Thanks for the help! I can definitely say, if it wasn't for the forum. The wife would've made me sold her a long time ago! The way I see... until the engine dies, I'll keep her on the road.

 

What chevyriders said. If it were a bad hose, it would leak and make the noise all the time. If the check valve were bad, you wouldn't have heard air rush into the booster when you pulled it out. If it only makes the noise when you step on the brake, it pretty much has to be the booster.

 

Well - air rushing out of the booster should not be the case IMHO.

We apply vacuum to the booster. But then that should be easy to check.
Disconnect the hose at the booster, plug it and check for vacuum leaks (hissing).

The old plastic parts like the valves also get brittle and can break. Still not clear to me why there should be hard braking (as if no booster was present) while it has vacuum.
changing that 3.50$ part with the hose is a good idea anyways but I agree with chevyriders that it may be the booster itself.

As always with brakes my advice is to check all four brakes (calipers, cylinders) for proper function, including rotor thickness and pads. Bleed the brakes and check the master cylinder.
Easy service operation at low cost which will eliminate other problems.

 

Got the booster today. Anybody got pointers? Because if it's like taking it out.... it's gonna be a #^#&%€#^^=&#^'jsg!!

almost rather do the heater core......


almost...

 

Pull the lower covers under drivers side dash with 7mm, 3 of the bolts are painstakingly accessible with a ratchet and deep socket..I believe a 14.

Here's the issue: the upper, inner(If I remember correctly) is not. There is a and plastic piece that is part of the dash assy that is right in the way. You have 2 options:

1. Get a mid length socket.(shallow is too shallow, deep is too deep) on a low profile 1/4" drive ratchet...they exist, though may not be readily available at an auto parts store.

2. Remove the 3 other bolts, and unbolt the master cyl, and slide it forward(carefully not to kink any brakelines) get any wires and vacuum lines out of your way, and with EXTREME CAUTION use a sawzall on low speed to sneak between the booster and firewall and cut the final bolt.
This is the less preferred method.

Now. Once you have the old one out, do yourself a favor- On the new booster, cut down the problem stud a bit so it's easy to work with when you reinstall.

All and all, if you take your time- it can and will go smoothly.

 

Thanks Chev!

gonna post an updated when I get around to it

 

Got the booster swapped out. Didn't take pictures of the process, but if you picture changing a heater core, it's not far off lol...

I couldn't find a mid sized socket, and I didn't want to chance the saw all, so I did the complete job. Only thing I should've done different was take off the master brake cylinder off the booster. The new one didn't have the same size line bolt on the front. So instead of cutting the line and flaring, I just kept the old one.

but the problem is solved and all is fairly well... and it got rid of my engine light!

 

chevyriders,,I am having the same problem..My brakes were fine a couple days ago,,now,,I have to stand on the pedal to get it stopped..Sounds like a whole lot of air every time I hit the brake pedal..Are the booster being bad and the hose leaking or bad the only 2 things it could be??

 

Mine was the brake booster, got it from the scrap yard.

 

Thank you DonL