Re: IML: 1973 Brakes are "wrong"

[Elijah Scott <imperial1971@xxxxxxxxx>]

Kenyon Wills <imperialist1960@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>   I replaced the entire brake system on the 1973.
> The car now resists stoping.  It stops, but requires
> almost double the pedal pressure and won't lock the
> wheels unless both feet are on the pedal and really
> jamming on it, and even then it's not that good a
> response.
> Also:  when the brake is applied, the pedal feels
> better in the top 40% of the swing until it seems to
> "hit" something and gets stiffer - the braking action
> seems to have two stages.
Sounds  to me like the booster is at fault.  The booster used on the '73  Imperial is a "tandem" booster, meaning there are two big rubber  diaphrams in it.  Your description of the braking action having  "two stages" makes me wonder if one of the diaphrams has ruptured --  thus, you're getting about half of
 the power assist that you should be  getting, and you would loose assist as the pedal moves downward.
  
  If the booster is fairly new, it may still be under warranty.  I'm  guessing that it's a rebuilt unit, and I've seen lots of faulty rebuilt  parts in the past several years.  A friend of mine just replaced a  booster for the second time this weekend, since the rebuilt one he got  at Advance recently almost immediately started leaking vacuum.
  
  The master cylinder might be at fault here, but all of the problems  I've encountered with master cylinders have had soft brakes as the  symptom.  Of the two cars I've replaced master cylinders on in the  past five years, BOTH have required another master cylinder, since the  first one purchased (rebuilt) was defective.  On one car, it took  a total of three rebuilt master cylinders before I got one that  actually worked.
  
  Best luck!
  
  Elijah

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