quite irritated. When I got back to it, the interior lights were working again, then quit about five minutes later. I was unable to look at it until this past Friday, when this time the dash lights were on but very dim. <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />I'm at a total loss as to how to proceed with this Torsion-Level non leveling problem, and would appreciate any suggestions as to how I should proceed in diagnosing the problem. <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" /> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Packard8 Posted May 31, 2004 Share Posted May 31, 2004 Sounds like a battery/cable/connection/ground problem. Try replacing or jumping with a known good battery first. If the TL still doesn?t work, use a remote starter button wired to the two relays in the fender well to test the system.Good luck! PS also check the position of the TL defeat switch under the dash by the parking brake. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WCraigH Posted May 31, 2004 Share Posted May 31, 2004 On the 1956, the solenoids actuating the T-L motor are mounted on the driver side front inner fenderwell: Check the fuseable link connected to the buss bars on top. If the fuse is good and you have 12V there, temporarily and quickly jump one of the solenoid side terminals to the buss bar. This will bypass the compensator control box and actuate the leveling motor directly. We can diagnose from there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest AlK Posted May 31, 2004 Share Posted May 31, 2004 is the solenoid in the same place on the 55's???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WCraigH Posted May 31, 2004 Share Posted May 31, 2004 NO. They are under the car by the T-L motor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Randy Berger Posted May 31, 2004 Share Posted May 31, 2004 You need to check both fuses by the solenoids, one is a 30 amp feed for the solenoids, the other is a 7 1/2 amp feed for the control box.YFAM, Randy Berger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RO Posted May 31, 2004 Share Posted May 31, 2004 Just an added note. If you are unable to activate the T/L motor by a direct wire feed to the motor terminals after all above has been done, it is possible the internal wires have broken off. That was the case on my '56 Custom...it would only go down due to an internal wire breakage. Hopefully the problem is above someplace. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
56clipper Posted June 14, 2004 Author Share Posted June 14, 2004 Everyone's suggestions were great, and as it turned out, the crisis was solved with the installation of a new battery. I went with the one Craig suggested from PepBoys, which fits the tray perfectly. Everything electrical started working fine, and the car started right up like usual. Once it was running, I flipped the T-L cutoff switch and held my breath, and almost immediately it leveled itself. I printed out everyone's suggestions and stuck them with my shop manual just in case anything goes wrong again! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Randy Berger Posted June 15, 2004 Share Posted June 15, 2004 Bob, thanks for coming back and letting us know the resolution to the problem. Sometimes a fix works, but we never know it. <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" /> Glad your Clipper is on an "even keel" again <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />YFAM, Randy Berger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
56clipper Posted June 17, 2004 Author Share Posted June 17, 2004 I would have gotten back sooner, but when you teach high school, and advise the yearbook and senior class, June is a really busy month! <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> The battery I bought is a Pep Boys Energizer, 29HM-850. Craig posted it on the first page of the Cross Reference post. He said there that any group 29 should fit. I bought the exact one he said, and it does fit pretty much exactly. It runs $70, but looks much better than the smaller ones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WCraigH Posted June 17, 2004 Share Posted June 17, 2004 Here are all the battery group external sizes. See group 29 and 60 in particular: Battery Council Intl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest imported_Packards1 Posted June 17, 2004 Share Posted June 17, 2004 Does anyone know if the terminals on the battery from pepboys are in the same place as the original series 60.? I have an interstate series sixty but have been told they quit making it. Joel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Harlin Posted June 18, 2004 Share Posted June 18, 2004 Hi Joel. I had to buy one last month for the 56. Drove 40 miles to buy an Interstate battery. I called first & they told me they had them. It was a part time employee. The owner waited on me & said they dont make them. he made several phone calls to other dealers but no one had any. Jack Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WCraigH Posted June 18, 2004 Share Posted June 18, 2004 With negative ground on my 55 Pat, the Wal-Mart "Everstart Extreme" logo faces the fender, so the viewable side is "plain". However, I agree that they don't last more than 3 years, no matter what you do in terms of disconnect or trickle charge. <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" /> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Randy Berger Posted June 18, 2004 Share Posted June 18, 2004 What does P.I. charge for their fake case you can stuff an OPTIMA battery in??YFAM, Randy Berger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WCraigH Posted June 21, 2004 Share Posted June 21, 2004 <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">(snip) However, the dimension listed for the Group 29NF in the current chart doesn't jibe with what you have listed for the "Everstart Extreme" on your Panther site. </div></div>I found the BCI chart with a Google search, so I cannot vouch for its accuracy. The Wal-Mart "Everstart Extreme" dimensions are actual and IMHO fits the stock battery tray and hold down perfectly without any mods. Also, as I mentioned previously, installing it with the logo towards the fender provides a plain battery case appearance. In this orientation, the battery posts are on top towards the inside, with the negative post forwardmost. There is no clearance problem with the hood. The Pep Boys battery cables listed on my site connect cleanly with this battery. Since one picture is worth 1,000 words (excuse the Nevada desert dust; I just snapped this pic this AM without any prep): Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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