Quigley E350 Van: No brake booster! What is wrong?

[Scotty4]

Your brake warning light will activate to advise you that you have insufficient vacuum.

Yes and no. My vacuum pump was only putting out 5" and the light would come on here and there. On an hour trip it would maybe come on for a few seconds after using the brakes, then wouldn't be back on. The manuals state less than 10" so why was mine not on endlessly?

Now that I have a good pump, its not come on at all except when the parking brake is engaged. Previously I thought maybe a loose connector or wire.

 

[IDIBRONCO]

Plus I need to check what the hell in HG means in our measurements...

I can't describe how someone actually came up with this measurement (I could take a guess, but I won't), but it stands for "inches of mercury". We measure vacuum in inches (of mercury) instead of PSI (that is the amount of pressure). Basically, you can think of inches of vacuum as being negative PSI. That may not be entirely accurate, but it's close enough for most if us on this forum.

 

[Big Bart]

When they suggest inches of mercury as I recall it was the difference pressure or vacuum moved mercury in a specific tube or pipe. So it litterally moved inches and fractions of inches. Then there are also conversions to other terms.

 

[Big Bart]

Yes and no. My vacuum pump was only putting out 5" and the light would come on here and there. On an hour trip it would maybe come on for a few seconds after using the brakes, then wouldn't be back on. The manuals state less than 10" so why was mine not on endlessly?

Likely the vacuum switch on the passenger side fender well is not working as well as it should. They are now 30ish years old. But to your point is should have been on all the time to remind you that you do not have the vacuum needed by Ford's specs. Mine comes on from time to time, yet my pump is good and I have 20ish inches of vacuum. I think they are just getting old and flakey.

 

[derjackistweg]

Thanks for all your replies!

A brake booster for a 4th Gen E350 isn´t an issue and ~75€ + shipping. But I think it is more likely the vaccum pump, as this sits on top of the engine an moisture can get easily in, also ~65€ + shipping.

Hoses look good and the "vacuum distributor" as well.

Before that actual status I had 2 week with red brake light on, than off for a while and later on permanently.

I don´t know why a booster should fail, this truck has 100k miles on it. So for US standards not much.

I will order the vacuum tool and check and come back .... ;-)

 

[derjackistweg]

That would work, its for creating vacuum (One use is bleeding brakes.), but it will also read vacuum to your point.

You can also look for something like this on Amazon.

Amazon.com: OTC 5613 Vacuum/Pressure Gauge Kit: Automotive

Buy OTC 5613 Vacuum/Pressure Gauge Kit: Fuel Pressure Testers - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases

www.amazon.com

Amazon.com: Hromee Fuel Pump and Vacuum Tester Gauge, Carburetor Pressure Diagnostics Leakage Tool Kit: Automotive

Buy Hromee Fuel Pump and Vacuum Tester Gauge, Carburetor Pressure Diagnostics Leakage Tool Kit: Fuel Pressure Testers - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases

www.amazon.com

As mentioned above, many companies in the US can rebuild these. One I have used is below. Perhaps if you have someone in Germany that can rebuild them, you can order the parts from a supplier in the US and have them install. (Save shipping more weight and both ways.)

J&J Axle Supply
1311 E. Chestnut Ave #F
Santa Ana, CA 92701
1-714-667-5202
[email protected]

The magic of cookies!
- following you link via "tor" browser with an IP I don´t know from (not Europe) costs: 29$
- inserting the SAME link into my browser with my local German IP: 38$ - the EXACT SAME item from AMAZON as well, same seller!!!
- the same item via AMAZON GERMANY: 41 EURO!!! =~45$

which is pretty exactly why I try to avoid under any circumstaces to buy VIA Amazon. Noone wins, except Amazon, neither the seller, nor the end-customer.

 

[Big Bart]

Your vacuum tester will allow you to test -

1) Directly from the pump do you have the proper vacuum.

No - New pump.

Yes - Test after the vacuum distributor to see if you have proper vacuum. Then by testing the lines off the distributor which is leaking if the pump is good. Remove and plug to see if vacuum increases to pump vacuum output. Then you will know what is causing the leak. Hose, booster, cruise control, low vacuum warning switch, etc.

Keep in mind age and milliage are both at play, especially with something plyable or rubber. So your booster could have gone bad as these trucks are getting old and have higher mileage.

