Brake Booster Question

This is my first post to this forum and any advice and help would be greatly appreciated.

I have a 1995 Tacoma. It's a 1st. gen., 4X4, extended cab with the 4 banger 2.7L engine. I have recently developed a "brick" brake pedal. It comes and goes. I have localized it to the brake booster.

When I remove the vacuum hose to the booster I get the same hard to push experience that I get when it happens. I have read that the check valve could be the culprit or perhaps the entire booster assembly is bad. But, I would like to go the inexpensive and quick route and see if I can replace just the valve first before putting money down on a brake booster assembly.

I took it to my mechanic friend and he didn't think that the valve can be replaced, as it is apart of the booster and not built into the hose. And, that the entire booster should be swapped out. I trust him. But, from reading he might be misinformed.

Can the check valve be replaced?

 

The check valve is the brass colored fitting that the vacuum line to your booster is plugged into. You should be able to pull it out without too much trouble - there is an o-ring to seal is to the booster.
I think it is far more likely that the diaphragm in your booster is bad, and you will need to replace the whole thing. Can't hurt to pull the valve out and check it though.

 

when you pull the Master Cylinder off of the booster, you can do it and leave the brake lines attached... a little difficult but if you use sense when you do it it should be ok, anyway, there is a seal that will stay with the booster. This seal seals the vacuum from leaking past the protustion that fits inside the booster. There is a possibility that you will tear this seal when you reinstall the master cylinder and you will have the same problem all over again but different. When the system is opperating normally there should be a vacuum reserve for 2 to 2 1/2 maybe 3 full brake pedal "pushes" before the pedal gets hard after you shut down the motor. I have had good luck with the O'Reilly rebuilt boosters.

 

Which brake booster (brand) did you get?
My '01 needs one, and I'm unsure which one to get.