解:$ (1)$连接$AP$
∵$BD$是边$AC$上的高,$PE\perp AB,$$PF\perp AC,$
且$S_{\triangle ABC}=S_{\triangle ABP}+S_{\triangle ACP},$$S_{\triangle ABC}=\frac 12\ \mathrm {A}C·BD,$
$S_{\triangle ABP}=\frac 12\ \mathrm {A}B·PE,$$S_{\triangle ACP}=\frac 12\ \mathrm {A}C·PF$
∴$\frac 12\ \mathrm {A}C·BD=\frac 12\ \mathrm {A}B·PE+\frac 12\ \mathrm {A}C·PF$
∵$AB = AC,$∴$PE + PF = BD$
$ (2)$不成立。理由如下:
如图①,当点$P $在线段$BC$的延长线上时,连接$AP$
则$S_{\triangle ABP}=S_{\triangle ABC}+S_{\triangle ACP}$
同理,得$\frac 12\ \mathrm {A}B·PE=\frac 12\ \mathrm {A}C·BD+\frac 12\ \mathrm {A}C·PF$
∵$AB = AC,$∴$PE = BD + PF,$即$PE - PF = BD$
如图②,当点$P $在线段$CB$的延长线上时,连接$AP,$
则$S_{\triangle ACP}=S_{\triangle ABC}+S_{\triangle ABP}$
同理,得$\frac 12\ \mathrm {A}C·PF=\frac 12\ \mathrm {A}C·BD+\frac 12\ \mathrm {A}B·PE$
∵$AB = AC,$∴$PF = BD + PE,$即$PF - PE = BD$