Questions and Answers

Brake Boosters Q. What exactly is a brake booster?? Maria

A. The brake booster uses vacuum from the engine to multiply the force that your foot applies to the master cylinder.

The vacuum booster is actually a very simple design. The device needs a vacuum source to operate. In gasoline-powered cars, the engine provides a vacuum suitable for the boosters. On cars with a vacuum booster, the brake pedal pushes a rod that passes through the booster into the master cylinder, actuating the master-cylinder piston. The engine creates a partial vacuum inside the vacuum booster on both sides of the diaphragm.

When you hit the brake pedal, the rod cracks open a valve, allowing air to enter the booster on one side of the diaphragm while sealing off the vacuum. This increases pressure on that side of the diaphragm so that it helps to push the rod, which in turn pushes the piston in the master cylinder. As the brake pedal is released, the valve seals off the outside air supply while reopening the vacuum valve. This restores vacuum to both sides of the diaphragm, allowing everything to return to its original position.

Additional Information provided courtesy of ALLDATA