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Brake pedal is very hard

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BUICKGNX

New Member
Joined
Jan 6, 2004
Messages
182
Hi guys!!!:)
Happy New year to all Gn/ TType owners.
I have an issue that i need help with. A few days ago my 87 gn needed the battery boosted. The battery is fairly new but needed a boost due to car sitting. I rolled it out of the garage and boosted the car. Car turned over..no problems. I let the car idle for about 30 minutes to lube the motor. Everything works great.
Until i decided to put the car back into the garage, i applied the brake pedal to put the car into drive to park it and noticed my brake light came on. It stays on and also noticed that the brake pedal became very hard. I turned off the car, pumped the brake 10 - 15 times. (was hard cause brakes are hard) and opened the lid for the brake reservoir to maybe let air out. Some air came out but light was still on and brakes are still hard as a rock. There is no noise to the pump when car started. Brakes are useless. The accumulator was changed 10years ago when car had 21,000 miles. It now has 33,000 miles. Pressure switch was changed around same time under recall. What do i do. Could it be the accumulator. Fuse is good!!!! Please help!!:mad:
 
Go to Autzone and buy a new reman powermaster,had same problem about 2yrs ago,why change parts that cost just as much as reman unit ,you get new acc and presure switch with the unit
Ed
 
Sounds like the accumulator. They go bad over time typically.

I just had the same problem, only mine was blowing fuses. I'm int he process of replacing the whole powermaster unit now. I'm delayed while trying to find new fittings, since I mangled them up trying to get them out.

Best bet is to replace the whole unit. Not a hard task. Just take your time with it, and make sure you do it correctly. You can get a reman unit at Advance Auto or AutoZone for around $200 bucks, with a $50-60 dollar core return. (Final cost around $170ish).

The only thing thats reman on them is the master cylinder. They cant reman the E-H pump, so its usually new, as well as the accumulator bowl and the pressure switch. The accumulator bowl is a welded solid unit, thats nitrogen charged. Can only be new stuff.
 
Guys,
Thanks for your replies. I like to try and keep the car original with gm parts. Do you think its the accumulator????if so, how do i change it?
Please let me know
Thanks Buick Pals:D
 
Stay pure in your favorite Sports team...the reman product mentioned above is rebuilt GM pieces that come all together at a fraction of the price GM wants for absolutely ANY of their pieces. Don't throw your $$$ away! GM will sell you whatever you need for ginormous $$$ and give you what kind of warranty??? Autozone replaces the entire unit and carries a lifetime warranty. Get it while you can dude and make a decision between silicone or real and stay pure to that :D
HTH
Jim
 
Hey Bruce,
What do you mean that i have a PM??
Its an 87 gn with the original power master assembly. Could it be the accumulator. If changed, will the pedal be normal? Will the power motor work?
Please let me know.
Thanks pal:D
 
Originally posted by BUICKGNX
Hey Bruce,
What do you mean that i have a PM??
Its an 87 gn with the original power master assembly. Could it be the accumulator. If changed, will the pedal be normal? Will the power motor work?
Please let me know.
Thanks pal:D

I think Bruce means Private Message (most people call them a PM for short):)
 
Thanks for your input. I really appreciate it guys!
I will try first changing the accumulator. What are the chances of being the accumulator and/or thepressure switch. Will the motor of the brake system work if i change either part?
Please let me know
Thanks Guys!
You have been a great help:)
 
If I were you I'd get a remanufactured powermaster unit from Autozone (PN 52-9702). The total cost will be around $143 (if you return the old unit) and you get a lifetime warranty on everything including the accumulator.

The accumulator by itself costs about $100 and you don't get a lifetime warranty.

The accumulator is plug and play, just loosen the nut on it but make sure you pump your brakes to depressurize the system. Make sure you diagnose your problem correctly (at gnttype.org) so you don't end up wasting money on stuff you don't need.
 
I would replace the whole unit as well. Because it seems like when one component goes bad on these systems, and you replace it, it somehow affected something else, and something else acts up.

My personal advice, be careful removing lines from the master cylinder if they havent been removed in a long time. Thats the only reason a couple hour job turned into a 4 day nightmare for me. Replacing lines, and trying to get bleeder screws loose in the calipers when bleeding the system. Had to replace one, and broke the passenger side off, requiring a caliper replacment. What a pain in the anus it became.
 
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