Bought a 32 Ford with a vacuum booster set up, drum brakes on all 4 corners. It sat for 3 years and now has no brakes once it is started up /motor running. No pedal. But... has brakes and a pedal without the motor running? Everything was new and 10 miles since build. Anybody have the same problem?
If the pedal drops and you lose brakes when starting the engine, with the brakes applied. That would most likely be a stuck or defective servo valve in the booster.
More info is required about the brake system, but do you know if they ever worked properly? What is the vehicle history?
Obviously worked fine when vehicle was purchased. 50 mph test ride would not have been possible otherwise. Now cannot yard drive it unless a 1/2 acre is clear.
Nothing was "obvious" in your post, only vague info. I'll restate-more info is needed to try and help, otherwise a waste of time.
With the engine off and cold, pump the brakes until the pedal becomes hard and stays at the top. Keeping the brake pedal pressed and pumped up, start the engine, the pedal should go down a little and then stay there.. If it does, everything's good with the booster, master cyl, combination valve.. Next check the hydroelectric. Have an assistant push the brake pedal in and out until it stays put with pressure. Keeping the pedal pressure tight and the braking system locked on, start the engine. Once started, the brake pedal should go in a little more and stay put. Lots of people find out there brake system is in very good condition and brakes just needed adjusted tightened up..
V8 Bob My bad. I may have jumped the gun thinking the booster is bad. The sad part is the builder of this car made a one piece metal floor board from the seat to the firewall with no opening to check the master cylinder and no clearance underneath to do so either. Going to pull it all apart this week and check fluid. Just assumed without leakage it could be the booster. Thanks for the help guys. Will post what I find. Goes like hell but no stopping it. Backed it out and moved it to another garage spot this morning. Needs snow tires.
Drums setting for 3 years,,, first guess is there’s some air on there. Bleed them and see what happens Booster and pedal ratio hide some air with engine off.
I like the color-looks close to my freshly painted '40! I also have a one piece floor in my '32, but I installed a trap door over the master cylinder for fluid checks and bleeding. There are many things that can cause your type of failure, just need to know more about the entire system. Booster failures normally result in a harder pedal, not a loss of. Also, boosted brakes on vehicles like a '32 are normally not needed unless physical strength is an issue. Get back when more is known.
It sounds to me that fluid was lost somewhere and you have air in the system, either out of a wheel cylinder or the master cylinder itself if you are running 4 wheel discs. Try adjusting then bleeding the brakes and see if the problem gets better or worse. If it’s better then be checking your hydraulic system. If not, pull the wheels, check for broken springs then your booster.
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