Powermaster motor leak

[IrvJr]

Is it possible for the motor to leak brake fliud? Thats where it seems to be coming from. Can i just change the motor an fix he prob or does the whole unit need to be replaced. Is that why my pedal slowly goes to the floor at a light? Thanks.

 

[zeus87gn]

Irv,

Sorry I didn't see your post until now.
You pedal slowly going to the floor is a sure sign of bad seals in the master cylinder. You leak at the back of the motor can happen. It's not very common, but it is possible as the pump is back there attached to the motor.

Yes, unfortunately, it would be best to replace the unit.
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.

Z

 

[IrvJr]

I have another unit, so thats not a prob. It seems to leak from the front but i guess it could be running from the back.

 

[zeus87gn]

Won't really matter once you replace it.
Let me know if you need anything else.

 

[XSboost]

My friends PM motor just stoped pumping. when I put power to the pump it clicks but no pumping?? should I just convert it to vacuum? and be semi headache free of brake issues what do you think?

 

[zeus87gn]

My friends PM motor just stoped pumping. when I put power to the pump it clicks but no pumping???

Sounds like a blown diaphragm in the accumulator ball.
Seen it a couple of times before.
If you have access to a known good acc, you can swap it out and check.
If the motor goes to pumping again, you have found your problem.

should I just convert it to vacuum? and be semi headache free of brake issues what do you think?

BLASPHEMY!! j/k
I am not in favor of the vaccum conversion.
Read any of my posts on the PowerMaster.

Changing an acc takes all of 5 minutes.
The conversion takes a number of hours.
Unfortunately, an acc costs about the same as the conversion.

 

[IrvJr]

I am not a fan of the vacuum conversion. I have heard more bad than good about it. My powermaster stops my car very well and if it just needs some upkeep to perform better i am happy to do it. Its not like any other car that needs some upkeep every 20 years or so.

 

[usetaboost]

My powermaster works great also. Had to replace the motor the day after I dropped the motor in, didn't sieze up it was leaking all over the place. I already got the nasty old brake fluid out, now I just gotta bleed the brakes out a little more, put all new brake hardware on the car so it stops without going in the other lane:biggrin:

 

[POWERBRAKEBOB]

Hydroboost Conversion

The motor filling with fluid is the number 1 reason the red light comes on, and the Powermaster starts to fail. Either the phenolic vanes wear down, or the seal leaks fluid into the windings of the motor. That's when those fuses blow, and the brakes get hard. Brake fluid has no lubricity, and the pump runs "dry". That's why they have phenolic vanes. Steel vanes would gall in the pump. Those LSC Lincolns and Supercoupes do the same thing, and we convert those to Hydroboost, also.

 

[IrvJr]

Im interested in the Hydroboost conversion, but the cost is high. Plus i have a new PM sitting here.

 

[zeus87gn]

The motor filling with fluid is the number 1 reason the red light comes on, and the Powermaster starts to fail.

Sorry Bob. I don't agree.

From my experience, the #1 reason the light comes on is because the acc fails. The pump gives out because it is trying to pump up a dying acc. The acc fails because either the fluid isn't kept in good condition or it has air in it (not properly bled). I've got a second gen acc that has been going strong without fail now for over 8yrs. I bought a new third gen acc and cross tested it against my 2nd gen acc. Pump up time was exactly the same b/w the two.

I'm not going to argue that the pump seals don't fail, because I have spoke with other TR owners that have had it happen. But the ratio of acc failures to pump/motor failures is better than 3:1.

I will agree that GM did a lousy job in designing the pump vanes. But GM didn't design the P/M (well, the regal) to last this long either.

I'm sure your experience is greater than mine, I've only been around the TR world going on 10yrs now. But I do understand fluid dynamics. It's part of my job.

Z