Packard Forum Index » V-8 (1955-56)

This is a fine example of getting unexpected advice, just when you needed it.

As you may know, I have two 1956 hardtops and had both BTVs exchanged with rebuilt units last year. One came from Max and the other from Kanter. I have been happy with the rebuilds from both, but the Esquire has the external glass jar reservoir and the Executive does not. Neither car is driven nearly as much or as regularly as the 1950 Eight Touring Sedan (with beautiful Wilwood dual master and front disc brakes), so watching the brake fluid slowly drain down without much driving made me think that I was going to have to take out the rebuilt BTV unit to see if the top master cylinder cover was somewhat loose on the Esquire with the remote filler jar. The hard to see master cylinder did seem to have some brake fluid crystallized underneath it, so I wiped it to see if the leak continued. It has. Now, all I plan on doing is taking out the remote unit and check for leaks in the line and also see if the cap may simply need tightening; As I recall, both BTV units came with new washers on the caps. This will save me a lot of grief if it proves this simple.

I wrenched this apart this morning what I find differs from what the drawing suggests should be there and what was described.

It appears that someone used something akin to plumbers tape at the base of the plug and then used a copper washer to try and get this to seal.

The hose may be a substitution as well, its a Gates hose, I've tried to remove the ends but they don't seem to want to come apart so I'm guessing they were made as one?

This is not the stock setup, correct?

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The copper washer looks like a single-use crush gasket that someone tried to reuse by adding the tape (a terrible idea when brake fluid is involved) and the hose looks like a flexible brake line so probably is threaded in. Just going by the photos as I've never seen one of these so not sure what it should look like but that's what it looks like to me.

I tried the local hardware and autopart stores and finally mage up a washer out of some heavy rubber gasket material I had around, so I that should stop the leak, the hose was the sort they can make at NAPA and look so old it was crispy, so I replaced that I'm going to use the drawing you supplied tor try and find the correct part from Maxx or Kantner, thanks for all the help...

Round copper crush ring gaskets, 3/8 to 5-1/4 inches, page 45 of current downloadable Restoration Supply catalog.