1954 Hydrovac power brake unit

[PHIL WHYTE CLC 14192]

Hello everybody, As I'm running this car [54 CDV] in after a total restoration I'm having problems with some of the bits that have been rebuilt professionally. I am losing brake fluid from my rebuilt power brake unit , the vacuum hose is wet and my fluid level in the top up reservoir is going down . It appears to be leaking around the control valve piston. I believe that I read somewhere that for 1955 they had a new piston that accepted two seals. So I have two questions : 1. Does anyone do a seal kit for this as sending the unit back to the USA from England and back is a real pain, but sending a kit one way is ok ! and 2. can I purchase the improved piston or machine my existing one to accept the two seals. The vacuum piston etc is operating perfectly so my problem is with the rubber brake fluid seals in the unit.
Thanks,
Phil

[Mark]

Phil,

You might try contacting this company:

Roberto @ Power Brake Service in Long Beach Calf
ph 800-504-1060 or 562-436-4111
powerbrakesonline.com
email - sales@powerbrakesonline.com

They sell rebuild kits and I believe also individual parts.  Heck, may also be of assistance to someone else on the board who asked about boosters recently.

[PHIL WHYTE CLC 14192]

Thanks Mark I will do that later in the week and post how I get on.
Phil

[James Mundstock]

Phil, you may want to try White Post Restorations. They rebuilt my '55 booster and I have had good success with it plus it is on the east coast of the USA which is closer for you. I described my problem before I shipped mine and he knew the problem before I could finish asking the question. He was really sharp. They specialize in brake hardware restoration plus do cars also. Very reputable.

[PHIL WHYTE CLC 14192]

Mark, I emailed that company and have yet to recieve a reply, but looking on their website it appears they only do modern replacement systems. James I do know of White Post and I will contact them. The problem with sending to the USA is the prohibitive cost of postage and import duty etc. into the USA and again when it is sent back here, also the time involved.The leak seems to be in one place on the Hydraulic circuit and I may just try to match up those seals as they are the same as regular brake cups - has anyone tried this ?
Thanks,
Phil 

[PHIL WHYTE CLC 14192]

I'm waiting for a NOS kit that I bought on Ebay. I'm toying with the idea of looking into reproducing this kit, I think it would warrant a large enough production run. Kanter did list a kit for the Hydrovac for just one year , then dropped it , anyone know why ?
Phil

[njones]

Phil, I had the hydrovac for my '55 rebuilt by Midwest Power Products (midwestbooster@sbcglobal.net ) and they did a good job, they have parts and kits if you require them. See their ad in Hemmings Classis Car. ( For my money the best vintage car mag on the market )

Nigel Jones/Canada/'66 DeVille/'55DeVille

[PHIL WHYTE CLC 14192]

Thanks Nigel, the kit is now on its way to me, but I may need more parts when I strip it down.
Phil

[njones]

Phil. as a follow-up on my reply re your Hydrovac. After I rebuilt my brake system including all new lines I went to silicon fluid to avoid any leakage/paint stripping problems on my restored chassis. Seemes to work fine and the one small leak I did have did not affect the paint.

Nigel

[PHIL WHYTE CLC 14192]

Hi Nigel, I've only just seen your posting on this - sorry for the delay !! I had a Hydrovac rebuilt before and used silicone brake fluid - it ate the rubbers !! I phoned the rebuilders and they said to never use silicone fluid for that very reason, I have had this problem with brake rubbers on a 1959 British Ford my wife owns [this was with NOS rubbers that were not dried out] and it seems to me the only kits available for the Hydrovac are NOS. It was power brake exchange in San Jose who rebuilt it twice, but as it is leaking again the problem may not be silicone brake fluid as I am using normal fluid at the moment The manufacturers of the silicone brake fluid got very short with me when I phoned them with this problem !!
Phil 

[Mike Josephic CLC #3877]

Phil:

Sicilone fluid doesn't "eat" the rubbers.  Here's the explanation.  You MUST
change out all rubber parts before you change to silicone brake fluid from
the standard glycol fluid.  That means: new hoses, rebuild wheel cylinder rubber
(cups, pistons), power brake parts -- everything.  I wrote an article about this in
the Self-Starter a few years back.

Once the rubbers have glycol fluid on them, the silicone fluid will cause them to
swell and you will have leaks everywhere.  That's one little thing that many
manufacturers of silicone fluid forget to tell you.

Mike

[PHIL WHYTE CLC 14192]

Everything was new, but I think they had used standard brake fluid as a lubricant when rebuilding the power brake unit [that was the only part of the brake system effected]. It was the power brake exchange that said it ate the rubbers ! and I bowed to their greater knowledge ! However on the Ford I rebuilt the clutch master cylinder three times with NOS kits from one manufacturer and the rubbers swelled up, when I changed to another manufacturer it was fine with silicone [could just be old rubbers though]
Thanks,
Phil