Too Vacuum or not to Vaccum that is the question?
- Thread starter gndriver
- Start date
That's still an open debate, and each way has it's advantages. I will suggest this: If you do decide on the powermaster, get a unit with a lifetime warranty. I consider them easy to install, so the occasional replacement isn't a problem for me. I picked up an AutoZone PM (Cardone), and it lasted about a year, BUT, my poor bleeding procedures could have contibuted to early failure.
This time I bought a Mighty Vac bleeder kit and all I can say is that it is AWESOME! I have never had better brakes on ANY car.
Oh and BTW, if I had to do it all again, I think I'd convert to vacuum.
This time I bought a Mighty Vac bleeder kit and all I can say is that it is AWESOME! I have never had better brakes on ANY car.
Oh and BTW, if I had to do it all again, I think I'd convert to vacuum.
Originally posted by scottyb
That's still an open debate, and each way has it's advantages.
I switched to vacuum after my PM went out and I'm very happy with the performance not to mention the peace of mind. When that little fuse blew and I had no brakes, that was it for me. The fact that when the PM fails, you have 3 maybe 4 stops left and then NOTHING seems like a very poor design to me. But, to each his own.
turbot2112
Active Member
- Joined
- Jun 12, 2001
go vacuum, no more worrys.
Just a Six??
OK! Who Farted??
- Joined
- Jul 4, 2003
I spent more money on fixing the powermaster than the cost of my vacuum set up!! This was partly my fault as i was guessing at parts sometimes but i never had a problem since the conversion!!
Just went to vacuum on my Moonroof car and like it so good that any thought of going back to a PM went out the door on the first ride. Never stoped this good with the PM(even when I thought it was working right) and now I can even hold more boost on the line with no other mods. I had done everything to my PM, rebuild it, new accumulator ball, different pumps, bleeding the lines, ect. It never worked to great to me.
If you do install vacuum brakes make sure you use the inline vapor trap and use a vacuum pump to check the "check valve" on the booster to ensure proper operation.
In short, just like U1ARUNIT said, "Do it"!
If you do install vacuum brakes make sure you use the inline vapor trap and use a vacuum pump to check the "check valve" on the booster to ensure proper operation.
In short, just like U1ARUNIT said, "Do it"!
To be 100% honest, I'm not totally sure why......but.....
The first GN listed in my sig. come with vacuum brakes already installed by the previous owner and it had the vapor trap installed inline on it. When I replaced the vacuum lines on the car I did away with it. 3 months later I had to replace the booster. After that I reinstalled it and haven't had any trouble from it since 92. When I did the conversion on my Moonroof car I used the one from the donor car that I got the booster/mc/ and peddle off of.
I also noticed that GM installed it inline on almost every car they sold from 82 up that has vac. brakes has one installed. For some reason x amount of gas vapor or something must make it's way to the booster. I also think the inline check valve that GM used on the TTA is a good idea, the ones that are factory in the vacuum boosters aren't much although I personally haven't had any trouble with them. Those are a little harder to come by since they aren't on any other vehicle I've messed with, but you can still order them.
I guess you could not use either one, but since those traps are on most(maybe all) the doner cars.....why not? In fact, they actually look like big check valves.......
Sorry.....sometimes I ramble.......
The first GN listed in my sig. come with vacuum brakes already installed by the previous owner and it had the vapor trap installed inline on it. When I replaced the vacuum lines on the car I did away with it. 3 months later I had to replace the booster. After that I reinstalled it and haven't had any trouble from it since 92. When I did the conversion on my Moonroof car I used the one from the donor car that I got the booster/mc/ and peddle off of.
I also noticed that GM installed it inline on almost every car they sold from 82 up that has vac. brakes has one installed. For some reason x amount of gas vapor or something must make it's way to the booster. I also think the inline check valve that GM used on the TTA is a good idea, the ones that are factory in the vacuum boosters aren't much although I personally haven't had any trouble with them. Those are a little harder to come by since they aren't on any other vehicle I've messed with, but you can still order them.
I guess you could not use either one, but since those traps are on most(maybe all) the doner cars.....why not? In fact, they actually look like big check valves.......
Sorry.....sometimes I ramble.......
TR Custom Parts
Mark Hueffman - Owner
- Joined
- May 25, 2001
Vaccum sucks and that is a good thing! Converted my GN at 10,000 miles and haven't looked back. One less thing to worry about when driving.
Converted my GN at 10,000 miles and haven't looked back. One less thing to worry about when driving.Just my opinion--the Powermaster has two advantages: 1) originality. If that's important, stick with it. 2) brakes under boost. If you foot-brake at the strip and have to creep into the lights while trying to build boost, your vacuum brakes will run out vacuum. But that's just a technique for staging. You'll have to do it different.
My Powermaster failed the first month I owned the car (Jun1996). When I discovered they could fail in so many ways (the motor, the pump, the accumulator, and the pressure switch, not to mention the normal-type master cylinder failures) I gave up and put vacuum brakes in it. Never had a failure since.
Keith
My Powermaster failed the first month I owned the car (Jun1996). When I discovered they could fail in so many ways (the motor, the pump, the accumulator, and the pressure switch, not to mention the normal-type master cylinder failures) I gave up and put vacuum brakes in it. Never had a failure since.
Keith
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