Packard Forum Index » General

Quote: I'm sure there are several here who can remedy that small omission. That car ought to have all kinds of room available. A nice chrome can with lines to match

Hi Folks

Dot 5 silicone brake fluid is standard equipment for AMG HMMV, AMG Military trucks, etal.; as well as H-D motorcycles. When I was overseas we never had any hydraulic problems with those brake systems even under severe sub-saharan service. Vehicles using DOT 3 had lots of hydraulic problems. I also saw mixing of DOT 5 because the military stocked DOT 5 as a matter of NSN. It was pretty much inert.

I have a vial of ancient brake fluid I drained from a barn car and it is not the same as modern DOT 3.

Glycols are Hydroxl-alcohols and the MSDS for DOT 3 shows twelve glycol elements.

I have run into the brake switch failure problem myself and it really leaves me scratching my head for a cause. Although, I do think those hydraulic brake switches are a lousy system and they fail using DOT 3 on a regular basis as well.

Also, brake lines do not seem to rust from the inside out and I have cut very rusty brake lines in two to verify this point. I have a few lying around that I use for demonstration purposes.

Would be interesting to take one of the failed switches apart and see just what does fail. Diaphragm damaged, contacts oxidized, something swollen. Many possibilities.

"I also saw mixing of DOT 5 because the military stocked DOT 5 as a matter of NSN."

Mixxing of Dot 5 with what???? Dot3??? Did it present any problems??

It has been recommended that the brake fluid of BTV equiped cars be drained and flushed and renewed with new fluid approximately every 3 years.

Let us assume that to be a reasonable and specific maintenance interval/procedure.

THEN, there is one, exactly one and only one reason for the procedure????? That being mositure entering the brake system. No? What other reason could there be????

Furthermore, moisture can enter the brake system at ONE, exactly one and only one place. That being the vent hole in the filler cap of the BTV master cylinder. No??? Where else could moisture possibly enter the sytem?

Many thanks to those of u that enlightened me on the wine/alcohol content questions i asked. it helps me to understand the recommended process better.

I do beg to differ on whether steel brake lines rust out from the inside or not. One of my jobs at the 95 National in Baltimore was to replace a section of brake tubing on a 51 Convertible. It was the piece that ran under the engine and was oily and shiny new on the outside--but so rusted on the inside it broke like crisp bacon. All of my cars get all new brake tubing when the brakes get done. That is the cheapest part of the entire restoration.

Dot 3 will somehow some way pick up moisture with time and go rancid, even out in the wheel cylinders, far away from any venting. But really its not a problem if the system is bled every once in a while. I like it oftener for Treadlevac systems as they are chunk and lump sensitive.

Ross,

Same thing on my '54. The lines looked good from the outside. But the rust was so extensive on the inside that it turned the fluid to gel. I replaced every part of the brake system except for the distribution blocks which I media blasted and soaked in carb cleaner.

Quote:

Your hydrometer will allow you to determine the percentage of alcohol after fermentation.

To determine the percentage before fermentation you need to do a Brix test.

See this link for a tester and how it is used.

leevalley.com/en/garden/page.aspx?cat=2,2120&p=46784

Once you determine the sugar content you can easily calculate the potential alcohol content. To increase it you can add sugar, to reduce it you can stop fermentation early to get a sweeter wine that is lower in alcohol.

There is a limit to the percentage of alcohol that can be achieved by fermentation. The alcohol kills the yeast eventually.

All this should be covered in a good book on home wine making.

Sugar in the gas tank:

Will alcohol dissolve sugar????? Just drain the tank and pour in some alcohol????