The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network - View Single Post - What did ya get done this weekend...last one of May?

TwinTurbo · 06-02-2009, 06:41 AM

I had a faulty brake booster so I ordered one from A1 Cardone, however they don't ship international so I had it sent to a buddy in FL and he sent it to me. From the pics I was under the suspicion it would be a neatly gold cad plated booster, I was wrong it was a silver spraybombed old core with clearly visible rust pits. I cleaned it up and smoothed the rust pits and painted it so that it would not look like crap.

When I went to install it I noticed it had a black rubber boot on the end instead of the purple plastic extension tube. No fear, I had a couple of old ones left over. Went to swap it in and put the booster over the firewall studs...$%$#^%^%# it doesn't fit!! WTF? I take it off again and notice the 2 brackets are bent making the booster stick off sideways and twisted too (MC doesn't sit w/ level reservoir) and the tube doesn't engage the hole in the firewall. Some careful bending and cursing later, and starting with the purple tube engaged in the firewall and then slipping the booster on I got installed. Pfew!!! So, I tighten all the nuts, hook up the vac hose & MC, put the rod back on the pedal...start the car.. YES! power brakes. A couple more pumps...and suddenly.... "shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh"

Oh no! a vac leak and no power brakes. The thing went dead after 4 taps on the pedal. So, After the 80$ it cost, the 150$ to ship and taxes I'm now stuck with a painted rust pitted, bent & crooked, non working POS booster!! NICE!!!!!!!

06-02-2009, 06:41 AM	#25
TwinTurbo Registered User Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 994	Re: What did ya get done this weekend...last one of May? I had a faulty brake booster so I ordered one from A1 Cardone, however they don't ship international so I had it sent to a buddy in FL and he sent it to me. From the pics I was under the suspicion it would be a neatly gold cad plated booster, I was wrong it was a silver spraybombed old core with clearly visible rust pits. I cleaned it up and smoothed the rust pits and painted it so that it would not look like crap. When I went to install it I noticed it had a black rubber boot on the end instead of the purple plastic extension tube. No fear, I had a couple of old ones left over. Went to swap it in and put the booster over the firewall studs...$%$#^%^%# it doesn't fit!! WTF? I take it off again and notice the 2 brackets are bent making the booster stick off sideways and twisted too (MC doesn't sit w/ level reservoir) and the tube doesn't engage the hole in the firewall. Some careful bending and cursing later, and starting with the purple tube engaged in the firewall and then slipping the booster on I got installed. Pfew!!! So, I tighten all the nuts, hook up the vac hose & MC, put the rod back on the pedal...start the car.. YES! power brakes. A couple more pumps...and suddenly.... "shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh" Oh no! a vac leak and no power brakes. The thing went dead after 4 taps on the pedal. So, After the 80$ it cost, the 150$ to ship and taxes I'm now stuck with a painted rust pitted, bent & crooked, non working POS booster!! NICE!!!!!!!