Bad news for me, everyone uses the Cardone part number...

mrsilv04

mrsilv04

Joined
Dec 8, 2006
Messages
10,386
Location
Illinois
Guessing that I need a brake booster (brake pedal goes to the floor with little resistance, and am hearing a loud vacuum leak) on a 1986 Mercury Cougar with a 5.0 V8. I'm afraid to even drop it down into drive, because I really don't expect it to have any brakes at all.

I've noticed that everyone (including NAPA, Advance, O'Reilly, AutoZone) is using the part number for the Cardone brake booster as their own. (*sigh*) Since this is for a 35 year old car, having limited options is not a huge surprise. Plus, no one keeps these in stock, so whatever I get has to be ordered in.

Rock Auto also shows boosters available from "Quality Built" (aka MPA) and "Power Brake Exchange". Maybe Power Brake Exchange might be a better alternative over Cardone...?

www.pwrbrake.com

Power Brake Exchange, Inc.

New Website under construction.
www.pwrbrake.com www.pwrbrake.com
 
So if the brake booster leaks out, there are no manual hydraulic brakes? I don’t remember that happening but what do I know, next to nothing.
 
Can you try to "bench bleed" the master cylinder? How are the other brake system components like lines, rubber hoses and calipers and wheel cylinders?
 
This sounds like my MGM’s PS pump dilemma-I’m going to have to cough up the cash for NOS from Green Ford Sales or similar to avoid the junk Cardone remains too!
 
New factory booster may exceed the value of this car. Wrecking yard? M/C should be cheap enough brand new from any number of manufacturers and with the pedal sinking to the floor that is where I would look first.
 
Check for a blown brake line or a failed MC. Unlikely the problem is the booster from your symptoms.

with the vehicle off, do you still have no pedal?
 
Years ago there was a mechanic running a shop in a garage in a back alley over in the East-Liberty area of Pittsburgh PA and all he did was rebuild vacuum boosters and master-cylinders. That has to be about 28 years ago that I had him do some work, and I can't remember any more details like a name but if he is still in business that would be a great place to check to get a rebuild of your unit or another one he has gone over.

A quick check with my cell phone shows a place called Power Brake X-Change Inc. in that same area, and that sounds like it may be the same business name, but I really can't remember for sure. Checking out the web site on my phone shows they rebuild Brake Boosters, Master Cylinders, and many other things. It even mentions the rebuild stuff that is no longer produced. There address is:

Power Brake X-Change Inc.
338 Lamont Place.
Pittsburgh, PA 15232 USA

Phone 1 800 580 5729

and 1 412 441 5729

This might be the same person I used back then, it is in the same area. But the store front looks like a much different and bigger building that is conducting much more business than he did back then. I remember that person really new a lot about brake boosters and master cylinders. I required some special mods for a special application and he knew exactly what to do.

They are open 8 AM - 4 PM

Mrsilv04, remember Pittsburgh PA is in Eastern Daylight Time zone so we are an hour ahead of Illinois.

I'm sure you could UPS your existing unit to them for a rebuild, or probably purchase something they already have.
 
Last edited:
Vacuum leak = Booster leak. I had this problem with a 2003 Jetta several years ago. 4 used boosters later I got a good one and problem solved; it too had a soft pedal. My back is still sore. :ROFLMAO:
 
JimPghPA said:
Years ago there was a mechanic running a shop in a garage in a back alley over in the East-Liberty area of Pittsburgh PA and all he did was rebuild vacuum boosters and master-cylinders. That has to be about 28 years ago that I had him do some work, and I can't remember any more details like a name but if he is still in business that would be a great place to check to get a rebuild of your unit or another one he has gone over.

A quick check with my cell phone shows a place called Power Brake X-Change Inc. in that same area, and that sounds like it may be the same business name, but I really can't remember for sure. Checking out the web site on my phone shows they rebuild Brake Boosters, Master Cylinders, and many other things. It even mentions the rebuild stuff that is no longer produced. There address is:

Power Brake X-Change Inc.
338 Lamont Place.
Pittsburgh, PA 15232 USA

Phone 1 800 580 5729

and 1 412 441 5729

This might be the same person I used back then, it is in the same area. But the store front looks like a much different and bigger building that is conducting much more business than he did back then. I remember that person really new a lot about brake boosters and master cylinders. I required some special mods for a special application and he knew exactly what to do.

They are open 8 AM - 4 PM

Mrsilv04, remember Pittsburgh PA is in Eastern Daylight Time zone so we are an hour ahead of Illinois.

I'm sure you could UPS your existing unit to them for a rebuild, or probably purchase something they already have.
Click to expand...
Kudos to you for giving very detailed advice to the thread starter.
A tip of the " Hatlo Hat," Any old timers remember that phrase|?
 
Hop on a Mustang forum. Plenty of people selling their OEM stuff when they convert to 5lug/4wheel disc brakes
 
I'm thinking you have a master cylinder or brake fluid leak issue as well.

Booster failure usually has a hiss along with a very hard brake pedal .
 
Anything Cardone rebuilt is just gonna be trouble. However, their NEW parts have actually been decent.
 
The last several times it was driven, it had a vacuum hiss when I was using the brakes. Brakes were fine, pedal was fine.

The last time I started it up and had it running, the pedal went to the floor before I dropped it into Drive. Shut the car off and walked away. Was afraid if I put it in gear, it wouldn't have any brakes at all.

Now, with the engine off, when I press the brake pedal, it goes straight to the floor with little resistance (if any). I pumped the pedal 15 times, and nothing changed. No resistance built up at all.

Nothing on the concrete floor or running down on in the insides of the tires, and the Master cylinder is full. Doesn't appear that I have a fluid leak.
 
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