Hard Brakes...

[Robbie-87plz]

I know, I know...All I do is ask for help...
Got off work today...brakes were a lil hard, thought nothing of it, ahen I almost hit a car in front of me (no I wasn't speeding), I reevalutated my situation. Drove home with a pretty high pucker factor. Brake level is the same...but there's fluid on the firewall, fresh fluid. To me that indicates something wrong, maybe air in the line...Can anyone help please???

 

[quicker6]

Your master cylinder brake reservior cover is loose. Make sure that it is snapped down tight. If thats not it than houston we have a problem...................a leak of some sort.
Good luck,
Derek

 

[Robbie-87plz]

Thank you for the reply

Hmmm...will check that out...obviously with the car off yeah?

 

[quicker6]

Yep, car off. Check the brake fluid level and add as necessary. If you lost fluid youll need to replenish it. I think for a powermaster to check fluid level you turn the ignition on and pump the brake pedal 10 times.
Derek

 

[gn86randy]

checkers sells a new rubber seal if needed I think its like 7 bucks...also are they vacuum or still powermaster?

 

[Robbie-87plz]

Mahalo for the help...

...I'm hoping that's what it is...the seal on the brake reservoir cap... but why would that make the brake pedal hard? I presumed that air in the line would do that, not a leaking reservoir cap...Am I wrong?

 

[quicker6]

Maybe your powermaster needs to be changed out soon.......Hard to diagnose across the keyboard I guess.
Good luck,
Derek

 

[GN owner]

If the brakes requires a great amount of pedal pressure and the BRAKE light is on most likely the accumulator ball is bad if you still have the stock Powermaster brakes. The accumulator is the black ball on the top of the master cylinder that sticks out to the drivers side. By the way what part of the firewall did the brake fluid show up on?

 

[Robbie-87plz]

No brake light...

...just a loud, short burst of air as the pedal is being depressed...
...it's almost directly behind the powermaster unit, a wee bit to the passenger side...
...light coating of brake fluid on the entire assembly...

 

[HI85WH1]

hey Robbie,

sorry I missed your call. (I'm working nights again this week.)

I take it you called regarding a vaccuum booster?...

Let me know.

Rob

 

[Geoff87]

Powerdisaster brakes?

I think you better just park it until you get it figured out.....

 

[HI85WH1]

Re: Powerdisaster brakes?

Originally posted by Geoff87
I think you better just park it until you get it figured out.....

Amen Brother...

 

[GN owner]

If you are hearing a short burst of AIR then you must have vacuum brakes and not a Powermaster! Sounds like a bad check valve in the vacuum booster assy.

 

[Robbie-87plz]

Trust me, she's parked...

No, I have PM, can see the black accum ball, and PM motor...
After almost sh*tting myself on the way home, I've decided to park it until I fix it.
I can for the life of me, find where the air burst is coming from, guess that's a small downfall for having hearing loss in both ears. Geoff, I hate to ask a favor, but if you can stop by at anytime and help pinpoint it out, it'll save me from buying unnecessary items...

 

[Geoff87]

Re: Trust me, she's parked...

Originally posted by Robbie-87plz
Geoff, I hate to ask a favor, but if you can stop by at anytime and help pinpoint it out, it'll save me from buying unnecessary items...

No need to pinpoint. I already know what the problem is!.....

Originally posted by Robbie-87plz
No, I have PM

The solution!.........

Originally posted by Geoff87 in his signature.......
On Vacuum Brakes Since 1996!

Seriously though, I'm not the person to ask about the PM brake system. I will NEVER, run one of those systems on anything that I drive again! In my opinion, change it to a vacuum system, and be done with it!

If you want to convert it, give me a call and I will gladly help you out with whatever you need to know in order to do the swap.

 

[Robbie-87plz]

Contemplation is the chief procrastinator...

I could have sworn that it was coming from the brake reservoir...I'm contemplating switching to the hydroboost setup, due to the pressure of the setup. However I'm thinking about the vacuum setup due to the low initial price cost...

 

[Robbie-87plz]

Eureka, or whatever they yell...

...the brake issue had me thinking...I'm hearing a burst of air, fluid loss miminal, some on the firewall, some on the lower part of the powermaster...so I ran the car and simulated braking situation 101 pumping the brakes rapidly...ran to look under the hood and found the culprit...the rubber diaphram in the reservoir is bad, causing air to move in and out and that was the source of the hiss...time to run by Buick and see if they carry one...quicker6, you were correct..Thanks for the continued support guys...

 

[quicker6]

I knew that was your problem . At least you figured out how to troubleshoot it for yourself in the process . The hissing part was a big hint.
Derek

 

[Robbie-87plz]

I'm learning...

...Anyone have a good quality stock diaphram for the stock PM reservoir on hand? Apparently Redline nor Checkers carries 'em...neither does Schuman er I mean GM dealership on Beretania... I'd love to get my baby back on the road again...Mahalo.

 

[TurboJohn]

I have a couple of powermasters, do you need the whole cover or just the seal?