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Hard brake pedal 200

posted by  abracadabra on  Fri Oct 4 10:23 CST 2019
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Howdy folks,
I've had the pleasure of driving an '81 Volvo 245 for the last few years. It's been a great vehicle.

At some point I noticed the brake pedal was hard. I can't remember when this happened but it's been so long that I consider it "normal". However, I'm starting to do some deferred maintenance to the car and want to fix this.

Basically the brake pedal feels "normal" when you first hit it but as soon as you put pressure on it gets hard as a rock.
Brakes stop fine but I have to push REALLY hard to stop quick/fast, which luckily doesn't happen often.

I've done some research and found that this sometimes happens when the hose for the brake booster is missing/shot. I think I found that hose in my engine bay and it is connected and seems to be in good shape.
What else could I be looking at?
thanks,
Abra








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    posted by  someone claiming to be on  Wed Dec 31 18:00 CST 1969 [RELATED]

    Howdy folks,
    I had a closer look at the booster hose. On mine it's in great shape, I'm sure it was replaced at some point, very firm.
    What I did find is the check valve was loose fitting in the booster, I tried to make it fit snugger and when I drove the car to work later I noticed the idle was smoother and the brake pedal wasn't hard anymore!
    So I suspect either the seal for the check valve is worn or the check valve itself is needing replacement....in either event I'm buying a new valve with seal from IPD. Looks like the check valve is just pressed into the booster, its not threaded?
    thanks,
    Abra



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      posted by  someone claiming to be on  Wed Dec 31 18:00 CST 1969 [RELATED]

      Good to hear that you found the root cause. Yes, the check valve is pressed in. Be sure to use the new seal that comes with the new valve. fyi, Bosch valve and seal kits are about $5 + ship at fcpeuro. (I am in no way affiliated with fcp, just a satisfied customer.)



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        posted by  someone claiming to be on  Wed Dec 31 18:00 CST 1969 [RELATED]

        Hey thanks for the FCP heads up, IPD wants 16.95 for the exact same thing! I ordered from FCP, its on the way...
        Abra



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        posted by  someone claiming to be on  Wed Dec 31 18:00 CST 1969 [RELATED]

        Hi,

        I agree with you on this one to shop around and question the descriptions under what fits what!

        Go with the gut feeling that if it looks like a part that doesn't take much to make it should be cheap!
        Most of the time I don't see them offered with grommets or implicating it's only the grommet.

        I have gotten by using electrical tape wrapped around the the inner part of the check valve, to make it larger temporarily, until I can locate one off another car.
        Making the insides bigger will push the outside of the grommet bigger.

        These boosters are made by a well know manufacturing outfit called Bendix.
        You can find them on lots of cars and in parts houses all over the world.
        They are made as cheap as a popped popcorn kernel.
        Sadly, It is the time that they sit on a warehouse shelf that makes them cost $5.00.

        $5.00 is very fair, in the overall picture of things, this plentiful!

        If you ever been to the movie theater lately, you know what I mean about how supply and demand
        can get crazy, to the consumer not smelling outrageously over priced coffee too!


        Phil


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    posted by  someone claiming to be on  Wed Dec 31 18:00 CST 1969 [RELATED]

    Feel "that hose" carefully where it attaches to the intake manifold nipple. If it is at all soft, the blow by oil has soaked it to the point where it will collapse under vacuum, disabling your booster.
    --
    Art Benstein near Baltimore

    'There's a way of transferring funds that is even faster than electronic banking. It's called marriage.'
    -Sam Kinison


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      posted by  someone claiming to be on  Wed Dec 31 18:00 CST 1969 [RELATED]

      I will check this out! Thanks for the heads up.
      I noticed that IPD also shows a "check valve" associated with the booster, is this located on the booster side of the hose? They mention that it causes hard brake too.
      Gonna figure this out ASAP, thanks for the help!

      Mk


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      posted by  someone claiming to be on  Wed Dec 31 18:00 CST 1969 [RELATED]

      Follow Art's advice and check the brake booster hose. It's due replacement if original. Here is an example of what a booster hose can look like on the inside after 30 years and 350K+ miles. In this particular instance it was the root cause behind an intermittent hard brake pedal as you describe.


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