Vacuum Brake Issues

[NorEaster]

All,

I installed vacuum brakes last year and all has been well. Today when driving back from work, the peddle felt weird and the brake light came on. I was able to stop the car, but the brakes felt week. I check fluid and it was fine.

What else should I be looking for?

A quick search suggested the proportioning valve.

Any suggestions are welcome.

 

[Nick Micale]

I would expect a woman to bring a car in my shop and say "the peddle felt weird and the brake light came on. I was able to stop the car, but the brakes felt week", but that is hard to answer with a keyboard?

The last thing I would suspect is a bad prop valve as I have never seen one with a problem?

It is really simple, either you do not have power assist from the booster, or the master cylinder has an issue?

 

[NorEaster]

I would expect a woman to bring a car in my shop and say "the peddle felt weird and the brake light came on. I was able to stop the car, but the brakes felt week", but that is hard to answer with a keyboard?

The last thing I would suspect is a bad prop valve as I have never seen one with a problem?

It is really simple, either you do not have power assist from the booster, or the master cylinder has an issue?

Thanks for your kind answer....I would expect a "staff member" to not be so condescending

From my experience, a bad booster would not throw a light, nor will a bad master cylinder.

 

[Nick Micale]

................From my experience, a bad booster would not throw a light, nor will a bad master cylinder.

You are correct, the booster will not cause a brake light to come on, but a master could throw a light.

How firm is the pedal, and how far from the floor at full apply?

 

[NorEaster]

You are correct, the booster will not cause a brake light to come on, but a master could throw a light.

How firm is the pedal, and how far from the floor at full apply?

Not as firm as it was before this issue, and about 1/2 way down.

 

[Nick Micale]

I would bleed the system, and drive the car for a short time.

If the pedal goes lower or is feeling mushy, I would change the master cylinder if no caliper or wheel cylinder is leaking.

 

[Chuck Leeper]

Thanks for your kind answer....I would expect a "staff member" to not be so condescending

Give the old guy some slack....His grandkids ate all the Snickers, and he used his last Viagra pill in the tank of his race car. Kinda like the Fiat ad!

 

[TexasT]

While sitting at a light does the pedal "fall"? Do you need to pump the pedal to get braking action? What m/c are you using? Reman, New, used? Does it feel like it has power assist or the pedal just real "hard"?

Sent from my HTC PH39100 using Tapatalk

 

[NorEaster]

While sitting at a light does the pedal "fall"? Do you need to pump the pedal to get braking action? What m/c are you using? Reman, New, used? Does it feel like it has power assist or the pedal just real "hard"?

Sent from my HTC PH39100 using Tapatalk

pedal does not fall and I dont have to pump them. Pressure that I need to apply seem normal, just brakes feel weak. I am using a cardon reman, maybe 5000 miles on it.

 

[whitehot1]

pedal does not fall and I dont have to pump them. Pressure that I need to apply seem normal, just brakes feel weak. I am using a cardon reman, maybe 5000 miles on it.

Does your master cylinder have a warranty on it? If so i would take it back and get another one. More than likely that is the problem. But not being there to see it's only a guess. How are the wheel cylinders,brake shoes,brake pads when was the last time they were inspected? I have never seen a problem with a proportioning valve either.

Autozone is where i bought my vacuum brake booster and master cylinder with a lifetime warranty on both and cost was if i remember correctly around $140.00. The price difference between a new or reman master cylinder is only $3.00

As cheap as parts are for the vacuum brake system,there is no reason to buy other than new.