I Want To Convert My Brakes To Vaccum

[moose]

Can I use a regular 3.8 regal master cyl.& Booster on my GN? What will I have to change? Will my brake pedal & linkage work? Or will I also need those from a regal with vaccum brakes? I already know I'll have to change the vaccum block, someone told me I could use a TTA vaccum block, Are there any other way's to hook up the vaccum? Has anyone else here done this? If so, How well does it work?

Thank's

 

[larry33kc]

Well I haven't done mine yet but I have all the parts.

I am not sure which is the best but I used one from a Monte SS ( bought new)

the pedal does need to be changed for the rod to hook up right, use a reg Regal with vac. brakes

you can buy the new vac setup for a TTA which is what I have but there are billet blocks from different venders they look cool.

That is all I know except I think that REDREGAL has everything in a kit you might want to do a search for it HTH

 

[blackbird]

i bought a set from redregalt and it came with a master cylinder from a monte and a non powermaster pedal. it seems the pedals are a bit different. it was a pain in the a$$ to put the pedal in cause its such a tight place and you haveta work upside down but i think it was worth it cause now i have reliable brakes and it didnt cost me 600 bucks like last time the power master went out. good luck.

 

[Geoff87]

!!!Be sure to vacuum check the booster (make sure it holds vacuum), BEFORE installation!!!

Take out the front seat, unless you are very skinny, or are a contortionist. I am neither.

You can take out the whole pedal and bracket together, rather than just the pedal, it make the job much easier. Just one or two(?can't remember?) more nut(s) (in addition to the four on the firewall), to remove the entire bracket.

I use the billet block with the vacuum port for brakes from Kirban. However, tapping into the PVC with a tee works (coming up from the passenger side manifold floor), although I'm not sure of any long term effects if any, that this may have.

 

[2QWIK4U]

Mine came from a 3.8 Regal,have to get pedal also.The lines will mount up fine,may have to bend just a little.The only place I found to get vacuum was to tee into the pcv line until I get a TTA block.I have mixed feelings about the swap,don't seem to hold well when building boost and not to good right off boost.Ex:I hit the throttle hard right after doing swap to pass a car then had to get on brakes hard right after boosting up and pedal was really hard I got a check valve from the dealer for a TTA booster and it seems to help somewhat.This valve may be the same for a normally aspirated engine not sure,I just figured the TTA would be the way to go since I was buying one.

 

[denn454]

why do you want to do that?

mine came with vaccum brakes and i absolutely hate them. i know some work really good on the street, mine don't for some reason, i think the vaccume booster thing is too big, but its ok on the street, scarry at times though.

at the track its a whole nother story. usualy what you want to do is pre-stage, bring up ~1 pound of boost and creep forward into the stage light. if you try that with vaccume brakes do you know what will happen? they are called vaccum brakes, not boost brakes. under boost you have one shot, thats it. i'd like to either go back to a powermaster, or find a steering pump type on the 84 gn's.

i'd STRONGLY advise aginst switching. if you really want to switch let me know, i'd trade you any day

 

[zam70]

I Love my Vacuum brakes! Better feel then the PM and you don't have to worry about them failing with no warning. I used the booster, pedal and master cylinder off of a V8 G-body .
It's easiest to pull the whole pedal - bracket and all, to install.
the lines hook right up with a little minor rebending (with your hand). If you bench bleed the master cylinder, you don't have to rebleed the whole system. Took me about 40 minuted to do the entire swap.
I also use the aluminum vacuum block to get my hook up for the booster.

Don't know about any problems with building boost...I get plenty at the track.

 

[moose]

Does anyone have a link I could go to to look into buying a complete kit?

 

[DonnieShort]

Originally posted by denn454
why do you want to do that?

mine came with vaccum brakes and i absolutely hate them. i know some work really good on the street, mine don't for some reason, i think the vaccume booster thing is too big, but its ok on the street, scarry at times though.

at the track its a whole nother story. usualy what you want to do is pre-stage, bring up ~1 pound of boost and creep forward into the stage light. if you try that with vaccume brakes do you know what will happen? they are called vaccum brakes, not boost brakes. under boost you have one shot, thats it. i'd like to either go back to a powermaster, or find a steering pump type on the 84 gn's.

i'd STRONGLY advise aginst switching. if you really want to switch let me know, i'd trade you any day

If they are set up correctly, there will be no problems. Remember, the good General put them in the 89 TTA, same motor.

At the track I can hold and launch with 15psi all day long. Switching to vacuum brakes is one of the top 5 things I've done to my car. I would never go back to the powerdisaster set up.

I got my conversion kit from Red Regal T ( John DiCarlo ), search the For Sale section. Excellent kit and very reasonably priced.

 

[moose]

Thanks, I'll find it if its out there.

 

[moose]

Haven't found RED REGAL T yet?

 

[86gn]

http://www.turbobuick.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=16442&highlight=brakes

 

[moose]

My threads dont seem to be going through on the for sale catagory, Would someone please try to see if their thread will go in and tell RED REGAL T to email me at palespirit@hotmail.com? I want to buy one of his vaccum brake kits and try it.

Thank's

 

[denn454]

mine definatly are not what they should be. what is the diameter and depth of your guy's boosters?

any sugestions to mine? its really bad. i do have all new brake pads and shoes, everything on that end is up to par, no vaccum leakes anywhere just no power.

 

[zam70]

My booster is pretty small...maybe 8 - 9 " around or so...what did yours come off of? maybe you've got a wrong part.

 

[denn454]

it was on the car when i got it. its probably 8 inches around, give or take. but about 4-5 inches deep, i'll go out and check out monte and see if its the same.

could that cause them to work really bad, or something else?
open to any ideas, i am putting a vaccum pump on soon, as soon as i can find one that works

 

[moose]

You know, It really helps just to check for leaks on a brake system and then check your fluid reservoir on the pump side!! My brakes are working fine now.

 

[bwallace]

Vaccum conversion was probably the best thing I ever did to my GN. I went round and round about replacing the powermaster due to intermittent problems and fear I wouldn't be able to hold any boost on the line. When the PM finally went out (at the end of the track of course) I went to vaccum and never looked back. I haven't had any issues with loosing vaccum and use the Kirban vaccum block. Also make sure you bench bleed the MC or an water or dirt left in the MC will end up in your brake lines. I used about 3 quarts of fluid cleaning the MC and was surprised how much dirt was in there.

 

[moose]

Just wandered if you were able to still use your brake warning light? Or did you just not worry with making it work? I would like for mine to work if I convert so I will know if the brake fluid level get's low.

 

[Russell Stover]

yes the light still works and by the way I love my vacuum brakes also