 

[chris142]

Sometimes boosters are the problem I'm sorry to say. Mine is now basically impossible to get. i probably bought the last one in the entire US for ~1985 models. Every parts seller is out of stock with no ETA on when it'll be back. RockAuto is the only possible way someone might get a rebuilt one, because they sell a Cardone rebuild service where you send in your old one to have them rebuild it. Better hope it doesn't get lost or damaged though or the extremely rare booster will be that much more rare. I should have probably kept the old one but I didn't think to, I returned it for the core charge. But it was in fact bad, since I had already replaced the vac pump and the master cylinder was new too. The new one fixed the problem.

These guys can rebuild any booster. http://www.karpspb.com/

 

[gnathv]

First picture when vacuum was low enough that ac would not come through vents until I got to 1800rpm. I have hydroboost so pedal never changed but brake light didn’t come on solid it flickered though. Second picture after replacement.

 

[derjackistweg]

Thanks for your input guys!

So I ordered a new pump, though I do not know so far what is wrong. But I would like to drive the truck on 8th of july, so I did a wild guess. So let´s hope it comes out right.

The tool has arrived and I did a short test on the vacuum from the pump coming. There was pretty much nothing to read. I could feel the pump sucking - but we know that is not accurate.
I was really not sure if I did not use it correctly, so I tried something different:
Connected the tool to the brake booster and pumped until roughly 12 unit...

You must be registered for see images attach

So even with the lines just stuck in each other I was able to suck a vacuum of 12.
After that I started the engine to see if brake light turned off and the booster is working.
For just 1 press of the pedal the brake felt normal. After that not a second time. The read out was 0 vacuum - as expected after the 1rst push of the pedal.

So for me it looks like the booster is working but does not have enough vacuum. Probably bad pump, maybe leaks...

btw pumping with that thing took minutes!
Brake light was still on but vacuum was just roughly 12 and should be more like 17-21, so hopefully the light turns off when I have more vacuum than that.

Pump should arrive on 1rth, let´s see ...



PS: One can see the Vacuum on the top of the engine. I once, some years ago, fittes the plastic cover from the rain rail, in the middle.
Because: Rain falls directly onto and into it. When I noticed the pump (probably) did not work, I sprayed WD40 into it and we can see it came out rusty.
Though not sure if this was a good idea. But if it is gone it is anyway. The rain guard came on roughly 4 years after I had the new pump in, in 2014.

 

[Big Bart]

Likely your new pump will not have a pulley. So you will need to pull and re-use your old pulley. You will need a power steering pump pulley puller like this one. So be sure to order that up so it arrives before you try to install. If you try to press on and press off with something else you are very likely to break the pump or bend the pulley. With this tool it will leverage the pump shaft to allow easier removal and installation without damage to the pump or pulley.

There are many brands, but not all are created equal. OTC is a decent brand, but again other brands will work.

Amazon.com

 

[Cubey]

Napa 39000 is also a good puller tool kit.

 

[derjackistweg]

Likely your new pump will not have a pulley. So you will need to pull and re-use your old pulley. You will need a power steering pump pulley puller like this one. So be sure to order that up so it arrives before you try to install. If you try to press on and press off with something else you are very likely to break the pump or bend the pulley. With this tool it will leverage the pump shaft to allow easier removal and installation without damage to the pump or pulley.

There are many brands, but not all are created equal. OTC is a decent brand, but again other brands will work.

Amazon.com

Hello @ all,

you`re correct!

Pump arrived. I was only able to order one w/o pully.

So I pulled the old one from the old pump. Hard work with an anytool puller and the pully is now out of center. Or not round anymore, from pulling. Not from pressing.

It runs and the belt stays on - but one can see that it is "wiggeling".

I was`t expecting that when I pulled the thing off.
I saw the tool one or 2 days later. Shipping is 7 days and 100$, so I did not wanted to order that later.

Pumps works and I got a working brake booster now.
Buts:
1. Red brake light is still on
2. I need a new pully.

2. I looked now 1 hour into ordering that shi...y thing anywhere with no success! It is pressed steel - I saw one for 190$ on ebay. For hat kind of money I can get one forged or CNCned.

Anyone any idea on 1. and 2.?

 

[Cubey]

Check the parking brake switch? Maybe it's going bad or something

 

[Big Bart]

Sorry to hear that.

Make sure the vacuum line to the brake vacuum sensor is in good shape and it’s getting vacuum. (Small Metal can with wires on one side and a vacuum line on the other.) When the sensor does not register vacuum, it will also put the brake light on. Yours could be also be bad, use your vacuum pump you bought to test. You should fix so you know when you lose vacuum and thus lose your brakes. Safety thing.

Some have used a smaller newer style on Amazon or E-bay. I am traveling in Greece currently but can send you a link next week if yours is bad.

On the pulley, if v-belt Dorman makes a cheap one for $50 US. If serpentine, it’s $150 new.