brake pedal is hard-no brakes-help

fishendude · #1 04-02-2005, 09:42 AM

my brake pedal is hard and I have almost no brakes-it happenned all of a sudden, a couple months after replacing the front brakes. I have no loss of brake fluid and have taken off all the tires and all of the brakes look fine. any help would be appreciated.

FormulaLT1 · #2 04-02-2005, 02:11 PM

Could be a couple of things. Most likely a bad master cylinder or a crimped brake like or a frozen caliper. Good Luck.

John

fishendude · #3 04-02-2005, 03:22 PM

thanks...the master cylinder seems to be fine as i can still hear it operating when i turn on the key. I also tried replacing the brake pressure accumulator today, and that didn't help anything. I am going to take a look at the front calipers today. could it maybe have something to do with the power brake booster? if so, how can i replace it and where is it located? If there are any other ideas please let me know but thanks for the help.

FormulaLT1 · #4 04-02-2005, 03:37 PM

Before you check anything else. I was just thinking. Have you looked at the brake booster vacuum hose?

fishendude · #5 04-02-2005, 06:42 PM

that is what i was looking into also, could you maybe give me any help as to how i can locate this power brake booster or hose? my haynes manual says it is somewhere on the firewall, but i don't know exactly where. i appreciate the help.

FormulaLT1 · #6 04-02-2005, 07:03 PM

What year is it and which engine?

fishendude · #7 04-02-2005, 07:18 PM

it is a 1990 with a 3800 engine

randman1 · #8 04-02-2005, 08:18 PM

If you replaced the accumulator, then you do not have a vacuum assisted breaking system. You have the electro-mechanical Teves system. Did you replace it with a new one?

By this description

Quote:

i can still hear it operating when i turn on the key

it sounds like the pump is operating. i was going to suggest checking the fuse and relay. I've been told that the accumulator's lifespan is about 10 years and a replacement usually cures the problem. Did you cycle the ignition several times to ensure that enough pressure was built?

fishendude · #9 04-02-2005, 08:26 PM

yes I replaced the accumulator with new----I think your correct---I do-not see a power brake booster-the master cylinder is bolted directly to the firewall with lots of components connected to it.

FormulaLT1 · #10 04-03-2005, 12:20 PM

randman1 · #11 04-03-2005, 02:02 PM

LMP · #12 04-03-2005, 03:30 PM

EH I'm really intrigued by this electric booster...was not aware of that. Can you make a short story about it so it can make my day and in what years that contraption was applied ?

randman1 · #13 04-03-2005, 03:57 PM

Here's a good write-up of the Teves system for the T-brids. It's operation is very similar to those found in the GM cars. The Teves system is found on the 89-90 SSE, Reatta, and some other GM cars in that era.

http://www.albeedigital.com/supercou...bs-system.html

fishendude · #14 04-04-2005, 07:58 AM

I have replaced both front calipers,the accumulater,and the relay and still the pedal is hard-I also took off both rear tires and the cylinders are working fine---I can hear the pump run and it does pressure up the accumulater---I checked all the fuses and have found a page similar to your posting about the teves system-----I am baffeled! Could I need the whole new master cylinder assembly???Maybe I just need some gas and a few wooden matches.

randman1 · #15 04-04-2005, 07:33 PM

You are now beyond what I know about this unconventional braking system. I've included another link that might help. I have heard that the master cylinder/pump assembly is over a grand from gm. I once saw one on Ebay for $20 that the seller had laying around for years. That was about 4 months ago though.

Reatta site: http://www.reatta.net/brakes/brakes_...eshooting.html

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