XC70: General Vacuum Pump Removal

[Tim xc70]

Good morning,
I have just bought my first ever Volvo and this is my first post. 100 miles or so of driving, and the popping noise has appeared. I have looked around the forum, and looked at the videos kindly posted on YouTube by Cheshired5. I have tested the pump and the vacuum level flickers. I have ordered the seal kit.
The question I have is how to remove the pump? Are there any guides or videos that anyone can point to please?
Tim.

[Kev0607]

Originally Posted by Tim xc70

Good morning,
I have just bought my first ever Volvo and this is my first post. 100 miles or so of driving, and the popping noise has appeared. I have looked around the forum, and looked at the videos kindly posted on YouTube by Cheshired5. I have tested the pump and the vacuum level flickers. I have ordered the seal kit.
The question I have is how to remove the pump? Are there any guides or videos that anyone can point to please?
Tim.

+ YouTube Video

Welcome to the forum. Let us know how the repair goes.

See above video.

[cheshired5]

Originally Posted by Tim xc70

I have tested the pump and the vacuum level flickers. I have ordered the seal kit.

Do the test again but this time pull the brake booster connector on the vacuum pump and cover the hole so it is air tight then view the tester needle.
If it stays flickering, the pump is leaking and if the needle settles stable, the leak is in the brake booster.

N.B. The vacuum is strong on the brake booster so take care if blocking the hole with bare hands.

[Tim xc70]

Thanks both. I'll keep all informed.

[Tim xc70]

So I finally got around to doing this. Airbox, battery and battery cover off. Took the brake booster connector off and blocked the hole. This caused the vacuum tester needle to settle, but there was still a flicker. I took of the pump and replaced the seals. Put it back on. The needle is now steady with the brake booster connector covered, but still flickers with the brake booster connector attached.

Does this mean the brake booster requires replacement or can it be repaired? Where is it?

And to put a fly in the ointment, the engine light is now on. Now that I think back I remember taking an electrical connector of the airbox which I reconnected, but I feel like there was another. I will look again tomorrow.....

Thanks again.

[Tim xc70]

One more question, and apologies for naivety, is the Brake Booster the same as the Brake Servo?

[Kev0607]

Originally Posted by Tim xc70

One more question, and apologies for naivety, is the Brake Booster the same as the Brake Servo?

Same part, just a different name. So you don’t have a brake booster & a brake servo… you have one.

The brake booster or servo is against the firewall in the engine bay. It looks like a round cylinder.

I had my brake booster replaced, as it was making a hissing noise until I pressed the brake pedal. A new part was £800, so my local independent Volvo garage I use found a used replacement in full working order for £120. With fitment, it come to £300 if I recall correctly. Its not something that you’d tackle in a few minutes, its around 3 hours labour in a garage.

I believe there’s repair kits you can buy, but its an awful lot of hassle to replace the seals. This is why garages take the old servo out & replace it with a new/quality used part, as opposed to taking the old one out & stripping it, fitting seals & putting it back in.

Definitely get a second opinion on the brake servo. Not exactly a cheap part (unless you get used) & labour is stiff enough too.

[Tim xc70]

Thanks Kev,

I will look at the pipework this weekend to make sure it is not something in between the pump and servo before investigating a replacement servo.

[Tim xc70]

With the brake booster pipe disconnected and the hole blocked I get a solid steady strong vacuum reading, but with the pipe connected, I get the vacuum flicker. So indicating a fault in the booster or pipework in that direction.
On the other hand, the popping noise is strong when the hole is blocked with the steady vacuum, and vanishes with the brake vacuum line removed from the vacuum pump.
Is anyone able to suggest what is going on? The two scenarios seem contradictory.
Thanks.
Tim.

[Tim xc70]

Apologies for continually adding to the thread, but I am not even certain it is the same noise. This is mine:

https://www.youtube.com/results?sear...IIAQ%253D%253D