I've been thinking about the continuing need to refill the master cylinder for the front brakes (which eventually led me to investigate how a dual master cylinder works, and to change the push rod attachment point). There are no visible leaking fittings or puddles anywhere, and the front pads showed no noticeable wear when I replaced them. I've had to refill the master cylinder twice... where could all this brake fluid be going?
Well, it finally dawned on me that there was an obvious place to check. The new power assist unit vacuum chamber. If the seals were improperly installed (or the last rebuild done poorly), then fluid could be leaking into the chamber and collecting where it coudn't be seen.
This is easy to check. I disconnected the vacuum hose and unscrewed the vacuum check valve on the booster, got out the brake vacuum pump, stuck the hose in the check valve hole, and pumped a little.
Guess what!
I only have about 1000 miles on the car since I replaced the booster. Needless to say, I am not very happy about the "Cardone rebuild" quality. This time, I will be rebuilding the Midland C490 myself. Luckily there are instructions available online, as well as contact info for rebuild kits. This actually sounds like a good Winter project.
Sometimes I get self-satisfied, like things can't get any better! God has a way of subtly reminding me that I shouldn't rely so much on myself or my own understanding. I had a lingering conviction that something still wasn't right with the brakes, even though I really wanted them to be OK. I figured that I had worked on them enough!
Work is still needed, both on the brakes and with my soul. But hey, I don't need to fix everything at once. Most of all, I need to remain deliberate and intentional.
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