Still PowerMaster or converted?

[Jerryl]

How many of you still run the PowerMaster brake system, or converted?

Clarification:
If the car came stock with Hydroboost, this poll is not for you.

Edit:
For the TTA that came with vacuum brakes, this does not apply either. LOL

 

[turbo nasty]

Converted to Vac years ago. The TTA had it from the factory with the turbo engine that doesnt have enough vac to operate

 

[Jerryl]

Converted to Vac years ago. The TTA had it from the factory with the turbo engine that doesnt have enough vac to operate

LOL. Correct. Edited the original post. :tongue:

 

[cruzn57]

changed 2 of mine to vac

so glad, only the GNX is orig.
one car has a .242 duration roller cam and works just fine with vac brakes!

 

[buttonfly]

converted to hydroboost a couple of years ago......best bang for the buck imo. I had all my lines made at napa. Straight forward fab work, basic stuff I'm sure any one on this board can handle. Now the guys are just buying 84-85 stuff. I kinda like the looks of my lines better personally. Everyone is gonna have an opinion on this, but hydroboost has worked flawlessly for me. So it gets my vote

 

[Tin Man]

Coverted to vaccuum first. Fine for everyday driving. Horrible at the track.

Converted next to hydroboost from an Astrovan. Made the braided lines myself. Love the brakes. Would not go back.

 

[Jerryl]

TTT :tongue:

 

[TurboDave]

Still running the original PM's in both my GN's! So I should have been able to vote twice, but couldn't.

 

[Tom Tom Turbo]

I replaced my Powermaster with a NOS Powermaster about 7 years ago and no issues since. Knock on wood, I've not had many of the issues that most of us have.

 

[we4Mateo]

Coverted to vaccuum first. Fine for everyday driving. Horrible at the track...

I can hold 10psi on the footbrake with vacuum at the track, but yes it is good on the street too. I think inadequate checkvalves give vacuum brakes a bum wrap at the track.

 

[jasjamz]

Out of the 6 cars I am around a lot, 5 of them are going to be vacuum brake cars by spring. Three already are. The powermaster car is not driven much which is why I feel its still operational.

 

[turbo39151]

Swapped to vacuum on both cars and a few others.... Was planning on swapping to hydroboost but have been informed that it could negatively impact the power steering unit as it was not designed for this additional use... May be going back to Powermaster... Lately my vacuum brakes are more of a "suggestion" than an actual "command" to stop...

 

[blackgn1]

Went vacuum. Zero problems.

 

[750H.P.V6]

I bought a car recently that has a vacuum brake conversion and I hate it. There could be a problem with the install but what I find is that the brakes are fine just driving around but if you get into boost and then have to get on the brakes you have a hard pedal and no power assist. I've had Turbo Buicks with the stock powermaster set up for the last 20 years and haven't had a huge # of problems. I'm contemplating removing the vacuum brakes on my current car and going with a hydroboost set up.

Neal

 

[TurboDave]

I can hold 10psi on the footbrake with vacuum at the track, but yes it is good on the street too. I think inadequate checkvalves give vacuum brakes a bum wrap at the track.

10 psi on vacuum brakes??!! I'm not saying you can't but I'd fork up a 12 pack to see that. That is extremely rare.

 

[INEEDAGN]

10 psi on vacuum brakes??!! I'm not saying you can't but I'd fork up a 12 pack to see that. That is extremely rare.

Boost is relative, actual HP output is the factor. My car has vac brakes and can do 15 psi on the footbrake before the tires break loose. Somewhere in my old Turbolink files (with boost harness) I have frames of my car at 15 psi and the speed sensor reading zero. This was on a slippery oil road no less. BUT, my car runs through the original muffler. Likely making a fraction of the HP at 15psi that the drag strip warriors are making. Now you make me want to open the dump and try it again tomorrow actually trying to set the brakes up to hold good. LOL

 

[imjoesnuffy]

1985 with Factory Powermaster Footbraking can hold 16 psi.

 

[TurboDave]

Boost is relative, actual HP output is the factor. My car has vac brakes and can do 15 psi on the footbrake before the tires break loose. Somewhere in my old Turbolink files (with boost harness) I have frames of my car at 15 psi and the speed sensor reading zero. This was on a slippery oil road no less. BUT, my car runs through the original muffler. Likely making a fraction of the HP at 15psi that the drag strip warriors are making. Now you make me want to open the dump and try it again tomorrow actually trying to set the brakes up to hold good. LOL

Well, that could easilly be explained actually, now that I know you were using turbolink to monitor it instead of an actual boost gauge. Why? simply because there is a full 1.5 seconds in between each frame of data on turbolink and all data doesn't arrive in sync. It's hard to explain but in reality you could easilly have been at 15# of boost on TL, and been moving/spinning and TL still reporting 0 speed.

Try a real test, in your driveway, or out in the street, just start footbraking it and watch a your boost gauge instead of TL. I would be shocked if you could actually hold more than 3-5# on the gauge before things started happening. Most everybody I know on vacuum brakes can't even get past zero, maybe one pound before the rears break loose, and it's even worse with rear disks.

 

[TurboBuRick]

Switched to vacuum then hydroboost. Could never get enough power out of the vacuum system. The biggest problem with vacuum is the size of the booster. We are limited to smaller units. They don't give enough power assist.

 

[INEEDAGN]

Well, that could easilly be explained actually, now that I know you were using turbolink to monitor it instead of an actual boost gauge. Why? simply because there is a full 1.5 seconds in between each frame of data on turbolink and all data doesn't arrive in sync. It's hard to explain but in reality you could easilly have been at 15# of boost on TL, and been moving/spinning and TL still reporting 0 speed.

Try a real test, in your driveway, or out in the street, just start footbraking it and watch a your boost gauge instead of TL. I would be shocked if you could actually hold more than 3-5# on the gauge before things started happening. Most everybody I know on vacuum brakes can't even get past zero, maybe one pound before the rears break loose, and it's even worse with rear disks.

Well when I said frames of data i meant 2 or more frames just sitting there. And I was watching the gauge, if I feathered the throttle right I bet i could hold 13-14 psi for a long time. BUT as I stated, my car isn't making crap for power compared to others. I would actually bet someone money i can hold it above 10. If it makes any difference, my vaccuum system was all brand new GM parts when they were available, not reman or junkyard. Never had the rear brakes apart but i'm sure theres nothing special back there. 235/60 radials.

Damn now I'll have to get it on video. LOL I don't want to start a pissing contest but it is what it is.