Check Valve Broke & Fell Inside Power Brake Booster

[badpeanut]

On the way home with my '71 Blazer today I lost power assist on the brakes because the check valve broke off, leaving the plastic nipple inside the booster. While trying to pull the hose off the nipple on the other side of the check valve it broke off also which is no big deal, but attests to the deteriorated condition of the plastic.

Is having the plastic check valve nipple inside my brake booster going to cause problems?

Any ideas how I could get it out?

[BMERDOC]

It may rub a hole in the diaphgram. You should be able to pull the m/c far enough to dig it out. You should try to get it out even if you have to pull the booster off and shake it to get it out.

[mbgmike]

yeah i would take it off and see if you can shake it out. that is the only way besides taking it apart which requires the correct tool. not sure how much damage it would or would not do. its probably just laying on the bottom. if it got stuck in the spring it may affect operation. their is a steel backing plate in front of the diaphragm so it will probably be ok. Sorry for the bad luck
even on vehicles as little as ten years old you have to be careful with plastic parts .WHen working on customers cars it pays to make sure you have all the backup plastic parts before you start.

[badpeanut]

I unbolted the master cyclinder leaving the lines hooked up, hung it from the hood, removed the brake booster, and dumped out the broken plastic check valve nipple.

I found a replacement check valve in the HELP! section of my local auto parts store. After reassembling and taking it for a test drive I'm impressed how much brake boost I now have! (The old check valve must have been leaking for some time before it failed.)