Time to make a brake decision

[Vendor Defendor]

My power master died (kept blowing fuses) and I couldn't figure out what was going on. Fustrated I just decided on going to a vacuum set up. So I ripped power disaster out today and was going to the junk yard tomorrow to pick up all the parts. But then I noticed what was probably the cause of the problem (see attached picture).

What I am thinking is, could that cause the system to lose pressure, the electric motor to try and compensate for the loss of pressure, but ran so much it kept popping fuses? If that is the case, maybe I will just keep the power disaster.

What would you suggest; keep the power master or go to vacuum setup? And do you think that the accumulator is my problem?

Mods, if you could leave this in general tech for the time being so this gets some more exposure I would apperciate it.

I forgot to attach the picture, so you have to go to my webshots account to look at it:

http://community.webshots.com/photo/95776453/234319476wSQCaF

 

[sweetv6]

Hi !

I vote for vacc. break. I preparing the convertion for my car.
A friend sandblasted my booster and I bought a rebuilt
master cyl. thursday. I think power master is too much expensive.

But I think if you want to keep the value of the car
stay with a pm

IMO

Claude

 

[3.8vsix]

Just my thoughts. I do not like the vaccum brake setup at all. I have both on two cars. The powermaster is much better. The vaccum has hardly no brakes compared to pm. I have replaced everything on the vaccum setup to make it better. Still the same. We replaced a powermaster with vaccum on my buddys car and it was the same as mine, it stinks. It will not even slide the tires on wet pavement. I think I am going back to the powermaster.

 

[Topjimmy]

The motor is probably faulty. My A-1/Cardone reman. unit has been fine for 5 years now. Its available at most auto parts stores. Lifetime warranty. Complete assembly includes accumulator and pressure switch. I kept my old good ball and grey switch for spares when I turned in the core.

HTH - Jimmy

 

[Vendor Defendor]

Originally posted by Vendor Defendor
Mods, if you could leave this in general tech for the time being so this gets some more exposure I would apperciate it.

I guess that plea didn't work.

 

[lost2a6]

I tried the vac. setup personally didn't care for it.
http://www.turbobuick.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=138750
I'm now in the process of tring the Hydroboost system, I'll let ya know how this works.

 

[Hawaiian Turbo]

That corroded accum. has nothing to do with your blown fuses. If that's what you were reffering to. I switched to Vac. brakes awhile ago, and althought I'll say the PM worked great..... WHEN it was working, but I'll never go back.
It's great that there's a lifetime warr. but what good will that do if your Buick is already smashed from the failed PM??

 

[Red Regal T]

POWERMASTER IS FOR RICH GUYS WHO CAN AFFORD OVERPRICED REPLACEMENT PARTS WHICH THE PM NEEDS AN UNLIMITED SUPPLY.

This email is just one of many I have received with positive feedback after changing to VACUUM BRAKES.

Subj: RE: Brake conversion
Date: 12/22/2004 9:18:28 AM Eastern Standard Time
From: Zac.Pruett@ci.austin.tx.us
To: REDREGAL1@wmconnect.com

John, after reading some of the boards I did that last night. That was the fix. I replaced the shoes and cylinders and obviously did not adjust them correctly. I was able to hold 10 lbs in the driveway. Never could get that much with the PM. Oh, and the stay-down license plate holder is one of the best mods done to my car. Thanks again John, I am sure I will be doing business with you in the future. Your 67 Riv is awesome.

Zac

 

[mygrain]

I have vaccum brakes on my daily driver T. It holds boost fine. To do a burnout or launch, I just slip it into nuetral, give it a rev then mash the pedal and it holds fine. I'll leave the PM on the GN until it starts giving me trouble, then its dumpster bound.

 

[INEEDAGN]

Kirban's is offering a credit for powermaster cores, if you are just gonna throw it away.

bob

 

[sixgun86gn]

I am going from vacuum to manual.Vacuum is definitely better than the powermaster setup.

 

[mygrain]

According to his website he pays $50 a peice for working power masters.

 

[INEEDAGN]

Oh, I didn't know they had to be working units. Good luck to him then, there aren't many working ones left!

bob

 

[Geoff87]

I voted vacuum.

I swapped after my PowerCrapster failed going downhill on an offramp while my wife was driving. This was back in '96.

Haven't looked back (or worried about the traffic ahead of me) since.

 

[HyperV6]

My powermaster failed twice on my car while driving without warning. No brake light was on or flickering until the brakes were gone. I feel lucky not to have crashed my car. I currently have a vacuum setup on my car. I love the brakes and they work great for the street. I don't drive around wondering if the brakes are going to work or not when needed. The only time I miss the powermaster is when staging my car at the track. I can't get my car to hold boost like I could with the powermaster bumping into the stage beam. I would rather give a little up in drag racing then have questionable brakes. I vote for vacuum.

Craig

 

[gofigr]

Go with Hydroboost, it works great, can hold even more boost than the powermaster. It's a simple installation, uses the powermaster petal.

 

[Red Regal T]

There was a guy on here pushing the hydra-boost a while back. He'd sell ya one for about $600. If you need his email adress, just let me know and I'll find it for ya.

 

[gofigr]

Originally posted by Red Regal T
There was a guy on here pushing the hydra-boost a while back. He'd sell ya one for about $600. If you need his email adress, just let me know and I'll find it for ya.

Or you can do like I did and go with one from Muscle Car Salvage for about $50.00 plus shipping. This came with lines, Hydroboost unit, and mastercylinder.

 

[Geoff87]

Originally posted by gofigr
can hold even more boost than the powermaster.

Just curious...... How much boost can you hold?

 

[gofigr]

I brought it up to 16lbs with no problem, and this was with my brake jumper valve off, the car didn't budge. I could get about 13lbs with the powermaster and 2-3 with the vacuum.