Brake Vacuum Pump
When you have a vehicle that has been upgraded in the way of disc brakes and a high performance engine you will also need to consider installing a brake vacuum pump. A brake vacuum pump is a necessity not only for the performance of your vehicle but also for safety's sake. If you have upgraded your brakes and your motor you need to be sure that you also upgrade the vacuum system so that it can accommodate the new brakes and the new motor.
Wondering what a vacuum pump has to do with your brakes? In many instances when a car has been fitted with a high performance motor it will have a difficult time getting even enough vacuum to operate the power brake booster. When you have les vacuum going to the booster you will have a rough braking experience, making it difficult if not impossible to stop your vehicle when you need to!
For a power brake booster to operate the way it is supposed to, the booster needs at the very least 16 inches of vacuum when the engine is idling. If the vacuum happens to drop below the 16 inch mark the power booster will lose power and it will negatively impact the braking performance. When your booster has enough vacuum your brake system will work like a champ!
When you buy a brake vacuum pump you will find that it is quite simple to use and you could even install it yourself if you like to work on your vehicles. The brake vacuum pump will be mounted inline between the intake manifold and the power brake booster of your vehicle. You may find that you have to tinker a bit with the brake vacuum pump to get it to work properly, but generally it is a simple installation.
When you are shopping around for a brake vacuum pump you need to consider all of the elements of installing such a piece of equipment. There are many pieces that are required to make the brake vacuum pump a possibility and if you buy them all individually you will end up spending a lot more. For this reason you should buy a kit that will give you everything you need to get the job done right the first time. When you buy a brake vacuum pump you need to look for the pump, the switching relay, the vacuum line, as well as the mounting insulators.
You'll find that there are a lot of kits out there for you to choose from. You should be sure that you shop around a bit so you always get the best value for your money. When you start shopping around you may be surprised to see how much the prices really do vary from one vendor to another. Shopping around can save you a lot of cash, making the brake vacuum pump more affordable for you.
When shopping don't just look at the price of the pump or what comes with it, but also look at whether or not it comes with a warranty. Like any modifications to your vehicle you want to be sure that you have a warranty on it. You don't want to spend the money only to have it stop working a few months later only to find that there is no return policy and nothing you can do to recoup the loss. Many manufacturers will offer a one year warranty with their brake vacuum pumps, which is nice to have because it will give you a bit more confidence in the tools that you are using.
Comment by bernard kelly on 7 February 2011:
i have a volvo s80 2.5 diesel (2000 model). when idling it makes a knocking noise, like there is no oil in it but when i step on the break it stops. after a few seconds it begins slowly but knocks at the same speed as the revs. the car has sufficient oil and fluids, it runs perfectly but naturally i want to stop the knocking before it gets worse. anyone have any suggestions???