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

I have gotten myself into confusion over my brake issue.
1952, easamatic. Prior to this the brakes worked fine. recently the brake lights stopped working so I ordered an new switch. Because of reading info on this site I thought it would be a good time to flush and bleed the brake system.

years ago I worked on brakes on my GMC pickup,1948 and a '62 chevy.;;;;;So I have a little experience and have bled brakes before. I read as much as I could on this site and in my shop manual.....

I have tried everything to bleed the brakes . in the beginning I got a lot of very dark fluid from the front wheels, but very little from the rear. I used the typical method by pumping the brake pedal & I bought a hand pump mighty vac.....(only because it was very cheap)

I have been working on this for several wks on my off days etc. I guess I am confused as to what is happening with the system. BTW, I know I should really rework the entire system. for all I know it is original. But I am trying to put that off until much later in the year.

At one time I thought I read something about air pockets, but I can't remember where I read that topic..... thanks , tim,
as always I appreciate your advice.sometimes I hesitate to write because I know the info is in a forum already, but I seem to have trouble finding info when I need it....

Hilo hawaii. Daily driver. Wow. Can you give more info? What is happening when you press the pedal? What fluid are you using and what was in it? Never mix dot3 n silicone. Engine off or running? What was the issue prior to bleeding?

this car is not a dailydriver. I use dot 3 brake fluid. since I have owned the car I have topped off with dot3. the fluid always looked very old and dark. Every thing worked good. then I needed a new brake light switch and decided it would be a good idea to flush the system.

the brake pedal seems normal. firm and does not go all the way to the floor. I just came in from working on it again. I filled the reservoir, tightened everything up.I started the car and pumped the brakes. pedal feels ok. topped the reservoir again. again the front brakes bleed, but nothing from the rear.

The car is up on ramps to give me room underneath. Now I noticed the brakes seem locked. when the car is running I put the trans in R and H and the car won't budge!

Hmmm. Sounds like the btv. You said easmatic power? I have seen many issues with master cyl with high mi going bad during bleed procedures. I would always proceed diag this scenario by securing car on jackstands with all 4 wheels free and in the air, trans in N and proceed trying to turn ea by hand, ensure handbrake not hung up. All 4 lokced? Lift pedal by hand. Still locked , crack bleeders 1 at time. Each frees and will turn by hand as bleeders are cracked- bad master. Only 2 rears locked re check p brake. 1 locked- bad hose or line. Other scenarios involve dual chamber masters and prop valve which is not aplic for a 52. Hope this helps. Good luck.

Could also be something as simple as the rubber hoses deteriorating which happened on my '72 Mercedes when it sat for a couple years in indoor storage with extremes of temperature, even though it was started and driven outside periodically. Although it has disk brakes, the principal and basic functionality is the same. Trying to bleed it but getting nothing through, completely removing one of the hoses, I couldn't even force 100lb air pressure through it and, as you described, the fluid was black. All the lines flushed clean and new hoses and cylinders, pressure-bled with DOT3 synthetic, it stops better than new. It was a little work but only a minor expense for the sake of safety.

very good advice. I will do more work today b4 work. I may just decide to rework the entire system as it is all original. .......
more will be revealed
I will report more later. thanks

progress was made.
all wheels move freely now. Must go to work now. will continue later in the wk.
thanks for all your help.
tim

Sounds good. What was happening on my Mercedes was that each time we started it up and drove it outdoors, it seemed harder and harder to get it to move, as though the brake pedal were being held down. It was because the pressure was not being relieved due to the plugged hoses so the brakes were holding tighter and tighter each time we pressed them until they were almost entirely locked.

Good job so far and the best of luck with the rest. I will probably be going through the same thing on my 1954 Patrician when I start the work to get it back on the road after decades of being parked. In fact, I already went through it a few years ago on my 1953 Patrician just before selling it, by rebuilding all the cylinders including the master and the booster but it was all really quite easy. The hoses and wheel kits can be purchased locally but you'll probably have to buy the master and booster kit from one of the Packard parts suppliers. You might also want to thoroughly clean out the fuel system and possibly replace the tank and sender with one of the stainless reproductions that are available.