Packard Forum Index » General

The sugar will stay in your tank. You will probably have to drop it and clean it out. Sugar won't hurt your car though. That is just a myth. It does not dissolve in gas.

Lots of good info here..One unanswered question is what is the easiest way to drain and refill the brake lines and master cylinder. Especially on my 55 Caribbean and Clipper?

I've seen an engine ruined by sugar. If you think there is sugar in the tank you will need to remove the tank and clean it thoroughly and blow out the fuel line.

Easiest way to drain and refill the brake system is to pump out the old fluid through the bleeder valves at each wheel, as you keep adding fresh fluid at the master cylinder. When clean fresh fluid comes out at each wheel you are done. Be very careful not to run the master cylinder dry and you will not let in any air. If you get air in the system it will have to be bled out.

The 2wo lines entering the master cylinder on the 55 and 56's should be the LOWEST POINT of the brake system. Remove one of the lines from the master cylinder. Connect vacuum pump or other suitable vacuum source (intake manifold) to the end of the disconnected line. Crack the rite wheel cylinder bleeder screw first, close and then the left side. Repeat rpocess for remaining line at the master cylinder.

I've never drained a system. But i don't see any reason why the above method wouldn't work unless someone else can indicate a problem with the method.

Hmm, I think the four wheel cylinders are lower than the lines coming from the master.

One "express route" method would be to disconnect everything, blow the lines out with compressed air, then use brake clean from an aerosol can--which is under good pressure to flush the lines out. Just suirt it in every opening then go through with compressed air, that would do a decent job of clearing out the lines.

PRIOR to permanant antifreeze, only alcohol based antifreeze was avilable. I've never heard of any method that was used to check the strength of alcohol based antifreeze.

What was use??? A hydrometer similar to hydrometers used to checque modern anitfreeze or what???

Hydrometer was one testing method for methanol (as in Zerone) concentration.

Use of C.P. Glycerine was in common use as an antifreeze along with methanol in the pre-ethylene glycol era. Instructions for use of glycerine is well-covered in the owner's manuals of the early years up to and including the mid-30s.

EDIT: Page from 1934 Packard Eight owner's manual. As you can see, ethylene glycol was already available and alcohol was on the wane by 1934 (except for human consumption).

Attach file:

---

  (183.35 KB)

There were never any Packards of any year with one or two lines entering the master cylinder except the '56 remote reservoir. Fluid and lines leave or exit the master cylinder.

To disconnect a line and use a vacuum pump to evacuate the system is like bolting a boring bar to a workbench and rotating the cylinder block to bore it.

How many of you have disconnected a line from the brass distribution block, then either had a heck of a time getting it threaded in or ruined the block by cross threading it?? I know we sure sell them for this reason .

The wheel cylinders are where most of the muck, rust and moisture sit, it makes no sense trying to vacuum that gunk back through the metal and rubber lines. Vacuum force is weak and would not do a good job of cleaning things out. As there is no new fluid being introduced at the wheel cylinder no "flushing" action will take place. Master cylinder pressure is in excess of 1000 PSI and will expel the gunk out the bleeder.

The method of pumping the master cyl while opening a bleeder until it shows clear fluid while not letting the mast cyl go empty has been used since the invention of hydraulic brakes. As was well stated by a previous poster, this method will eliminate the need to bleed air out of the system.

There are time-tested simple ways to service your Packard, I'm in favor of using them. Packards are logical beings, treat them as such and they will serve you well.

THe process i described for using a vacuum pump was NOT for bleeding the brakes. It was for draining or evacutating the brake lines which is what someone had asked a few posts prior. Someone else recommended using compressd air.

The entire issue initially arose from the ridiculous idea that brake systems need to be drained and flushed every 1 to 3 years. That issue arose over BTV problems.