Packard Forum Index » General

From David Childs in TX: the BTV photos are not working right now in this forum but I think you are talking about my '54 Cavalier BTV, which arrived back home today. I can hardly wait to get the unit back on the Packard so I can drive it without the stress of inactive power brakes. Thanks to Kanter for making this possible. You have helped us keep our Packards running for years.

Hi James at Kanter: thanks for the terrific rebuild of my Packard BTV. Thanks also for your generosity. I installed the BTV as I received it, without knowing that the brass fitting at the end of the master cylinder with three ports on it was backwards. I simply removed the brass fitting and turned it around and finished the installation using a pointed awl to keep the middle port in line with the brake fluid path. My pedal travel distance is more than my old BTV, and I am trying to find out if this is the new normal pedal distance feel.

Assuming the system has been propely bled, pedal travel is primarily a function of brake shoe adjustment at the wheels.

We have removed another of Fred and Dan Kanter's cars from long term storage. This 1955 Patrician was purchased by Fred and Dan by trade of a Caribbean over 40 years ago and was last on the road in 1974. Both Fred and Dan decide to remove this one and get it up and running. As part of testing BTV units.We bled the system and left the BTV Power Unit intact as to see if 40 years of hibernation would have any affect. The unit worked and the system was bled. But upon a test drive the hydraulic section worked flawlessly but the power assist did not as the pedal was rock hard. At that point. We removed the unit from the car and found that rust and debris had built up between the leather piston seal and the wall of the vacuum can during the last 40 years of sitting. The build up between created a gap causing loss of vacuum leading to the hard pedal. The seal at the back of the hydraulic section was starting to exhibit signs of leaking so we elected to rebuild the entire unit. All the seals and gaskets were replaced and included a new stainless steel piston as well. Since rebuild the unit has been tested and reinstalled in the Patrician and is operating flawlessly.

<a href="http://s671.photobucket.com/user/JamesRFrom/media/Packard%20400/DSC_1816.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i671.photobucket.com/albums/vv72/JamesRFrom/Packard%20400/DSC_1816.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo DSC_1816.jpg"/></a>

<a href="http://s671.photobucket.com/user/JamesRFrom/media/Packard%20400/KIMG1681.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i671.photobucket.com/albums/vv72/JamesRFrom/Packard%20400/KIMG1681.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo KIMG1681.jpg"/></a>

<a href="http://s671.photobucket.com/user/JamesRFrom/media/Packard%20400/KIMG1683.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i671.photobucket.com/albums/vv72/JamesRFrom/Packard%20400/KIMG1683.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo KIMG1683.jpg"/></a>

<a href="http://s671.photobucket.com/user/JamesRFrom/media/Packard%20400/KIMG1684.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i671.photobucket.com/albums/vv72/JamesRFrom/Packard%20400/KIMG1684.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo KIMG1684.jpg"/></a>

<a href="http://s671.photobucket.com/user/JamesRFrom/media/Packard%20400/KIMG1688.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i671.photobucket.com/albums/vv72/JamesRFrom/Packard%20400/KIMG1688.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo KIMG1688.jpg"/></a>

Good job on the BTV and thanks for sharing your experience.

I like the look of the Patrician sans fender skirts and with the wire wheel covers.

(o[]o)

One item that I failed to mention about the BTV from the Patrician was the unit had silicone brake fluid in it in 1974 and probably the system was not flushed leading to the deterioration of the wheel cylinders. Note that the reservoir did not have the crud in it as we have found in other units.

Thanks
James

Wonder if that is the original BTV as it left Conner or if it was rebuilt when the silicone fluid was introduced. Either way it appears the gasket blocking the relief port when used with flat covers was something taken care of by the factory or in early kits and the gasket mod was somehow forgotten or an improper gasket was substituted in later kits.

Why no problems with BTV in the 50's-60's?

When the units were new it was unusual for a vehicle to be unused for long periods and with regular use new brake fluid was added. In the last 40 years most cars were in collectors hands or in long terms of in activity.

Thus the conditions of use were vastly different. From the X units that failed in use all had been in long term periods of inactivity up to 43 years. All had crystallized brake fluid and some had the safety return brake fluid passage blocked by the solidified fluid.


What was studied

We asked Packardinfo members to submit a BTV that had failed so we could analyze the failures, it took over 3 years to gather 5 units which we analyzed, rebuilt and tested. Each unit was inspected, disassembled, cleaned diagnosed for specific failure, rebuilt and tested. Photographs were taken of each unit.

What we found;

In every case the reservoir was filled with crystallized brake fluid which is formed over long periods when the brake fluid absorbs water (hygroscopic). Some units were in active up to 43 years. The critical seals allow small amounts of fluid to bypass and there is a passage to allow the leaked fluid to be channeled back to the reservoir. This passage can be blocked by the crystallized fluid and in many cases a drill bit held by hand is used to open it up. This fail-safe circuitry does no work if the unit is neglected for long periods.