Power booster

[creepin_olds]

Can someone give me a write up on changing a power brake booster?

As detailed as possible please.

 

Kris

[jeremy]

moving to the brakes section

[creepin_olds]

thanks now n e one?

[creepin_olds]

uhhhh Can anyone help me?

[mihela816]

Step one. Crawl under the dash, on the drivers side and remove all panels covering the underside of the steering column.

 

Step 2. Find the cotter pin on the end of the brake pedal pushrod. Carefully remove it and put it off to the side.

 

Step 3. Go directly to the engine bay. Do not pass go. Do not collect $200. Find the brake master cylinder, and remove the 2 bolts that hold it to the booster. Gently pull it towards the front of the car, about 5 inches or so. Try not to kink the brake lines in the process. Unbolt the cruise control servo and move it off to one side. Pull the washer fluid line out of it's fitting on the firewall and move it out of the way.

 

Step 4. Remove the Brake booster vacuum line.

 

Step 5. This style of brake boster is called a "cam-lock" mount. There is a tab on the right side (passenger side) of the boster that locks into a notch on the firewall. Get a small screwdriver or prybar and pry that tab out of the way while turning the booster counter-clockwise. There is a tool designed for this purpose, It bolts to the end of the booster just like the master cylinder does, and allows you to put a wrench on it and turn it.

 

Step 6. Back under the dash, pull the brake pushrod off of the end of the brake pedal, and then slide the old booster out of the car.

 

Step 7. Put the new booster in. Make sure to put the pushrod onto the brake pedal before you lock it onto the firewall. When it locks, make sure the tab is in the firewall notch securely. Take care not to damage the plastic on the end of the booster.

 

Step 8. Put it all together and make sure It works before driving it, or we may never hear from you again.

[Crazy K]

Step 7. Put the new booster in. Make sure to put the pushrod onto the brake pedal before you lock it onto the firewall. When it locks, make sure the tab is in the firewall notch securely. Take care not to damage the plastic on the end of the booster.

 

for this install step, i found it easiest to have help. I had someone hold my booster in position while i connected the rod at the back, back onto the pedal.

Put the cotter pin back in, and then had that person pull the pedal up. This put tension on the booster and held in onto the firewall. Then i turned it into position. Check that the booster has completely locked down by having your friend apply the pedal. And make sure the lock tab snaps, or bend it into position again if necessary.

[creepin_olds]

Wow, Thanks for the information. I am going to attempt to do it on my SE when it stops raining. Thanks man!

[95oldsVan]

I remember doing that...was not that bad of a job but not fun either.

I decided to take the master cylinder off because there did not seem to be enough room to get the booster out with it in the way,even if I tried to push it to the side and remove the other stuff.Guess I didnt want to kink the lines too much.If you decide to remove it,have some rubber vacuum caps handy and cap off the lines asap.

 

I also ended up causing the brake light switch to get out of whack and had to take it out to reset the position so the lights would come on and off when the pedal is depressed.

 

This was on my 91 Lumina with the same cam locking booster.I like this style because it was easier to get it off as compared to other cars that have a few bolts that are sometimes hard to get off under the dash side.

 

[Crazy K]

good info.

 

With regards to brake line removal,

Remember to spray the line fittings with pentrant before removing. I have usede a vice grip to remove stubborn lines, rather than rounding them off.

 

When i reinstall, i coat the surfacre between the line and fitting whith anti-sieze. So next time I gotta do it, it will be easy.

[95oldsVan]

good info.

 

With regards to brake line removal,

Remember to spray the line fittings with pentrant before removing. I have usede a vice grip to remove stubborn lines, rather than rounding them off.

 

When i reinstall, i coat the surfacre between the line and fitting whith anti-sieze. So next time I gotta do it, it will be easy.

 

This is great advice...a little dab of anti seize can prevent future seizure.I love this stuff and have a bottle of permatex anti seize for all my repairs that can use it.

 

I also have a set of line wrenches so that helps alot too in preventing rounding off the line nuts on brake lines.Using regular open end wrenches can easily strip the sides,which is why alot of people will use a vice grip if a line wrench isnt available.