Packard Forum Index » Post-War (1946-54)

I realize there are many experiences out there with the Easamatic power brakes, and many threads elsewhere on the topic. But I'm just looking for some basic sources here.

(No need to go into the philosophy (or theology) of whether having an Easamatic rebuilt is an act of good or evil: I would just like to get the thing fixed to work as the Bendix gods originally intended)


I hope this thread will serve to help people find a rebuilder if/when they need one.

If anyone has sent their Easamatic to a rebuilder and had a good experience, please share it.

I'm particularly interested in 1954 model, but, even though they differ, I would think an experienced rebuilder would be able to service '54 through '56 models.

I have found ONE place on a computer search, Midwest Power Products in Illinois, that said with confidence that they could rebuild my Easamatic. This would require shipping the entire unit, waiting at least two weeks. (They rebuild your original unit and send it back.)

So far so good, but if there are problems, the whole process would have to start over again.

I'd like to find someone local (around Minneapolis/St. Paul) who could just take the car in and do a rebuild, but so far no luck.

A bit of my own Easamatic story:

The main "symptom" I have is that, suddenly and for no apparent reason, the pedal goes to the floor and the brake fluid in the reservoir gets sucked into the intake. The reason I know it's going to the intake is because of all the embarrassing smoke coming out the tail pipe, plus no brakes.

Everyone, including the shop manual, seems to point to the "check valve" in the "compensator port" as the culprit. HOWEVER, I have been told that this part can't be found anywhere. Except, apparently, rebuilders have them. Thus, the whole unit must be rebuilt to obtain this part.

If it's verboten to recommend specific vendors here. Please PM me or send an e-mail (my address is on my Profile page).

Thanks for any help you can give.

Dear 55:

The pedal going to the floor concurrent with brake fluid being sucked into the motor is a leaking power piston seal.

Pedal going to the floor without any other symptoms is the compensator valve.

Attached is a picture of an original compensator. The new kits are supposed to be good, but if you buy parts they should match the picture.

I used to buy exchange units from Max Merritt because they were good and because if the unit failed and killed someone I wouldn't be liable for a civil action. In the old days we used to do them ourselves, but we also had NOS parts and so no problems.

Those units used to be very reliable using NOS parts and the old type brake fluid which is not the same as the modern stuff.

The two features I really don't think highly of is the lack of a vent between the power piston seal and the vacuum chamber and the compensator valve which is just plain cheap.

Attach file:

---

  (122.94 KB)

55PackardGuy Quote:

OKey dokey. Good luck with that.

Craig

Give Ross a pm. Or follow his btv rebuild instructions on the website

Quote:There is a vent between the two seals in the form of the relief port passage into the reservoir air space. It's better than nothing but with the gasket blocking it in Packard lid implementations, not of much use.

Suggest when you get the unit back from being rebuilt you make sure the gasket has been modified so the port is not blocked by the Packard flat lid. Just cutting a bit away from the port or turning the gasket around will give a space the thickness of the gasket to allow fluid to exit or air to enter.

It's too bad Packard kept the original lid they used with the first units when the port opening was lower in the reservoir. Other mfgs changed to the lid designed for the later high opening units so the port was kept functional. I wonder why Packard didn't.

Quote:

Tim,

Is that an enlargement of the compensator? My shop manual shows it as a little 3-piece thing with a "cup" "spring" and "retainer."

Is the "power piston" the same as the "master cylinder piston"? That's what they call it in the shop manual, anyway.

Max Merritt still sells rebuilt unit. About the same price as rebuilder of original unit, if "re-sleeving" bore w .304 stainless is required. (This is what is promised if bore is pitted.) I'd also like to get Mike Dulinski to weigh in on this.

For less than the cost of one rebuild to an Easamatic, I converted my 1954 Clipper to standard brakes. I never need to rely on a rebuild or risk having a failure again. The standard brakes work well , unless you are driving your car 80 to 90 mph regularly. Then they will operate as poorly as they would have in 1954. You can most likely get the linkage from someone on this site and the master cylinder is available at NAPA.

Ed Strang in Florida did mine right after I got the car. Three years and 10,000 miles and it stops on a dime and gives back 6 cents change. They are sensitive and powerful.

At that same time the flex lines were replaced, the wheel cylinders rebuilt (waste of money; get new at NAPA) and the fluid drained a replaced. Shoes had to be recurved, which took care of a slight, sometime pull to the right....

That would be Ed Strain, not Strang.

Ed did my easamatic last year, it works great.