Packard Forum Index » General

To Jim L.

Aha!! Now I see why you wouldn't want to work for me. Even in a Packard with chair high seats and torsion level, the commute from the Pacific Northwest to NJ would be a killer.

The hysteria remark was certainly not directed to you, it ws directed to those who feel that abandoning the BTV is the only right thing to do.

Fred Kanter
Kanter Auto Products
Boonton NJ

Those of us taking the time to discuss the BTV are not wanting to abandon it permanantly. Until the problem(s) of the BTV are solved we are using transplant units from more modern vehicles. TWELVE YEARS Fred Kanter. TWELVE YEARS the BTV debate/analysis has raged on.!!!!! Where have YOU been up until just the recent few WEEKS????

It will be interesting to see the results of the poll. I am still wondering why it seems to be mostly the V8 models though. Am not totally buying the argument that they are driven more than the earlier ones but they do seem to get more of the complaints.

Fred Kanter wrote: Quote:

Also as a graduate engineer, I take exception to being categorized as hysterical as one of "those who feel that abandoning the BTV is the only right thing to do."

As Albert Einstein said, "Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result." I gave up after four BTV repairs by four different professional vendors (see my response to the "Kanter Disc Brake Conversion" thread). Then I actually did something different (installing a modern dual MC booster system) and I got a different result. My conversion has not so much as hiccuped in over eight years. Rather than my one data point, there are now several conversions extant that also have not failed in many years.

More importantly, let's say that you are able to 1) determine why the BTV fails (I think there is more than one reason) and 2) develop a repair kit which addresses these deficiencies. How in the world are you going to convince anyone that this is a 100% reliable fix? What sort of testing could you possibly do that would be thorough and lengthy enough that would PROVE it? My experience is that the failures occur about 1 year after repair. That's a pretty lengthy and expensive test period, particularly if many, many Packards are involved.

Or instead would you hang the reputation of Kanter Auto Products on it?

Craig

Amen Craig!!! Amen.

Craig,

There are those like you who write a cogent letter that is well though out, and then there are......

As a graduate engineer trained in the scientific method, you as well as I know you can't prove something will not happen. If someone puts motor oil in a BTV, a single manual cylinder or a dual like in your car it will fail. A mechanoic did that to my father's '55 BTV equipped Lincoln in '57 and it was an exciting downhill ride.

One thing to figure out is why these sudden failures seem to be recent, say in the last 10 years and a yer after the rebuild Seems that something degrades. As an engineer you know that pretty much anything mechanical can be explained.

I like challenges, I like studying things and figuring them out. I don;t quite know what you mean to hang the reputation of KAP on it, but I do know I'll give it my best unprejudiced shot.

Fred

HMM? I had the BTV rebuilt considerably longer than eight years ago. Based upon what I have read and heard I drive my 400 a good deal further than most Packard owners. I have had to adjust the brakes a few times. I do run silicon fluid and if heat from the exhaust manifold is a problem, perhaps the silicon brake fluid has diminished that. I am interested in the results Fred comes up with by contacting a wide cross-section of 52-56 Packard owners. I believe there are many who access this site and just read.

Randy,

We sell BTV kits to owners of about 8 makes of cars, I will survey all makes for thir experiences and try to get any recently failed units sent to me to analyze in our shop

We also have a 1950's vintage original Bendix Power Brake testing machine especailly suited to Treadle Vacs

Thanks for your support and cool head.

Fred

I don't know about the cool head and I was just stating my own personal experience. I do look forward to your survey of BTV owners. If you would can you break them down as to toeboard mount or above the steering column mount? Just trying to understand why one would fail more than others, if it does???

Good suggestion, thx