Sorry, but I am not much of a wrencher, but am willing to learn. Does a brake booster go bad all of a sudden, or over time? Thanks for any help at all!

 

I believe it can do both. On my 89, the brakes were always really firm. Then one day the booster went. Put in a new booster and the brakes were easier to press than before. Then I noticed my master cylinder leaking at the back and trash developing at the front reservoir.

Which I think that has to do with me pressing the brakes further in now since I've got better assist compared to the rock hard brakes from the OEM booster.

I'll need to replace the master in short order so it doesn't ruin the new booster.

 

Thanks for the reply. The reason that I am asking is - I had a post a few weeks ago about my brakes developing a squeel right before our 20th anniversary trip. We wanted to take the vette up the coast to Bar Harbor, MN. I called the local Chevy Dealership because I was working every day until we were leaving, and didn't have the time (with my skill level) to diagnose and fix them. I called the dealership on Monday, and the service manager told me to bring it in on Thursday because his "vette guy" would be able to work on it that day. I let him know that we were leaving town on Sunday for a 11 hour trip. I dropped off the car at 7:30 AM on Thursday, then called them at 4:30 to see where they were with it. The guy on the phone said it wasn't ready yet, and I asked what the hold up was, he said waiting on parts. I again told them I needed it done on Friday so we could leave town. On Friday I called them at 2:30, and was told it wouldn't be done, still waiting on parts. I asked what parts, and they told me they couldn't find guage cluster light bulbs for my dash, and they hadn't touched the brakes at all. I hadn't asked them to fix my dash cluster lights (two out on speedo side, but I had check with the parts department about ordering them. I raised a little static about the brakes, and the service manager called back. He apologized aobut the brakes, and said they had two really bad days. I told him that really wasn't my concern, but not having my vette back was. He said that he thought it was a Emergency brake problem, and that he thought they could fix it quickly and get me on my way. He called back at 3:30 and said I needed back brakes and that he was already turning my rotors! I picked it up at 5:30 and the brakes worked OK, I was still burning about the whole deal, and getting a brake job that I probably didn't need. When I got home I noticed my front right headlight was out. I started the job of replacing it, but immediately found that the light was unplugged at the connection right by the underhood light connection. I snapped it back together and "tada" it was fine. It did "snap" back together, so it seemed strange that it would come apart by itself. Anyway, the dealership to my house it 2-3 miles. The next time I drove it was on Sunday as we left for Maine. We didn't go 5 miles and the brakes got very weak. The pedal was hard to push, and you could hear the vacuum leak every time you pushed down on the pedal. I drove it this was from Delaware to Boston, and we got a hotel room. The next morning I took it to another Chevy Dealership, left it for them to fix, and rented a car and went on my way. $1,100 later, the brake booster was fixed and we picked up the vette on the way home. Driving through NY was much easier with good brakes! I guess what I am asking is, with the headlight being un-plugged and the brake booster suddenly going bad, could this have been a mechanic that was upset by the last minute work that probably got him off work late on a Friday night? I'm not saying it was, but with both things happening it seems odd.
We did have a great time in Bar Harbor even though we drove a Toyota Corrolla for half of our trip.

 

Wow! $1100 to replace a booster?

 

Dang. I think you got ripped on that booster. Though, it looks like an AC Delco booster from the dealer lists for $625. I put in a rebuilt Cardone booster for $100.

I don't think the tech could have easily done something to the booster to mess it up. It pretty much is a sealed unit.

When my booster failed. I started it up one day and hit the brakes to back up. And all I got was a hisssss sound.

 

Did mine last week. $120 and less than an hour labor. For $1100, you got screwed.

 

You are right on the part price, $625 and three hours labor at $105. The rest was to check the codes on the SES light that started coming on intermittently. Go figure! Things only happen when you are on the road, or about ready to go. I'm gonna have to put some tools in her for such future concerns!
Really, one hour to do the work? Wow, it would take me that long to read the manual and mentally prepare for the job! LOL! But I run restaurants for a living, and haven't worked under the a hood since about 1985. This car will be my journey back to my past, and for the same reason I used to do it. To save a little money, and to feel closer to the car!
Thanks guyz!

 

The thing that sucks about getting parts from the dealer. Is they charge you list price on everything. Everyone else charges below list price. That is why you can get the same part from Rockauto, or say one of the forum sponsors and get below list price.

I think that one hour is really short. It took me several hours. The main hang up was the one bolt inside on the booster. As it took a while to figure out how to get to it. It wasn't fun. Then I had to spend some time adjusting the push rod.

Though for some reason after changing my booster, my cruise is messed up. I did have to adjust the cruise switch and brake light switch closer to the plate on the brake pedal. But now when I set the cruise. Instead of being nice a steady. It surges and I can feel the gas pedal go down when it surges. So, that tells me it is something with the cruise and not the engine itself surging.

 

They do this on purpose. These snap connectors don't come loose on their own. And how convenient is it that it only happens after you leave their lot. Had you returned they probably would have upsold you on a headlight assembly.

I went in for an unrelated service at a GM dealer and left their lot with my speedometer magically not working and staying at zero MPH. I called them once home and they suggested I set up an appointment to have that checked out.

Several days later I crawled under the car and found the speed sensor connector at the transmission was dangling. It had been disconnected. I reached under and snapped it back in. There is no f'n way it came loose on it's own and it was working just fine right up to the point the car went into their service bay. I had them replace an ignition module inside the distributor. They had no business being near the transmission.

That was the last time I ever went to a dealer for service. To this day I despise dealerships. Most are a bunch of dishonest scumbags.

A $625 brake booster is a ripoff. The stupid thing is only held on by 3 or 4 nuts under the dash. A swivel joint and extension gets them off easy. It took me maybe 15-20 minutes to remove it form the car. I bought a metal booster which doesnt crack or melt like the stock booster for about $90 with a lifetime warranty at an Advanced Auto store. Didn't even have to adjust the rod. Just dropped it right in. That was more than 7 years ago. I still have the same booster with no problems to this day.

But I understand that some people don't have the time or means to do things themselves.

 

I might of left it like it was and took it back just to see if they tried to sell me parts.