Where To Buy Dreaded Power Master Unit???

R

ReaL99

New Member
Joined
Mar 3, 2008
I don't know who sells these anymore.It seems from my car sitting has taken its toll on the Unit.Anybody know who sells them:confused: I remember I paid about $1,000 about 10 years ago at the GM dealer.It was a brand new one.Got about 7,000 miles on it.:mad:
 
I got a GN part list from Cars, Inc. with my last order, and they show a Genuine Delco Complete Powermaster setup for $1,750 part#18030823 and they also have a Gen. Delco Reman. for $1,150 part#18030823R.

GL

Mark
 
Autozone sells the Cardone reman. units which have lifetime warranty. The price has gone up a bit recently due to low core availability, but still way less than prices above. I think they've gone up to around $300 from a low of around $100, but you should still be able to get one halfway reasonable. Only problem is that too often it is required to take advantage of that lifetime warranty.. :rolleyes: Check the price of the TR unit against that of the Buick Roadmaster/Station Wagon unit. I think the latter is cheaper, and is the same... although you might have to use your old reservoir??? Someone else here will be able to confirm. It's been awhile... I converted to vacuum long ago and won't ever have to sweat that POS again!!! :D

Edit - also.... check autozone online prices (you have to enter your ZIP), and then CALL the autozone near you. They seem to have sometimes LARGE price discrepancies between the two based on your local.... check both applications both places....
 
bmackinnon said:
Autozone sells the Cardone reman. units which have lifetime warranty. The price has gone up a bit recently due to low core availability, but still way less than prices above. I think they've gone up to around $300 from a low of around $100, but you should still be able to get one halfway reasonable. Only problem is that too often it is required to take advantage of that lifetime warranty.. :rolleyes: Check the price of the TR unit against that of the Buick Roadmaster/Station Wagon unit. I think the latter is cheaper, and is the same... although you might have to use your old reservoir??? Someone else here will be able to confirm. It's been awhile... I converted to vacuum long ago and won't ever have to sweat that POS again!!! :D

Edit - also.... check autozone online prices (you have to enter your ZIP), and then CALL the autozone near you. They seem to have sometimes LARGE price discrepancies between the two based on your local.... check both applications both places....
Click to expand...

From $1750 to $300.Man that is certainly a discrepancy.I would shell out $300 but bo way over 1 Grand.How much did it cost you to convert to vacuum??? thanks for the reply.:cool:
 
Check the price of the TR unit against that of the Buick Roadmaster/Station Wagon unit. I think the latter is cheaper, and is the same... although you might have to use your old reservoir??? Someone else here will be able to confirm. It's been awhile... I converted to vacuum long ago and won't ever have to sweat that POS again!!! :D

I don't see any parts for the 87 T-Types there.Is the Buick Roadmaster an alternative to the TR units??? Trying to find also the year of the Buick Roadmaster:confused:
 
stang837 said:
I got a GN part list from Cars, Inc. with my last order, and they show a Genuine Delco Complete Powermaster setup for $1,750 part#18030823 and they also have a Gen. Delco Reman. for $1,150 part#18030823R.

GL

Mark
Click to expand...

I just called Autozone and the guy never heard of the part.Man I hope I can get a remanufactured Unit for under $1,150.That really sucks.I bought mine brand new about 8 years ago for about $1,000.Maybe there's somebody elso out there where there cheaper.:mad: Man do parts of older cars go up and why did Buick ever put the Power Master in the darn car.:mad: Someone mentioned something about the Buick Roadmaster but I have no clue about if that matches a 86-87 Power Master unit:confused:
 
hold on... I'll find it and send you a link...... oh... and about $150 to convert to vac.... that was with NEW napa parts......
 
You should first find out what's wrong with yours, it might just be a switch or an accumulator. Don't give up so easy and look to replace the whole thing. You can also get a brand new pump for it for less than $200.00. Do some searches and you will find the parts.
 
Try the Auto Zone site with this part # 52-9702 . It's listed under "Brake Power Booster" for our cars. I installed one in 2001, still working fine...

Also try this A1/Cardone # 52-9700 . It fits `85 Buick Estate Wagon with powermaster. As stated above, you must re-use your old reservoir.

HTH - Jimmy
 
Kirban Performance Products, one of the board sponsor vendors sells a reman by Cardone for around $450 + exchange with a lifetime warranty- check there site. HTH's :)
 
You have to click on Brake Master Cylinder, then 'related parts', 'Power Brake Booster'...

