Description: Located on the driver’s
side of the car towards the back of the engine compartment, the
vacuum-operated brake booster is the heart of
a “power brake” system.
The master cylinder mounts to the front of
the brake booster. Click here to see
a detailed diagram of the brake
system.
Purpose: The brake booster uses the
differential of engine vacuum (negative pressure) and atmospheric
pressure (positive pressure) to multiply force from the driver’s
leg. This applies increased force to the pushrod of the master
cylinder, generating more pressure
from the master
cylinder than from use of the driver’s leg
alone.
Maintenance Tips/Suggestions: Brake boosters are generally very
reliable and require no maintenance. Some boosters have a small
filter in the vacuum line supplying the booster. This filter should
be replaced periodically to ensure a consistent flow of vacuum
to the
booster.
It should be inspected regularly to make sure that its vacuum connection
and hose are sound and that the connection grommet seals
tightly around the vacuum connection. Symptoms of
brake booster problems include excessive brake pedal effort, a rough
running engine, excessive idle speed, or a
whooshing or hissing noise. Have the symptom checked by a
professional technician to pinpoint the cause.
