Brakes on 144 failing

JDT2Q wrote:
> Sherwin - you don't say which country you are in but as you are fluent in
> English I'm sure you will find an alternative source of help or maybe even
> parts if you post a msg in the 140 series wants section.
> The forum is much more active than this newsgroup.
> Someone on the forum may have had similar problems.
>
> Look here http://www.volvoforums.org.uk/forumdisplay.php?f=7
>
>
> Colin ( 2 of 1988 240GL's - only Volvo since 1982 )

I live in the Chicago area.

I have posted a parts request on various volvo forums. So far,
only one negative reply. However, with the Labor Day weekend,
maybe something will come in next week. I even sent a request
to someone in Sweden, but I'm afraid it will cost me a few
Kroner, or two.

The idea of adapting another car's unit to the Volvo is of
course, a possiblity, but I would rather start with a Volvo
unit, if I can. I'm not sure if some of the earlier cars
than a 144 can be suitable. Seems like this kind of part for
anything earlier than a 240 series is getting harder to find.

I will report any successes or failures as they develop.

Thanks for all the replies,

Sherwin

Had two replies on replacement brake boosters.

One reply from the USA said he had one for 100 dollars
plus shipping, but did not know the condition of the unit.
My remark about putting a hand vacuum pump on it and seeing
if it holds a vacuum made the seller say he thought that
test was not adequate. How can you test a unit like that?


Another reply from Sweden said they had several units like
that, but they were sitting on a shelf for a long time, so
they also could not speak for their reliability. They want
a picture of our booster to verify a match. I thought there
was only one such unit for the Volvo 144's in 1969. They
said the units need to be checked, but again I don't know
how they do that.

Sherwin

sherwin dubren wrote:
> JDT2Q wrote:
>> Sherwin - you don't say which country you are in but as you are fluent in
>> English I'm sure you will find an alternative source of help or maybe
>> even
>> parts if you post a msg in the 140 series wants section.
>> The forum is much more active than this newsgroup.
>> Someone on the forum may have had similar problems.
>>
>> Look here http://www.volvoforums.org.uk/forumdisplay.php?f=7
>>
>>
>> Colin ( 2 of 1988 240GL's - only Volvo since 1982 )
>
> I live in the Chicago area.
>
> I have posted a parts request on various volvo forums. So far,
> only one negative reply. However, with the Labor Day weekend,
> maybe something will come in next week. I even sent a request
> to someone in Sweden, but I'm afraid it will cost me a few
> Kroner, or two.
>
> The idea of adapting another car's unit to the Volvo is of
> course, a possiblity, but I would rather start with a Volvo
> unit, if I can. I'm not sure if some of the earlier cars
> than a 144 can be suitable. Seems like this kind of part for
> anything earlier than a 240 series is getting harder to find.
>
> I will report any successes or failures as they develop.
>
> Thanks for all the replies,
>
> Sherwin


Have you tried cross-checking the compatibility of the P1800/P1800ES
booster unit?

Leftie wrote:

>> I will report any successes or failures as they develop.
>>
>> Thanks for all the replies,
>>
>> Sherwin
>
>
> Have you tried cross-checking the compatibility of the P1800/P1800ES
> booster unit?

The official Volvo web site replied that there is only one booster for
the 1969 Volvo 144, and they knew of no other model Volvo that could
be utilized. However, I spoke to a rebuilder in California today, and
he said there were actually two models of boosters for that car. One
was indeed unreparable. He described it as having crimps on two sides
of the outer circular body, and additionally, a band of metal. But,
he said there is a repairable version with crimps on only one side,
and no band of metal. I have not yet seen my car at the mechanic's
garage, so I don't know which one I have. If I can locate the
repairable version, I will send it to California for rebuilding. If
not, I will ask the people in California to find me one for
repairing. My Swedish mechanic thinks I should send the car to the
boneyard, but I think it still has a few years left in it. I should
do some body reinforcement work, but the rest of the car is fine.

Sherwin

On Sep 6, 2:10*am, sherwin dubren <sherwi...@comcast.net> wrote:
> James Sweet wrote:
>
> > It's probably the booster, they have a rubber diaphragm and failure is
> > very common on any old car as the rubber deteriorates. You can test it
> > with a hand operated vacuum pump too, just pump some air out and see if
> > it maintains a vacuum.
>
> * *I took my volvo to a Swedish mechanic, who is still working at theage
> * *of 75. *I had faith in this guy, because he diagnosed a drive shaft
> * *problem that our regular mechanic missed completely.
>
> * *This time, I think he is trying to wiggle out of fixing it. *He is
> * *giving us erroneous info on what he thinks the problem is. *For
> * *example, he says our brake pads with imbedded metallic are causing
> * *a great deal of the problem. *I drove the car before it suddenly
> * *failed, and it had no problem stopping. *He put on a booster unit
> * *that was laying around his house for who knows how long, and it
> * *didn't work. *He thought it was an improvement, but the car still
> * *needs excessive pedal power to stop. *I kept running that test of
> * *putting constant pressure on the pedal and starting the engine.
> * *The pedal still does not move. *I asked him to put a vaccum pump
> * *on it for testing, and he evades me to do so. *I hear hissing
> * *sounds coming from the booster, which I never heard on our
> * *original unit. *I think this is air escaping past the diaphragm.
> * *We left the car with him, and I don't know what he is going to
> * *do next. *I told him we would try to locate a working booster
> * *unit, but I think that is not very hopeful. *Volvo was very
> * *smart to put in this booster unit that cannot be repaired. *There
> * *is no kit for it that I know of, and I don't see a way to open
> * *it. *The mechanic showed us a booster unit from a 240, and it
> * *was too large and not compatible.
>
> * *They say a Volvo is for life. *I don't think so. *We may have to
> * *junk this car because of this stupid problem.
>
> * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Sherwin

Another common issue with these brakes is for the calipers to seize a
little. My dads '67 did this to him 15 years ago and he took the
calipers off - soaked them in WD40 and forced them back with Vice-
Grips. Then push them out with the pedal, and repeat until they start
moving easier. I just bought a '68 and its having the same problem. A
check that might help confirm is if you drive it and park it, do the
brakes stay on a little making it hard to push when in neutral.