How many of you are tired of the Powermaster and have made the switch over to vacuum brakes? I am curious as to the percentage. I have a conversion kit sitting here and I can't make up my mind. Been through the hard pedal BS. I have the parts to fix it, but I hate the unreliability factor.
Vacuum Brake Poll
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jretrodude
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me
two weeks ago i love em!!!!
two weeks ago i love em!!!!
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vaccum and loving it
BlackMetal
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Happy with powermaster right now...no problems...but I drive it maybe once a week and am only at 37k miles, so I'm sure problems will arise at some point.
Powermaster
I voted for sticking with the PM because it was the closest option to my thoughts.
Personally, I prefer the PM as I feel it is superior to vaccum. I will stick with it until it is no longer practical to keep it. As in the parts are either no longer available or so rediculously expensive I can't afford it.
Then I'm switching to hydroboost. No vaccum for me.
JMHO
I voted for sticking with the PM because it was the closest option to my thoughts.
Personally, I prefer the PM as I feel it is superior to vaccum. I will stick with it until it is no longer practical to keep it. As in the parts are either no longer available or so rediculously expensive I can't afford it.
Then I'm switching to hydroboost. No vaccum for me.
JMHO
SVORay said:
I think it's inevitable that a braking system that has that many electrical and hydralic components will eventually be a problem. The Powermaster is a great working unit when GM supported it and the parts were available and inexpensive. As soon as you have to pay for obsolete brake parts, that is when it gets stupid. A relatively inexpensive vacuum conversion can be had from your local bone yard or from vendors like GBodyParts or Red ( for those that like a kit). I have all the parts to fix my Powermaster, but the cost of the parts were unjustified in my opinion. If I ever sell my car I can give the new owner a box with the Powermaster parts in it. I think I will make the conversion and see if I like it. If not, then I can put it back in.
Keep voting guys.
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I've had my vacuum conversion on over a year and a half now, I kep the PM in a box, but it's not going back on the car. I had previously replaced the pressure switch twice and the accumulator ball once. When I pulled it off, i found one of the lower hoses had been leaking too... all over my firewall. Thankfully it had only damaged the paint and not started eating away at the metal.
I got the brake pedal from a junk yard for $5, bought a new master cylinder/booster assembly from Bumper to Bumper for $120, and never looked back.
I got the brake pedal from a junk yard for $5, bought a new master cylinder/booster assembly from Bumper to Bumper for $120, and never looked back.
Well I got a very sick gear box but once that is fixed, I'm doing a vaccum swap.
PM sux dingalingGary Wells
White turbo Buick trailer park trash
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Robert: For purposes of this thread, I think that a very low mileage car such as yours shows better with the stupid looking powermaster. I think that if a car had over 70K miles on it I would consider changing over to something else. I am planning on seeing what goes on over the upcoming years regarding parts availability and prices. In the meantime, here's the gameplan;
about 2 years ago, I bought kirban's last complete brand new in the box powermaster, like $850 or $900 to my door. And about 1 year ago, I picked up 2 brand new in the box powermaster accumulator bowls and 2 brake pressure switches in various purchases. I guess we will see if it was a good move or not. My car is just under 20K right now.
about 2 years ago, I bought kirban's last complete brand new in the box powermaster, like $850 or $900 to my door. And about 1 year ago, I picked up 2 brand new in the box powermaster accumulator bowls and 2 brake pressure switches in various purchases. I guess we will see if it was a good move or not. My car is just under 20K right now.
Gary
I am always open to your suggestions. I guess I will have to think about this awhile. Don't forget, the conversion is not irreversible. This time it looks like my Powermaster motor is toast. I have an extra accumulator ball and several switches. I may try to get an NOS motor somehow. As long as I don't need a mortgage to pay for it. If I do go with the vacuum setup, I have all new parts and will probably do something like zinc plate or powdercoat the booster. It will look good after I am done. Just not stock. As far as the poll reveals, there doesn't seem to be many disatisfied vacuum users out there. I have also thrown the idea of the new hydraboost kit around too.
http://www.hydratechbraking.com/products/a_g_body/
Looks like a clean install.
I am always open to your suggestions. I guess I will have to think about this awhile. Don't forget, the conversion is not irreversible. This time it looks like my Powermaster motor is toast. I have an extra accumulator ball and several switches. I may try to get an NOS motor somehow. As long as I don't need a mortgage to pay for it. If I do go with the vacuum setup, I have all new parts and will probably do something like zinc plate or powdercoat the booster. It will look good after I am done. Just not stock. As far as the poll reveals, there doesn't seem to be many disatisfied vacuum users out there. I have also thrown the idea of the new hydraboost kit around too.
http://www.hydratechbraking.com/products/a_g_body/
Looks like a clean install.
Go vacuum. If people complain about the vacuum not working its not the vacuum part. Something in your system isnt working right. I have no problems at all holding boost, locking up the tires, or just stopping in general. I have the vacuum kit from gbodyparts and s10 wheel cylinders.
Jason
Jason
Gary Wells
White turbo Buick trailer park trash
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Robert:
I am not questioning your judgement. Your decisions have always been sound. There is at least 1 place down here in So Cal that rebuilds the pm complete for about $ 500 or so. I can find their name if you need it. I am sure that you will be happy with converting over to vacuum. If you sold your car to me, you could avoid all of this unnecessary stress. J/K, Robert, but it is such a beautiful car, and almost a twin to mine. Mine's slower, but I have done some suspension modifications to mine. And Ic an't even imagine selling mine. Good luck.
I am not questioning your judgement. Your decisions have always been sound. There is at least 1 place down here in So Cal that rebuilds the pm complete for about $ 500 or so. I can find their name if you need it. I am sure that you will be happy with converting over to vacuum. If you sold your car to me, you could avoid all of this unnecessary stress. J/K, Robert, but it is such a beautiful car, and almost a twin to mine. Mine's slower, but I have done some suspension modifications to mine. And Ic an't even imagine selling mine. Good luck.
I went vac about a month ago....happy so far. I need the S-10 cylinders though. I had a problem with the motor on my PM running non-stop, no blown fuses though. Tried a known good accumulator, but the problem persisted. Wasn't going to waste money buying and trying... Once I test all the seperate pieces of my PM on a friends car I'll sell them off to pay for more suspension stuff. 
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