Car stops! Engine runs better too!
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 7,804
Likes: 4
From: Standing still with all my might Texas
Cruise-In X Veteran
St. Jude Donor '09-'11
Car stops! Engine runs better too!
I rebuilt or replaced every part of my brakes except the rear rotors and the metal brake lines, now my brake pedal doesn't feel mushy and the car stops in a hurry without pulling to the right!! I am very happy :D :D
Thanks to all who responded to the questions in my thread last week.
While I had the master cylinder off of it I decided to check the condition of the pushrod in the booster and found that the front seal was dried up cracked and deteriorated. Even though the booster had been working very well I thought it would be wise to replace the seal anyway. The next day I found out that this little seal is not an easy item to find :cry
After checking all of my vendor catalogue, visiting 4 or 5 parts stores, and the local chevy dealership I was able to find a place in Dallas that rebuilds brake boosters that had the seal in stock. Although I thought the price tag of $17.50 was a highway robbery for the little thing, but I had no other choice.
I can't believe what a difference that little seal made! Not in the brakes, but in my engine performance. The idle speed is slightly lower, but much smoother, the acceleration is slightly better, it seems to start quicker, and even though it didn't really have a deisling problem before it seems smoother on shut down now. :thumbs:
If any of you are having problems with a slightly rough idle or a engine "miss" that you can't figure out I would highly suggest taking a look at your brake booster seals. That was the best $17.50 I have spent on this car!
Thanks to all who responded to the questions in my thread last week.
While I had the master cylinder off of it I decided to check the condition of the pushrod in the booster and found that the front seal was dried up cracked and deteriorated. Even though the booster had been working very well I thought it would be wise to replace the seal anyway. The next day I found out that this little seal is not an easy item to find :cry
After checking all of my vendor catalogue, visiting 4 or 5 parts stores, and the local chevy dealership I was able to find a place in Dallas that rebuilds brake boosters that had the seal in stock. Although I thought the price tag of $17.50 was a highway robbery for the little thing, but I had no other choice.
I can't believe what a difference that little seal made! Not in the brakes, but in my engine performance. The idle speed is slightly lower, but much smoother, the acceleration is slightly better, it seems to start quicker, and even though it didn't really have a deisling problem before it seems smoother on shut down now. :thumbs:
If any of you are having problems with a slightly rough idle or a engine "miss" that you can't figure out I would highly suggest taking a look at your brake booster seals. That was the best $17.50 I have spent on this car!
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 7,804
Likes: 4
From: Standing still with all my might Texas
Cruise-In X Veteran
St. Jude Donor '09-'11
Re: Car stops! Engine runs better too! (SAC)
[QUOTE] :hurray:
Amazing the havoc a little vacuum leak can cause.
QUOTE]
So true. I thought that I had found all of the vacuum leaks in this thing, what with rebuilding the headlights, replacing the carb and the bubba'ed EGR valve (3 open holes direct to the manifold), and replacing almost all of the hoses.
I had disconnected and plugged the booster in the past to check for leaks, but I couldn't really tell any difference at idle and I didn't have a vacuum gauge at the time and I didn't want to drive it with the booster disconnected.
I still need to rebuild this engine due to Bubba's stupid choice of camshaft and the bad #1 wrist pin that he put back in it when he "rebuilt" it, but in the meantime it is running pretty darned well.
Kevin
Amazing the havoc a little vacuum leak can cause.
QUOTE]
So true. I thought that I had found all of the vacuum leaks in this thing, what with rebuilding the headlights, replacing the carb and the bubba'ed EGR valve (3 open holes direct to the manifold), and replacing almost all of the hoses.
I had disconnected and plugged the booster in the past to check for leaks, but I couldn't really tell any difference at idle and I didn't have a vacuum gauge at the time and I didn't want to drive it with the booster disconnected.
I still need to rebuild this engine due to Bubba's stupid choice of camshaft and the bad #1 wrist pin that he put back in it when he "rebuilt" it, but in the meantime it is running pretty darned well.
Kevin
