All about powermaster

[11secondgs]

Can you guys give me the skinny on the powermasters. I have a car that should rip this summer and the last thing I want to do is have my brakes fail. The powermaster unit is completely stock, and the car has been sitting for 3 years. This is my first GN and I feel the powermaster may be ripe to fall. I have heard about the hard pedal guys get.

What is the best option? Do I rebuild the powermaster? Do I go to the vacuum setup? Something new I don't know about? Do I use it till it pukes?

Thanks guys

 

[mikestertwo]

I would wait for it to fail and then convert to vacuum. I did, and never looked back.

 

[11secondgs]

what will be the early symptoms of starting to fail?

 

[GNocide]

signs of failure

1 )all black accumulater ball-ist design
2)brake switch that isnt grey or hasnt went through the factory recall

this is the biggest one
3) never changing or flushing the brake fluid and master cyclinder and expecting nothing to fail ever no matter how old or dark/dirty

brakes getting hard
going to the floor
brake light comming on when you hit the brakes

 

[11secondgs]

signs of failure

1 )all black accumulater ball-ist design
2)brake switch that isnt grey or hasnt went through the factory recall

Where is the brake switch located and tell me more about the black accumulater ball. This is all new to me.

thanks

 

[GNocide]

the switch is located right behind the brake res on top with plug going into it.
the accum bal is 1 of 3 designs

1st gen all black
2nd gen yellow round writing on the ball
3rd design-what you get at advance auto now if you buy a lifetime warrenty for around $377-sort of oblong hard to explain

the first gens bladder if you cut one open has a rubber diafram that will eventually bubble like a weak side wall in a tire and pop

the second and third have a reinforcement in them(metal center) like a fp/reg that keeps the pressure off the very center to prevent ruptures.