WARNING Just an FYI on a Dorman 80195 Brake Booster Filter

[old80cs]

Took my Cutlass for ride today, maybe 100 miles or so, really nice sunny day but cold. Anyhow, I stopped by my parents place for a visit and when I started the Olds up in the driveway I heard a pop, like a backfire through the carb. The engine started but I found I had no power brakes rolling backwards. Opened the hood to find my new Dorman Filter (80195) split at the seam and in two pieces! I went back in the house and go a roll of electrical tape and jammed the two ends together and taped the heck out of it so I could finish up our drive. I just ordered an AC Delco #17056236, that I should have just looked for in the first place, to replace my broken original. Just an FYI...



Notice the metal band that holds the canister together on the AC Delco, nothing on the Dorman.

 

[Streetbu]

Sounds right for a Dorman part. They seem good at first, but their quality lacks and the parts do not stand the test of time.

 

[old80cs]

Sounds right for a Dorman part. They seem good at first, but their quality lacks and the parts do not stand the test of time.

I installed that filter a few weeks ago, that was the second time I took the car out with it. I won’t knock everything Dorman makes but this filter is junk. I’m going to bring it back to Autozone and try and get my money back or store credit. It wasn’t big money, just the point of it.

 

[69hurstolds]

Curious, was there anything left INSIDE the filter? AKA carbon bits? Wondering what internals the Dorman part has.

I'd figure out that backfire pronto, though. There's other pieces parts that could be damaged if it continues to be an issue.

 

[old80cs]

Curious, was there anything left INSIDE the filter? AKA carbon bits? Wondering what internals the Dorman part has.

I'd figure out that backfire pronto, though. There's other pieces parts that could be damaged if it continues to be an issue.

I know the carb and timing still need to be fine tuned but my friend and I haven’t been able to get together to work on it. Hopefully soon.
The canister was filled with charcoal (carbon) and a diaphragm / screen on the carb port side. The side to the brake booster I couldn’t tell with the bits of coal in the way, I assume it would have another diaphragm.

 

[69hurstolds]

Some production information.

NSN is 4330-01-123-3449 for either the original filter GM p/n 17070814 or the alternate, p/n 17056236. TBH, I do not know the difference between the two. They look identical to me, save for the part number. Government says they're basically interchangeable, hence the same NSN. But who knows?

Dorman only makes the single p/n 80195, I would imagine to replace either.

IMO, if you can get either the 236 or 814 at a decent price, snag it. Used to be able to find them all over the place on ebay for 6 or 7 bucks still in the bag. Now? yikes.

 

[old80cs]

Some production information.

NSN is 4330-01-123-3449 for either the original filter GM p/n 17070814 or the alternate, p/n 17056236. TBH, I do not know the difference between the two. They look identical to me, save for the part number. Government says they're basically interchangeable, hence the same NSN. But who knows?

Dorman only makes the single p/n 80195, I would imagine to replace either.

IMO, if you can get either the 236 or 814 at a decent price, snag it. Used to be able to find them all over the place on ebay for 6 or 7 bucks still in the bag. Now? yikes.

I got this one off of eBay for more than I liked, but it's on the car now. Feel better with the OEM part.

 

[spongbob]

Say aren't these things check valves designed to keep brakes working by holding said vacume inside the booster if the motor is not in running mode...I worked a little for Cummings and they made fuel and oil filters point in mind was, they assembled the filters ,by melting the plastic case halves with a fuel oil flame then simply joined the 2 halves of the case together while the joining edges cooled you could smell the fuel oil throughout the area yuk ...you didn't dare question or mention anything about policy or personal observations or you got the axe...

 

[69hurstolds]

Say aren't these things check valves designed to keep brakes working by holding said vacume inside the booster if the motor is not in running mode...I worked a little for Cummings and they made fuel and oil filters point in mind was, they assembled the filters ,by melting the plastic case halves with a fuel oil flame then simply joined the 2 halves of the case together while the joining edges cooled you could smell the fuel oil throughout the area yuk ...you didn't dare question or mention anything about policy or personal observations or you got the axe...

No. They're supposed to be carbon filters. You're thinking of the "banjo" check valve that plugs into a grommet on the booster. Over time, unprotected, the check valve would be subjected to fuel/oil vapors floating up to the rubber bits inside the vacuum hoses when the car was shut off causing them to fail, and also allow vapors to get inside the booster rubber bits as well. IIRC, the filters were added by an engineering running change to the vacuum hose in the early 70s. The idea is the filter simply absorbed vapors when the car is off, and drawn back into the engine when restarted.

A couple of things- The filters can mess with your booster's vacuum signal if gobbed up. So if yours is original, consider replacing it as any "filter" that's over 35 years old probably needs replacing for good measure. But you can always yank the upper hose and check vacuum there while the engine is running to make sure your booster gets enough vacuum through the filter. Another thing to consider is just don't use any old gas line to plumb to the booster. The EPDM vacuum hoses are 11/32" and made of a bit stiffer walled rubber to ensure they don't collapse under vacuum and the specs are blessed by U.S. D.O.T. Note, on the brake hose it's stamped GM6188M, which is the old GM standard specification for brake vacuum hoses. This was superseded about 10 years ago by standard GMW16501.