Who's running with a vacuum canister to the pwr brk booster ?

[87BlazeLS]

When I first installed the 350 into the monte it was a garage built engine prior to the purchase of the car.
30 over, mild cam, cloyes timing chain, ect. That engine had a bad crank and would not hold oil pressure
after we got it running and broke in.
I had purchased an aftermarket electric power brake booster, which supplied the engine with additional vacuum
due to the low vacuum signal related to the cam. Brakes worked very well.

Now fast forward to the newer 350 crate motor, Stock block, heads, Sold off the electric booster when the motor got swapped assuming I was not going to need it.

So now even though I have brakes it seems the pedal is most always pretty firm. Like it still lacks decent
vacuum from the engine. My gauge shows around 18 at idle.
I have heard these vacuum storage cans make a difference and help boost brake effectiveness.
Anybody using one please chime in on the good or bad of using it....

thanks jake

 

[ElCamino6.0L]

18" at idle is the bare minimum for the booster to be effective, a hard pedal could be a bad booster…check the vacuum right at the booster, if 18" at the booster shut the vehicle off, press the brake pedal a few times to exhaust all air, start the vehicle with light pressure on the brake pedal, if booster is good the pedal will drop slightly with light pressure when started….

 

[87BlazeLS]

Have done all those tests and the booster and master cyl are newer. Zero issues when running the aux electric
vacuum pump.

I figured for the $30 cost for the black painted one it might be worth trying.
Even the cam in the GM performance crate engine offers up a somewhat lumpy idle.
All brakes and lines have been gone through.

 

[565bbchevy]

If the problem is only low vacuum the canister works well, I have an aluminum one near the front driver's side.
I have never ran an electric vacuum pump but have always ran a belt driven one off my power steering (that black round thing)
Mine is off a Ford diesel, it pulls a constant 28 lbs. of vacuum and regulates itself and also does not require a vacuum source.
I installed it 15 years ago making brackets for it and it still works perfectly even shifting the big block at 7500.
They sell on Ebay for under $100 (some fabrication required).

 

[V8 Rumble]

I have the black summit one. It works pretty good. Never tried anything else to compare it to though.

 

[Hunter Urban]

I also have the black summit one. Seems to help a little but not much.

 

[Bonnewagon]

I have had two engines that required a vacuum reservoir for the power brakes to work properly. The worst was a Pontiac 400 that only drew around 14" vacuum even with the vacuum advance hooked to full manifold vacuum for a decent idle. The cans work very well, and when mounted on the radiator support are nicely out of sight. Problem solved.

 

[87BlazeLS]

Hey great feedback Thanks. I kind of wondered about running longer lines for a forward biased mounting position.
But in my car the driver side fender is fairly naked when compared to the passenger side of the engine bay.
The old globe style vacuum pot just behind the driver headlight is long gone to the dumpster.
And no stinking cruise control either. So that area might make for a good mounting location if I can run the hoses
down the inside edge of the fender. and over to the booster.
I ordered the can today from ebay $39 shipped. Steel can crinkle black, 5x7 from the speed shop.
It is exactly the same as others on the Summit or Speedway web site's.

 

[84cutspreme]

Here is my setup. Comp Cams black can. I drilled one hole in core support and used one existing hole. Nice and hidden, ran line from carburetor to can, then from can(which has check valve) to booster. Have had no problems and my cam produces about 9" in gear and 12" in park. I ran lines in fender and out into engine bay right by wiper reservoir. Just happened to have a nice pic with no front clip on, however I installed with front clip still on. The capped port you see in the very front is for a gauge if you wish to use.

 

[87BlazeLS]

Cool, Nice work, I got mine today. Exactly the same version. I'm working on getting the lines plumbed in
and hooked up. I'm running my Vacuum source from a port in the rear of the manifold. It shares nothing.
so it is totally hooked to the booster.
so. I need to run the vac source to the can input and from the cans check valve all the way to the hookup
at the Brake booster check valve ? And plug the unused port on the can ?
I have mine mounted laying down just behind the driver side headlight inside the engine bay.