hard brakes

Let me tell you all what happened today. I was on my way home from a friends house and i pull up to a stop light. So I go to slow down and...nothing...I lost my power brakes. Talk about giving a 17 yr old a freakin heart attack. So needless to say I got a good leg work out going home cause of all the pressure I had to apply in order to stop. I let my car cool down abit, then I had to move it out of the drive way. NOW they work fine. What the F gives? Please don't say the stupid power booster. I don't really want to put that much more money into it. I love my baby to death but she's taking all my money and not really doing anything in return. Please help!!!

What year? 87-88 ABS with hydroboost assist, or vac assist 83-86? If it 87-88, you probably have a pump relay going out... one of the 2 in the housing under the vac tree. Did the red BAKE light go on?

------------------
Jeff Korn

88 Turbo Coupe: Intake and exhaust mods, T3 turbo at 20 psi, forced air intercooler, water injection, bypass valve, Ranger roller cam, subframes, etc., etc.. // 86 Tbird 5.0 (original owner): intake, exhaust, valvetrain mods, 100 HP nitrous, ignition, gears, suspension, etc., etc.... // 91 Escort: Bone stock winter car // 00 Windstar (wifes vehicle)

It is an 88 TC. The yellow ABS light came on(how nice of the car to corridinate with the matching check engine light that is on) I'm going to go and pull some codes off of it tommorrow. I just replaced one of the relays under the vac tree just the other day. Do you think that could be it?

Maybe somebody can explain to me what is wrong with my '77 T-Bird, then. Mine did the same thing. Lost power brakes on the way from NC. Then after I got here and let it sit for a few hours, they were doing better. Sometimes they're real good, and every once in awhile, the power assist don't work at all. ????????????

Rick

------------------
'62 Ranchero
'77 T-Bird
'78 Granada - parting out soon
'85 T-Bird Elan - parting out soon
'86 TC
'89 Escort Wagon
'90 Lincoln Towncar - parting out soon

Originally posted by babybird:
It is an 88 TC. The yellow ABS light came on(how nice of the car to corridinate with the matching check engine light that is on) I'm going to go and pull some codes off of it tommorrow. I just replaced one of the relays under the vac tree just the other day. Do you think that could be it?

Why did you replace the relays? Were you having problems?

Find th relay with the T/Y, GY, GY/R, GY/Y, PK/LB wires. Remove the relay from its socket, and jumper the T/Y and GY/R terminals together with a heavy gauge jumper wire. Turn the key to run. You should be able to hear the hyd. pump running in the ABS unit. If you hear it run, but dont let it run for more than 10 seconds or so. If you hear it run, turn the key off and put the relay back in its socket. Now, turn the key on, and depress the brake pedal several times and see if the pump runs. If it doesnt run, probe the PK/LB wire (stick pin thru wire, etc), and, with key on, ground this wire. Pump should run. If it does, the relay is good, if it doesnt run, but ran when the T/Y and GY/R wires were jumpered, then the relay is bad. Let us know the results.

86TC.... Sounds like the classic symptoms of a bad vac booster, a vac leak in the vac hose to the booster, or a bad vac check valve (probably located where the hose goes into the booster.



------------------
Jeff Korn

88 Turbo Coupe: Intake and exhaust mods, T3 turbo at 20 psi, forced air intercooler, water injection, bypass valve, Ranger roller cam, subframes, etc., etc.. // 86 Tbird 5.0 (original owner): intake, exhaust, valvetrain mods, 100 HP nitrous, ignition, gears, suspension, etc., etc.... // 91 Escort: Bone stock winter car // 00 Windstar (wifes vehicle)

Well, my car is fine now. I did put a new relay in it and i guess it short circited or something cause it was really hot out that one day and my engine already runs hot. I put the old one back in and havn't had problems since. So maybe I just got a bad relay or something. I was at NAPA the other day getting some prices on some parts(and an application) and the guy asked what was wrong with my car. I said it was missing (blah blah blah) and he gave me this relay and said to try it out. Hey for $8 can't hurt right. Yeah it help, it didn' miss as much and it sounded a lot better but I would rather have brakes than a nice sounding engine at this piont. Thanks for all the help though guys.

Originally posted by Jeff K:
86TC.... Sounds like the classic symptoms of a bad vac booster, a vac leak in the vac hose to the booster, or a bad vac check valve (probably located where the hose goes into the booster.

Thanks Jeff. Aren't they a PITA to replace?

Rick

Also, is the check valve you're talking about the plastic piece that has a hose going from the booster to the cruise control unit?

------------------
'62 Ranchero
'77 T-Bird
'78 Granada - parting out soon
'85 T-Bird Elan - parting out soon
'86 TC
'89 Escort Wagon
'90 Lincoln Towncar - parting out soon

[This message has been edited by 86tc (edited 04-20-2002).]