Brake Booster Check Valve Location?

[89fester]

I have owned my 89 L 4sp 2barrel carb car for about 6 months. The brakes have always sucked, and felt like the booster is doing nothing. I hear none of the usual whooshing sound or anything like that when pressing on the brake pedal. They feel the same whether the car is running or not, the pedal is very hard. The car runs great, so I don't think I have any vacuum leaks, etc. What I am wondering is whether or not the booster is getting any vacuum at all. They feel like the brakes on a power brake car when the car stalls. They feel like that all of the time.

Where is the check valve located? In the hose nearest to the booster?

I found some info in this thread, but not the exact location: http://www.fordfestiva.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3635

Has anyone ever replaced the check valve if it was bad with something from a parts store or from another car?

Thanks
89 L

[Anonymous]

Have you bleed the brakes lately? My old festiva was the same way I don't know if it was the brake pads not breaking in or the fact that the brakes were never bleed - pretty sure the last. Brake fluid absorbs water after a while cuts down on the stopping ability. If you have any brakes at all I would say the brake booster is working properly.

[89fester]

Anyone? Is the Aspire booster check valve setup pretty much the same? I think my yard has 1 Festy and 2 Aspires. At least a few months ago they did. I'll just go and start cutting hoses apart until I find it.

89 L

[mattswabb]

look at the hose coming out of the booster. There is a bulge in it and some faint writing on it. That is the check valve.

[89fester]

So I took the hose off, going from the booster to the hardline on the firewall. There is nothing in it. It must have been replaced sometime in the past with a short piece of hose with no check valve. I have plenty of vacuum at the connection. I capped it off and when for a drive around the block, and the pedal is twice as hard as before. So I guess the booster IS doing something.

Oh well, so much for the easy fix. I may just have to put this Aspire setup I have in there afterall. I really don't want to take the rear brakes apart, my 2nd suspicion is that there is no material left on the shoes. I don't have any squeaking or anything, but I also have zero parking brake.

89 L