Do brake boosters become weak? I have checked the vac line and hydro lines no leaks, I don't loose fluid but after bleeding the brakes I loose the pedal within a week gradually and then I just drive on whatever is left. It does not hit the flood but it can't be far from it and it has no range; does nothing until you push hard (it is working I have cut the ignition to see and that requires much much more pressure) but compared to all other vehicles you are pressing hard to stop.

If I get a new booster will a better one swap out of something like a Ram or Jeep? I have an 88

 

If bleeding your brakes makes it feel better I'm going to lean towards you getting air in the system. If I understand your post correctly the issue is that your brake travel is to far for how much braking you get in return?

When you bleed your brakes is there one line that has alot of air bubbles in it compared to the rest? I'm thinking air is getting into the system somehow, whether it is from a leak at a wheel cylinder, or caliper, or at your master cylinder or somewhere in between, I think air is getting in.

If I misunderstood you and the issue is that the brake pedal is to hard, then there may be an issue with your brake booster.

 

That's what I thought too but how can you get air in the lines without loosing a lot of fluid?

Yes you got me right, but lets just say the peddle up is 1 and to the floor is 6...1-4 does nothing and 5-6 is your braking travel (the actual usable travel distance is almost nothing it just comes down to how hard you push that controls the braking not how far it is pressed down like a normal peddle)

No actually I barely saw any air at all I will have to check again, one of my front wheels is frozen so it never gets bled but the remaining 3 do and it always helps it tremendously. Maybe the 1 I can't bleed is holding air and when the system is closed and I use it that air gets thrown around the system? But then again after several bleeds that air would be out in that case then, I did notice my rear bleeders were wet under the rubber caps so I replaced them with new bleeders and I kept tightening them down until I got scared and stopped I swear the tips were pushing through the metal or flattening because with a doubled up wrenches I could keep reefing on it and still they remain wet I don't get this!

No it's not hard you just have to push on the pedal hard to get it to stop, the reverse of touchy. I ride the brake a lot because I am afraid I can't stop in time if I had to on a dime but I have new oversized front rotors, oversized pads and heavy duty shoes in the rear. I did notice when I was halfway on ice with the front wheels on pavement and enough brake to stop from rolling but not pushing hard the rear wheels still idled forward on the ice so the front:rear ratio is way off.

 

Here is my booster, looking like it obviously is leaking...or leaked at one point? Could this be as easy as a gasket replacement?

 

The brake booster has nothing but vacuum in it to leak, that would cause paint to peel off. It looks like to me that your master cylinder is leaking from the primary piston seal and leaking back into the brake booster. I think the master cylinder is shot, and it maybe took the booster with it, but maybe not. This will be why bleeding the brakes helps.

 

Thanks, I just went and ordered a new one without the reservoir for $22 with the core charge deducted so that is really not a bad deal. Maybe I will be able to take a picture of my booster diaphragm when I have the MC off.

 

Got the new (re-manufactured) master cylinder now time to install this thing...which will be a first.

 

Good luck!! Who knows, if your luck is anything like mine, you will get good at master cylinders by the time you get one that works. When I had to do the master on mine, I went through 4 different reman - brand new master cylinders. 4 different brands, before I gave up, took my chances on a junkyard master, got lucky, and haven't had to do it since (3 years now)

 

What was the problem with them??

 

First one, no back brakes even after bleeding. Second one, no pedal pressure after bleeding. Third one seemed fine until I went to drive it and the brakes were erratic at best. The fourth one had no pressure as well. Those 4 were brand new ones, 4 different companies, 2 different parts stores. The fifth was a junkyard master, and I haven't had a problem with it since. The junkyard master is even better than my old master... More pedal pressure

Sorry for the late response