just plain john
El Camino a Go-Go!
- Joined
- Feb 24, 2007
89 S10 w/ manual brakes
Hydroboost or vacuum?
- Thread starter dnoel
- Start date
It all depends in what you want...... I went poor-boy hydroboost. I probably have less than $150 in my conversion. You will not (to my knowledge) find any braking system that will put more line pressure in there than the hydroboost. They are widely used on diesel trucks and big SUV's. My poor-boy setup came off a Astro Van. I bought brand new hydro-boost lines for an '85 GN.
Vacuum works, just not as good (and I used good to mean more line pressure) as hydroboost.
Vacuum works, just not as good (and I used good to mean more line pressure) as hydroboost.
TexasT
Texas, Where are you from
- Joined
- Sep 10, 2002
I don't think my hydroboost is ugly. I went with a rockauto order getting the lines, hydroboost for the '84 and a master cylinder for a Cadillac as I thought the cast one looked to "old". I got a tee and some trans line for a return and tee'd into the power steering return. I thought it was going to be easier than a vacuum conversion as I didn't want to change the pedal but as my luck goes I 'got' to take the pedal out to get the cotter pin out.
cotter pin was rusted into the pedal pin
master cylinder
hydroboost
I also bought a chicom flare wrench to get the fittings on the steering box and pump off.
best the brakes have ever worked.
TexasT
Texas, Where are you from
- Joined
- Sep 10, 2002
TexasT
Texas, Where are you from
- Joined
- Sep 10, 2002
lolo86GN said:
What did you find difficult about it? After I massaged the hard line I thought it quite straight forward. You can see in the last pic I removed the mas air, its tubing, alternator, and the a/c compressor was unbolted and pulled out of the way without disconnecting the a/c lines. If you do remove the alternator, be sure to put the brace that goes from the back of it to the head. It is important.
I didn't remove the AC Compressor and that made it way more dificult for me. Its a good thing I have skinny hands to get in there. I can see by your pics that removing both the Compressor and Alternator is definitely the way to go. All brackets were put back into there respective positions and now I just need to bleed both the Power steering lines and Brake lines. Thanks again for the help... its greatly appreciated.!!
One last thing for you... I read on here somewhere that I need to clamp the proportioning valve to get all the air out of the brake system. Did you also do that and if so where would that proportioning valve be located?
Thanks
One last thing for you... I read on here somewhere that I need to clamp the proportioning valve to get all the air out of the brake system. Did you also do that and if so where would that proportioning valve be located?
Thanks
TexasT
Texas, Where are you from
- Joined
- Sep 10, 2002
I couldn't get my hands down in there so I kept removing stuff til it fit. I have read about that proportioning valve but couldn't find it. Armed with a quart of brake fluid, I opened the pass rear and bled unit the fluid looked new. Then moved to driver rear and bled until fluid looked new. Kept topping off the master, then the two fronts in order. Mine had very old fluid.
TexasT
Texas, Where are you from
- Joined
- Sep 10, 2002
I got a big nail a couple weeks ago too- TX roadsI'm doing my vacuum conversion this weekend, does anyone have detailed pics of where I need to tie into the vacuum line? Do I need to get any vacuum check valves or anything else while I'm at it? I have the pedal, booster,master cylinder and a 5/16 tee fitting. Thanks!
eightyfivegn
New Member
- Joined
- May 18, 2012
I bought the vacuum kit from Kirban. My car is an '85. Can anyone tell me where I should pull for my vacuum source since the block they send does not work for the 85? Kirban wasn't any help when I called and asked.
Either a billet vacuum block with an extra connector or T into the PCV line...
