89 240 wagon w/ hard brake pedal

Post by **Volvo_240_Atari_2600** » 22 Oct 2007, 13:32

Eric in Florida again...

1989 Volvo 245
Non Turbo
AT
206k on the clock

This has been my car for the past 4 years and I love it.

Just about two hours ago I experienced a hard brake pedal... The car does stop, eventualy after hard pressure from the foot. There is no leak of fluid at the master cylinder nor at the calipers or on any lines or hoses... The pedal is not spongy as if there were air in the system... Just hard.

Everytime I depress the pedal on the first time it works normal, the second time immediately after the first depression it also is soeqhet normal... The 3rd and 4th time thereafter the pedal becomes very hard.

I suspect there is a vacum problem.
Could it be the Booster? If so, is it relatively easy to find? Rebuild? Install?

The hose that leads from the booster is so brittle and there is a kink right where it enters the intake manifold. I will try replacing the hose to see if it comes back to the norm.

If not I will notify you guys what I found but lease comment if you have had the same experience and what your outcome was.

Thanks
Eric

Post by **billofdurham** » 22 Oct 2007, 15:47

If the hose is kinked and brittle change it.

I had the same on my 240 travelling at 70 up an off ramp from the motorway - quite a thrilling experience when the brakes don't work.

Bill.

Klausc · Post by **Klausc** » 31 Oct 2007, 20:53

There should be a oneway valve in that hose from the booster, check to make sure it is still working properly. Your brakes are assisted by vacuum and a kinked hose will remove the vacuum and your brakes are no longer assisted!

Klaus

Paula Deen · Post by **Paula Deen** » 01 Jul 2015, 00:42

Just about two hours ago I experienced a hard brake pedal... The car does stop, eventualy after hard pressure from the foot.

I will notify you guys what I found but....

Hey Eric this is an old post butb your symptoms are exactly what im experiencing. Did the vac hose fix the problem?
Any info be awesome! Thx

lummert · Post by **lummert** » 01 Jul 2015, 05:50

I'd guess this problem is related to the brake booster.

Paula Deen · Post by **Paula Deen** » 01 Jul 2015, 08:12

Yes im pretty sure its booster issues. I sprayed it down with carb cleaner to see if i can hear a leak but I hear no change in idle. Probably just replace the hose and valve.

lummert · Post by **lummert** » 01 Jul 2015, 21:32

Before giving up on the booster try replacing the check valve.

93Regina · Post by **93Regina** » 01 Jul 2015, 22:19

lummert wrote:problem is related to the brake booster.

A lack of physical training, most likely:-)

I drove around several years without a working brake booster; in winter months, with snowy roadways, it worked fine.

Paula Deen · Post by **Paula Deen** » 02 Jul 2015, 07:21

I changed the hose out so far it has seemed to work! Time will tell but the hose was definitely too flimsy to be working properly

lummert · Post by **lummert** » 02 Jul 2015, 15:56

Paula Deen wrote:I changed the hose out so far it has seemed to work! Time will tell but the hose was definitely too flimsy to be working properly

Collapsing booster hose = low booster vacuum.