Packard Forum Index » V-8 (1955-56)

If adding the check valve cured it, then that is strange and another symptom to remember.

Just a few weeks ago another poster had a faulty or inoperative check valve and instead of too much assist, the symptom was a hard pedal and minimal to no assist.

At any rate, check valve or not, it should not result in the pedal staying down. Do believe anything that would cause that pedal problem is going to be internal and may come back at a bad time.

Agreed, HH. Presence or absence of the check valve would seem to have nothing to do with the symptom described.

56 Cliiper dlx:

See Ross' reply in post #5 on first page. That is the place to start and when corrected should fix the problem.

Let us know what u find out. If u plan to DIY post pics here and we'll try to analyze online.

Note that this is at least the 3rd incident of this symptom. A 56 cliiper owner in Alabama has had the problem for over 2 years now. AFAIK he still returns it with his toe.

Yes, three years later and I'm still driving the car and pulling back up on the brake pedal. Not long ago the same thing started happening to my '55 Patrician although not as bad. The brakes are good, so I live with it on both cars. IF everything were decently accessible rather than through the floorboard and jammed between steering columns and air ducts and what not, I would have tried to address it. It's enough "maintenance" on all four of my Packards ('53, two '55s, and the '56) in keeping the master cylinder reservoir topped off. ONLY have this problem with the Packards and not the Hudson or Nash with similar units. Hope you can diagnose and find the problem on the brake return and fix it on your '56 Clipper Deluxe. The no brake pedal return and fluid disappearance I just tolerate and keep on going.

The fluid is most likely disappearing into the Power unit and MAYBE some getting sucked into the reserve vacuum can or the carb.

Edit;
I'll try to look at the vacuum reserve cannister plumbing arrangement. Mite be if the fluid is building in the vacuum can the problem occurs but rite now off the top of my head i don't really see how.

i was wrong it does have the check valve on the back of the carb now that i now what it looks like.here i thought it was just a adapter,learn something new every day.i already put in an after market one inline and seems to solve my brake issue.does any one know where to get the original style check valve.i know max merrit carrys it but at 45 dollars there has to be a cheaper version some where

I would be surprised if the original one is bad. Pull it off and check it. You should be able to blow thru it where the hose slides on, but not be able to suck air thru it - very simple.

As Randy mentioned, remove and check it. Believe there's two types.

This one has a hard plastic or rubber plug type affair which seats in a beveled area in the metal housing. Has a spring and spring seat all held in position by a wire clip. Other type is similar except IIRC the valve or plug is a metal piece and shaped a bit differently. I think that type is steel and seem to recall it may rust. I don't remember if that one comes apart easily or if the guts are crimped in.

If there is some rust flakes or if brake fluid has been drawn in and congealed or gotten sticky, the valve may not be seating and thus leaking.

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Quote:G'day Trog,
And sorry everybody for pulling this thread but I'm taking the opportunity to ask this here instead of by PM so that the question gets out to a wider audience. What about your '41 One-Twenty 4-Door Touring Sedan in the Registry? Realise it doesn't have a treadle-vac so not going to suffer the symptoms being discussed. But....are you still the owner? Like to know so the Registry can be updated if necessary. To save further off topic discussion please reply by PM and I'll arrange for the Registry entry to be updated if necessary. Back now to the topic at hand.

Speaking of check valves, as I recall the check valve function on my '57 Hudson was negated years ago when I reworked the brakes, so it always has the vacuum present. The valve portion of the devicem, very similar to the posted picture, just fell apart...it was seemingly enclosed in some kind of rubber type compound and I suspect the heat of the engine after all the years just ate it up (vacuum source at the front of engine). And I recall now I was going to try to check the vacuum tank way back when for fluid in it but never did it.