Re: Spider brake booster troubles?

["Paul Irvine" <pi@xxxxxxx>]

Michael Miller wrote:

>If a spider ('79) brake booster is not holding pressure, can it be fixed?
>Or is it terminal and needs to be replaced?
>Symptoms include stiff pedal feel, pulsing through the pedal, and a hissing
>sound when brakes are applied.  I replaced the intake manifold check valve
>and hose to the booster already.

Don't accept this as advice but: When I bought the $400 Alfetta it had the
same problem. I went to Alfa Parts Exchange in Hayward and asked Larry if
they had a booster. He said "yes". I asked how hard it was to replace and he
told me the routine - not really that hard but a lot of your head stuck up
under the dash with your body hanging out the door kind of twisted and on
one knee with a chunk of gravel under it... you know the feeling. I said it
may not be worth it and Larry mentioned that they'd been driving those old
Alfas for so long without power brakes...

So I didn't get the new booster and I've been driving the Alfetta now for
the past 3.5 years without it. Just disconnect the hose and plug the fitting
on the intake manifold.

Oh, and also - step on the brakes harder!

Paul Irvine  - Antioch CA
72 Spider - 79 Sprint Veloce - 82 GTV6
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Project Alfa - http://www.crl.com/~pi/project
E-Mail - mailto:pi@domain.elided

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