AutoZone.com | Shopping | Parts | Product Detail - Brake Power Booster

This is for my zip - 35976 -
Part #52-9700, Cardone Reman. Power Brake Booster, '86 Buick Electra Estate Wagon, 5.0L 4BBL, $311.99 + $57 core = $368.99 total

and for the Regal.....
AutoZone.com | Shopping | Parts | Product Detail - Brake Power Booster

Part #52-9702, Cardone Reman. Power Brake Booster, '86 Buick Regal, 3.8 SFI Turbo OHV (VIN 7), $547.99 + $57 core = $604.99 total

Call your guy at autozone, give him the Estate Wagon part number, get that one, and swap your reservoir before you return your core.... or if it were me, I'd just keep my good core, and eat the $57....

They will probably have to order the part.... may take a few days....

Start another thread if you want to learn about the swap to vac.... or just do a 'search' on 'vacuum brakes' .... and don't believe anyone who says the vacuum brakes suck.... there is that camp that just can't accept them, but they feel/work just like any late 80's GM vac brake car.... GM put them on the Turbo TA's for a reason.... :cool:
 
jjvites said:
You should first find out what's wrong with yours, it might just be a switch or an accumulator. Don't give up so easy and look to replace the whole thing. You can also get a brand new pump for it for less than $200.00. Do some searches and you will find the parts.
Click to expand...

Strange thing is that this seemed to happen after installing a brand new battery.The brakes are working fine I just get this sound like an external fuel pump coming from the dash and it is leaking.I don't think I have 8,000 miles on this Power Master unit but the car has been sitting alot over the last 8 years.I don't know if I can drive this car because I don't know the exact problem.My Power Master before just stopped working and the brakes went stiff.this is different.i would hate to replace 1 or 2 parts and then have to replace the whole unit though.I don't know much about these Power Master units even though I have owned the car for 14 or 15 years.Thanks for the advice.:cool:
 
jjvites said:
You should first find out what's wrong with yours, it might just be a switch or an accumulator. Don't give up so easy and look to replace the whole thing. You can also get a brand new pump for it for less than $200.00. Do some searches and you will find the parts.
Click to expand...

True, true.... but if you're going to stay w/ the Powermonster, I'd recommend going ahead and buying the A1/Cardone unit anyway while you still can, so that WHEN, and I do mean WHEN, it goes tits up again, you'll have that one ready AND have a lifetime warranty that you can FORCE them to honor.....
 
yangiant51 said:
Kirban Performance Products, one of the board sponsor vendors sells a reman by Cardone for around $450 + exchange with a lifetime warranty- check there site. HTH's :)
Click to expand...

I use to live 5 minutes away from Kirban's in PA. but moved a bit north.The $450 plus exchange seems like a good deal and a lifetime guarantee is nice.I don't know if my whole unit is going bad but the car has been sitting for a while and i don't know if playing around with parts is the way to go.:cool:
 
ReaL99 said:
Man only $150 compared to $1750 for a whole new unit.:cool:
Click to expand...


Real, the reason its $1750 is that is a brand new GM one, and they stopped making them a long time ago.

But I agree that is crazy to pay that kind of money, for either one of those, plenty of ways and sources to replace or fix it for less.

I also dumped my powermaster for vac, I knew it was junk when I almost crashed my car 3 times driving it back from Chicago two years ago:mad:

Good luck fixing or getting a replacement.

Mark
 
Like someone else has already stated, find out what's wrong with your's first - *especially* if you only have 7k miles on it!! It's usually the accumulator that fails and Kirban Performance sells new ones (they're not GM, but they are a very high quality part Kirban had specially produced for the GM Powermaster unit).

do some research on this board and you'll find the testing procedures for the Powermaster - it's not difficult, and it will most likely save you $$.

Now.....having said all that ;) I just converted my '87 to vacuum and so far I'm happy with it. I kept the complete Powermaster unit, and if I decide I'm not happy with the vacuum setup, I *will* be switching back to Powermaster. :cool:

Rob
 
Go here, and start clicking on the links under 'Brake Maintenance'..... should tell ya' all ya need to know... also has info on the conversion to vac....
Brake System
Courtesty of the TR Bible... GNTTYPE.org :)
 
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