power steering pump vacuum relay

I was troubleshooting a "brake pedal noise" on my SIL 90 4Runner, so I had bought a set of cheap front brake pads, since this was the MOST likely source of the noise...

First thing I notice is power steering fluid dripping everywhere and a broken nipple on some module on the powersteering pump. It turns out the module is worth about 1/4 the total value of the vehicle and does nothing but up the idle under heavy power steering effort. Module was pulled, cleaned, filled with RTV and reinstalled. The vacuum lines were removed and bright red vacuum fitting caps installed.

Brakepads were good...

It sounds like the power brake vacuum booster is leaking under a heavy brake pedal...luckily those are $125 reman from Rock Auto. We will get this truck reliable sooner or later, it failed an alternator on a road trip last weekend and a rebuilt from the FLAP was $125, with core returned.

I told the SIL that a 50' of vacuum hose and a box of clamps would do wonders...

I also think a new Taco for her would solve many problems...

Howard