Thanks for reading here. This 84 Camaro received a new 350 crate motor w/ mild cam two years ago. Since then, I still have good enough baking to come to a stop BUT at even 10 mph they well not lock up the tires to a screeching stop. Wondering if the old brake booster is why. What do you think? thanks.

 

Probably not.

They're cheeeeeep and eeeeeeeezy to replace though, so you could try it.

More likely, the whole brake system is all rotted and rusted and plugged up inside. What repairs etc. have been done to it lately? Which brake system does it have?

 

thanks, this is a no rust car but now I recall when my son helped with that brake job, he pulled the master cylinder (without my ok) so maybe something went wrong there OR maybe the pads were wrong.

 

If the MC was allowed to drain down and get air into it, and then wasn't bench bled, that'll create a soft pedal that goes to the floor and doesn't do near what it should.

The MC is tipped at such an angle in these cars, and the brake lines are so far from the highest point when it's installed, that ABUNCHA air can get trapped and hang out in the MC. Once it has got air into it, it MUST be "bench bled". You can run a gallon of fluid through it by any other means imaginable - gravity bleeding, pressure bleeding, vacuum bleeding, bleeding by leeches, ... - every single day from now til Doomsday, and even 2 gallons on Sundays just for good measure, and you will still NEVER get all the air out of it. Only way to do it right and get it to work right is, take it off and "bench bleed" it.

Probably not anything to do with the pads. They're the same ones that were on ALL GM vehicles from the late 60s well up into the 80s. One good thing about that particular brake system is that, unlike many others, if it goes together and everything fits, it's almost impossible for it not to work right. Textbook excellent engineering in that regard. Rear pads, or rear drums, are a whole other matter.

What brake system does it have?

 

Front disk rear drum. So maybe I'll ask my son again why he pulled the MC those four years ago. Perhaps we replaced a rear cylinder? I have good enough pedal unless coasting at 10 mph where the pedal is still good (feeling) but just won't stop on that dime. Thinking about adding an add on canister for 50 bucks see what happens, read some here that it can make a difference. Another month to break it out of storage. Appreciate your input. P.S. Bleed the brakes twice so there still could be air in the mc.

 

Probably won't materially improve anything.

Fix the brakes. Start by bench bleeding the MC. Don't waste money on the assist system until you are POSITIVE that the brakes themselves are PERFECT.

 

Ok thanks, well try that first next month let you know how it goes. Let me know if you ever run across the delay wiper motor for the 82 83 years.

 

Yup, good idea. Don't wait a month if you're driving the car. The rest of us will appreciate you not endangering our lives and those of our loved ones.

THIMK: the assist system can fail in 1 of 3 ways:
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1. No (or too little) assist: pedal is high and very hard
2. Too much assist: hard to drive without face-planting your passengers on the windshield, locking up the rears, swapping ends when using the brakes and steering at the same time, etc.
3. Assist fails to track braking effort properly and reach equilibrium (either you press the brakes and it keeps pressing the pedal for you even if you're not and locks them up, or the inverse): booster rod is the wrong length (some cars, it used to be adjustable... how STOOOOPID)

#3 doesn't apply to our cars. Only #1 & #2. If you DON'T have any one of THOSE SPECIFIC behaviors, then whatever symptoms you have, are not due to the assist system.

I'm reminded of an entire troubleshooting page in a Frod manual some decades ago, when they introduced Hydroboost on certain cars (in fact, if memory serves, Hydroboost was a registered trademark back then, kinda like Vortec or EcoBoost is today) and people wanted to blame EVERY brake problem they ever had, on that. "Yank off that new-fangled crap and put on a good old tried-and-true vacuum booster". Ever heard anything along those lines? Not necessarily related to brakes? The WHOLE PAGE was devoted to "Brakes do this: NOT the Hydroboost". Had things like low pedal, spongy pedal, poor stopping, noise, leeeeeks, pulling to one side, ... you name it. EVERY brake problem imaginable, in one of those cars, Skillet wanted to blame on Hydroboost. Cletus and Uncle Billy Bob were right there with him. Amazingly enough, NONE of that crap about the Hydroboost, EVER fixed any of those BRAKE problems.

 

I reckon when I can I'll put a gauge on it, see what it says. Thanks for your advice here.

 

Never hurts to do that.

"Stock" idle vac is around 16". Regular power brakes will work down to around 8 - 10". Or for that matter, 0", once or twice, once they're "filled up" with nice high vacuum. (sounds kinda stooooopid to talk about "filling up with vacuum", eh? ) Cruise vac will VIRTUALLY ALWAYS be plenty for PBs: which then, you should get an application or 2 of the brakes at least, after you slow down or stop.

 

Thanks again. Got an hour and a half cruise in the sun today with john q. over.

 

Posting this question in electronics but wanted to ask you ..if i can install this 80's Corvette Delco Bose in my 82 Camaro with Kicker 4x6 dash speakers? Thanks for your reply.