porshapower

My 88 has a cracked brake booster and leaking vacuum air through it making it run rough and really difficult to stop the car. Will I have to bleed the brakes if I can manage to pull the master cylinder off the booster without touching the lines? Do they have a metal replacement for the booster? Sounds crazy to have one of these made out of plastic! Thanks in advance. Nel

JackDidley

Leave the master hanging and you will not need to bleed. Take the seat out for working room. Use a 1/4" drive ratchet, extensions and a universal or swivel and the job is not bad to do. Unless you are a big guy.

ddahlgren

If you are young with good eyesight and canget bent up like a pretzel or carnival contorsionist it will be a breeze. If not swend the wife and kids out as the language is not going to be pretty..LOL.

Black89Z51

Use grease in the socket to hold the nuts when you are removing and taking out the booster. And as mentioned, take the driver's seat out and lay upside down in the floor.

porshapower

I used to be young..never really had good eyesight but the hearing made up for that...which in this case wont help me out much! I will take my time and take all your pointers and see if I can make a go of this...any metal boosters on the market or are they all plastic? Thanks again. Nel

SurfnSun

an air ratchet is your friend on that job, it will only take a handful of minutes.

Black89Z51

Metal boosters are typically $100 cheaper than the plastic ones. I've got a metal one in my car. Make sure to paint it though, and prior to painting you're going to have to clean the crap out of it. Whatever they use to clean them won't allow paint to stick at all.

porshapower

Thanks guys! I figured the metal ones would be more money...maybe Ill stick with plastic...who knows the plastic one in my car could be the original which isnt bad for a 24 year old car!

ddahlgren

What brand is 'they''. What I suspect the spacer is for is the I think starting in '90 GM mounted the ecm in the engine bay to a bracket that goes between the booster and firewall. It is 1/4 inch thick. This requires a pedal rod 1/4 inch longer than an 89 and back booster. They must be putting in a 90 and up pedal rod in all of them and providing a shim for use in 89 and back. I tried to get a rebuilt booster for my 91 and tried 3 times Cardone thinks they are all the same I kept getting 89 and back boosters. The pedal rod being 1/4 shorter put the foot pedal halfway to the floor to begin with not good. Finally had mine rebuilt and better but still not what I was hoping for. I would be curious about where you bought the one with the spacer and brand. If it somehow violates advertizer rules here please PM me to discuss.
Dave