Brake booster & duct tape

["Hugh & Therese" <hugtrees@xxxxxxxx>]

Bill,

 

Short of getting a new booster concertina from Karpps in California, there is another, better and safer, way to get your brakes working again.  I used it for years and it never let me down.  What you do is get a large truck inner tube and cut out a section just a little longer than the booster.  The hard part is "fitting" it.  Two long, thin, screwdrivers at each end of the booster help but anyway you face it, it is hard work.  You have to slide the inner tube section over the entire unit.  It will conform to each valley as you proceed.  The two screwdrivers will ameliorate this tendency somewhat.

 

Once on, the inner tube conforms to the shape of the booster.  Vacuum is restored.  The break in the original unit actually helps a little, as the inner tube will be pulled into the crack.

 

I found that having the booster in place on the fire wall helped with the installation of the inner tube.

 

I hate to think that you are trying to create vacuum with duct tape.  It won't work.  The ridge, where the break is, is being simultaneously pulled in by the vacuum and pushed out by the contraction of the unit.  Factor in heat and the duct tape will be off after the first compression.

 

I don't know why you are experiencing a better running engine.  The vacuum is held in the tank, not the booster unit.  Maybe you have a defective release valve in the unit as well.  If you bypass the unit and the tank by routing the inlet valve hose to the return pipe on the engine, if you experience a smoother idle, you may need a total rebuild of your entire unit and not just the rubber exterior.

 

Karpps will take care of the whole unit for you when you are ready.  Find the at:

 

www.resleeve.com

 

Hugh

----- Original Message -----

From: Imperial59crown@xxxxxxx

To: mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Sent: Wednesday, December 17, 2003 7:40 PM

Subject: IML: Brake booster & duct tape

I thought it was about time I took the Imperial for a short drive today, since it hasn't been driven in almost a month. I wrapped some duct tape around the brake booster where the split was, and amazingly the car was running much better, and the brakes were touchy once again. I realize this is a very temporary solution, but at least it gave me a taste of what the car will perform like once I get the brake booster rebuilt. It was still sputtering a bit, and died out at a few stoplights, but I think the carburetor may also need some help. At least it gives me some hope for the near future, and without having to rebuild the engine.

 

Bill '59 Crown