Brake issue?

[Patrick]

Got problems with the wife's 62 Jetta. Felt like the back brakes weren't doing much, so I got 2 cylinders and a set of shoes and tore into it ont he weekend. Didn't need the shoes, needed one cylinder (stuck). Changed cylinder and bled, brakes are better BUT!! pedal goes hard on second or third application. Losing power? vacuum leak somewhere? put a guage on it, pump is putting up lots of vacuum. Going to change out the line and valve from the pump to the booster tomorrow with a known good one (my 92 jetta)

Anyone ever have the booster go bad?  This thing will stop hard once, then pedal is hard the second time.

New boosters aren't cheap for these things!!

[Jetta Fan]

I've never had to change a brake booster on my VWs (knock on wood). But this past summer I had to change the booster on my GMC Jimmy and let me tell you, it's a bear of a job.

The symptoms in that case were not a hard pedal, but rather a very soft one. You could hear the leak (even inside the cab) and as you held your foot on the pedal, it would slowly go to the floor.

I have never heard of the symptoms you described, but I'd investigate fully before trying to replace the booster. Not terribly hard to do, but access is a real pain.

[Patrick]

First, I feel like an idiot after reading what I wrote! Wife's car is a 92 jetta, NOT a 62! That said...........
Changed the vacuum line today. the one way check valve on the one in the car would leak both ways, and the one I put in didn't. Also decided to bleed the other back brake for fun, broke the bleeder off and had to put the other cylinder in. Still haven't solved the problem. I can't decide if I need a master cylinder or a booster........... :?

May decide to start with the master, easier and cheaper...........  

[saurkraut]

http://www.vwdiesel.net/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=4695