Powermaster support thread!

[Ross L]

I just wanted to make a post about how much I like the powermaster After 23 years mines about ready to be retired. The motor runs a second or two everytime the break is applied. I plan on replacing it with a cardone(sp) rebuilt unit. I bought it years ago at autozone with a lifetime warrenty(?). I have always been impressed by the breaking on the GN. Here's to the most under appreciated break system ever developed:biggrin:
Ross

 

[Ross L]

dang, misspelled "brake". I'm an idiot:redface: Surely there is at least one other powermaster supporter out there,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,(sound of crickets)

 

[Roc87]

Hope your "flamesuit" is on, doubt you get many fans:redface: . Mine has worked fine for 154k miles minus one replacement of the accumulator ball, but I know a few who absolutely HATE the thing.

 

[TurboDave]

Hope your "flamesuit" is on, doubt you get many fans:redface: . Mine has worked fine for 154k miles minus one replacement of the accumulator ball, but I know a few who absolutely HATE the thing.

Both of my GN's are still running their original PM's. Only maintenance required over the years has been an occasional Accumulator.

Problems that most PM's have suffered over the years are due to low/no maintenance. Most folks just didn't know what to do when the brake light started flashing it's first warnings. Letting things go terribly/expensively wrong.

PM's got a bumb wrap due to poor maintenance.

 

[craggar]

I still have the original on my 86 and it works great.

 

[IrvJr]

I like mine.

 

[jasjamz]

I "did" like mine, till the master went.

 

[DailyDrifter]

dang, misspelled "brake". I'm an idiot:redface: Surely there is at least one other powermaster supporter out there,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,(sound of crickets)

I'm one of the chirping crickets, 170xxx miles and mine is still ticking, not sure for how much longer though as the brake light will come on when I stab the pedal hard.

 

[stagemonster]

+1 love the pm

 

[86george]

I've had good luck with my pm.Only replaced the accumulator and pressure switch as recall items.Very happy with the pm so far.

 

[WLDWST]

Yeh, I loved mine too till one day it just about cost me my car and who knows what else. The kicker is that it never showed one sign of failure till that moment. The relay seized on the motor. This was on a busy freeway late at night. Ask the guy who crashed his GNX at the racetrack if he thinks the Powermaster is a great setup. When it works it works. When it doesn't it could cost you your life or someone elses. I switched over to a Hydroboost last year and haven't looked back. I would also recommend the vacuum system just because of price and it also works well.

 

[bmackinnon]

Yeh, I loved mine too till one day it just about cost me my car and who knows what else. The kicker is that it never showed one sign of failure till that moment.

I would also recommend the vacuum system just because of price and it also works well.

+1 !!! add simplicity and reliability to the vacuum 'pro's' list....

 

["Turbo-T"]

The kicker is that it never showed one sign of failure till that moment.

You know, I've been reading up on how the PM is known to have a seal go bad which allows fluid it to short out the motor which in turn blows the 30 amp fuse which in turn only gives you a few more stops of the pedal until it becomes hard as a rock to stop.

Suppose you were to relocate the fuse for the PM up to the dash, using a fuse holder and two lengths of wire to connect to the original fuse block where the PM fuse once was.

Then replace the fuse with one of those "when it blows, it glows" type fuses.

Then if the fuse blows you will see it and then know you have a few pumps of the pedal to take action.

Not a permanent solution but I think it beats you not knowing if the PM is going to work or not.

Just a thought.

 

[Blown&Injected]

I have only had to mess with mine one time about 12 years ago and the motor is now running for a couple of seconds with every touch of the brakes - can't call that a problem thing in my book.

So like the OP - the problem sounds like it is just the Accumulator Ball.

What maintenance does it need?

Like any other system - something goes wrong and it will stop working

 

[TURBOV8R]

I'm planning on replacing mine with the vac.set just for safety sake.Not too fond of the idea of loading my family into the car and wondering if this is the day it fails.One good plus to the system,if yours is still operational like mine,you can sell it and re coup some of the buying price on the vac.brakes,and still sleep at night knowing that you didn't sell off some broken death trap.

 

[Ross L]

you should probably worry more about "other" drivers when you load up and take a trip more-so than the PM failing. If the system is maintained(fresh fluids, inspect for leaks) it *seems* to be a great system, and *usually* gives warning signs. The GNX story is a sad one but sometimes things happen. Blown&injected, the PM coming on each time the brakes are applied is a sign(mines starting to do it to):frown: . Yes a vaccum system is probably more reliable with a maintained PM being 99.9 and the vaccum being 99.99 It's the "feel" of the brakes I like. Being able to bring that big heavy car down without effort. Or at least I hope it does
Ross

 

[GNVenom]

I like the powermaster simply because it's "cool". When they work, they work well. On my 86 GN, when the car was brand new, the powermaster failed, and the dealer replaced the whole unit...didn't understand the workings of it back then. They gave me the old unit, and I shelved it for years, eventually putting it on Venom, replacing only the switch (that was the problem all along). It's still there working well 14 years later. I did have to replace the accumulator at one time since it was the old design, subject to failure.

I also put one on my Spyder project which works perfectly. I guess I'm a fan of the electric alternative.

 

[GNX243]

Reliability?

Early one Sunday morning I was on my way to a car show when the brake light came one (not the first time but the only time I was moving). Pedal was like a rock. Fortunately there was no traffic so I was able to coast to the side of the road without hitting anything. After a few minutes the light went off so I proceeded and got a few more miles when the light went on again. I went home and drove my daily driver to the show with my accumulator in hand. Rich Clark was at the show and he kindly took the accumulator and tested it (it was OK). So I changed the brake switch and so far, no recurrence. One thing Rich Clark pointed out is that the brake fluid is to be changed yearly (mine was the color of Coke) and I have been doing so with DOT 3 (I understand some use DOT 4). I am running Gatorback ZR's ('95) and tire manufacturers and all auto companies except GM advise not to use tires over 6 years old because of their deterioration so now I drive down the road with one eye on the brake light and am listing for a blowout. Not a fun way to enjoy a Sunday drive. I'm glad no one else has had this problem but it only takes once.

 

[aminga]

Powermaster is different, not bad not good just different. Its achilles heel is the maintainance it requires. Clean new fluid is a must.

Mine is an not the original PM, it was replaced before the switch TSB came out. With the exception of the motor most of what goes wrong with is are the accumulator and a basic rebuild it's pretty simple to fix.

It's disappointing that GM discontinued the rebuild kit because it was a $60 fix for a multitude of ills.

 

[gnxtc2]

The problem with PM is you'll never know when it's going to fail.

When I had the PM on the car, I was getting ready to go to a race. I load the car on the trailer, then I hear the PM motor running are I shut the car down. Then I see brake fluid dripping......
I still went to the track and Cotton had a brake switch in his trailer .

Now if this failure happened on the track, who knows what would've happened.

I took off the PM and converted over to manual 4 wheel discs. Much better stopping power than the PM.

Billy T.
gnxtc2@aol.com