NO BRAKES!!!

[JAWS89GTU]

I have done a COMPLETE all around brake job including all new hoses and lines and master cylinder... when i started the car i had nothing.. went right to the floor all i heard was a swoosh sound from the brake pedal..i bled the brakes twice and its all fluid that came out no air.. can anyone throw me some pointers on what this may sound like, beofre i take apart the brake booster tomorrow... Thank you..

[Chad91GTZ]

Sounds like a bad booster mang.

[JAWS89GTU]

something was telling to me change that out too since i done everything else.. heck the car has 275k miles...

[Barry]

The only way a booster would cause this is if something physically broke. Sounds like you have air in the lines or there is something else wrong.

Does it change if you pump it?

[JAWS89GTU]

i was pumping them with the key in the on position, when i had it started i noticed it goes right to the floor, when i bled them all 4 were good, there was no air in the lines.. im baffled at this...

[Chad91GTZ]

20 year old car, the diaphragm inside the booster, or one of the seals could have crapped out. Would cause what you're describing if you're sure there's no air in the line.

[JAWS89GTU]

i just checked a reman booster is about $100...ill check it out tommorow but i might just go ahead and buy one anyways..

[3X00-Modified]

When boosters go bad you get MANUAL brakes they dont work BETTER and make the pedal go to the floor... We discussed this with another car on here that had no pedal when the car was running but firm when not running... Everyone said booster but thats NOT how they fail. The boosters also have nothing to do with air in the brake system, its a straight shot rod that is ASSISTED when provided with VAC from the engine.

You need to re-check your bleed and ensure that you have it done properly. What year is this car? does it have ABS or no?

[Chad91GTZ]

Jon of course you are correct that the typical symptom of booster failure is a seized brake pedal. But over the course of working on these junkers, I've replaced two boosters in a series of repairs that seemed to correct a gremlin type issue like this.

It's usually the master cylinder or ABS manifold but he said he checked everything else.

[3X00-Modified]

Well seeing he had no symptoms of a bad booster before this brake job, then all issues point to the job he just completed. Thats more than a typical symptom of a bad booster, thats how they fail... There isn't much to a booster other than one or 2 vac chambers that apply assisted pressure to the brake master cylinder. Thats it... they are very simple.

But seeing how we had this whole argument in speedy's thread then I'm just going to bow out now because I'm not going through it again. He also stated he had checked everything.

[Chad91GTZ]

You're right Jon. Probably need to power bleed the system then, there has to be air in the lines. You did say you replaced entire lines right? As I recall when I changed my booster I was replacing the master as well, which is probably what fixed MY issue.

[JAWS89GTU]

Yes ive changed it all..new master cylinder, pads, rotors, calipers, hoses, all new lines(front to back), hardware, shoes, drums, wheel cylinders, e brake cables... ive bled it twice yesterday, and out of all 4 i got good brake fluid..

[Chad91GTZ]

It has to be sucking air into it from someplace then, are you bleeding it alone? Can you rent a power bleeder?


I use this

http://www.jegs.com/i/Motive-Products/7 ... tId=753543

You can buy catch cans that hangs from all four corners, and don't even need to be in the car.

[3X00-Modified]

What year is this car? does it have ABS or no?

[Chad91GTZ]

I'm assuming its his 89 GTU. But you know what they say about assuming.