Power brakes/headlamps

[mikeboggess]

OK, thanks to all, especially DesertBen44, y'all saved my bacon on a non start issue. Now my brakes (power) work sometime, sometimes not. Is it the power booster? Is it as simple as the check valve on the power booster. Is it the slave cylinder? Next question concerns the headlights. Where is the best place (OK, I'm cheap) to buy these? Everyone around here wants 200.00 apiece.

 

[crash-harris]

What year truck? (Not in your sig)

Ebay for bricknose headlight housings. $180 for a pair and they can be had individually.

How does the pedal feel when the brakes aren't working?

 

[mikeboggess]

1991 7.3 I.D.I., pedal is hard. I will check your info. on headlights, have you any experience with those headlamps? There are some that are not worth buying. TYC makes some reliable parts. Is bricknose a brand or description?

 

[Sparky95]

Bricknose is in reference to the truck body style. The one with turn signals on the side instead of on the bottom of the headlight.

 

[crash-harris]

They look/feel pretty solid. Mine are still in the boxes until I get the new body panels painted and mounted. They definitely have that heft to them.

 

[madpogue]

"Bricknose" is a reference to the '87-'91 GENERATION of truck. So called because the segmentation of the grille resembles (more than the other trucks) stacked bricks.

Hard brakes - first thing to check is the vacuum pump. Does the truck have A/C?

 

[crash-harris]

Aka, looks like a flying brick

 

[mikeboggess]

Yes it does have a/c.,how do you check the vacuum pump?

 

[madpogue]

Best way would be with a vacuum gauge. Should be at least 20 inHg at idle. Poor man's check would be simply to remove the hose and feel if it's sucking.

When you use the A/C, and switch modes, do you hear the various "doors" moving as you expect? Does the air come out of the selected location(s)? The A/C mode controls are operated by vacuum as well, so if the pump is bad, your A/C usually "defaults" to blowing only out of the windshield vents.

 

[mikeboggess]

All the a/c vents are working. When I select floor/vent etc. the air route changes immediately.

 

[crash-harris]

That's a good indication that the vacuum system is sealed up and working. I would start by taking the vacuum check valve off the booster and check it. Suck air through it the way the system does, but then try to blow through it. If you can't blow through it, I'd replace the booster.

 

[mikeboggess]

Remember I am cheap. Could it be . . just . . the check valve?

 

[crash-harris]

That's why I said to test the check valve first. Always check the cheapest things first so you do end up just throwing money at problems.