86 M1009 Hydroboost swap?

[kallisti5]

Good morning!

I need to swap the power steering lines to get my M1009 inspected (they have a *slow* pin-hole leak around where the hose meets the metal line)

While I'm bleeding the power steering, is it worth it to swap the hydroboost for a rebuilt unit?
Truck only has 60k miles on it... but I had to swap the master cylinder last year due to the seals failing.Nothing is technically wrong with the steering at the moment (besides a bit of play between 10 and 2... that could be just par for the course on the K5 )

Thanks!

 

[cucvrus]

If it were me. I would let it as is. It is NOT broken so don't fix it. I typically would change head gaskets and have a transmission rebuilt before changing the brake booster. When and if it leaks change it then.

 

[kallisti5]

Yeah, that was where I was leaning... unhooking the brake pedal felt like a pain in the ass. Just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing one of those prime "while you're in there" opportunities.

Thanks!

 

[nyoffroad]

If it were me. I would let it as is. It is NOT broken so don't fix it. I typically would change head gaskets and have a transmission rebuilt before changing the brake booster. When and if it leaks change it then.

I used to think you went overboard doing head gaskets for 'no good reason' other than age. BUT I now admit I was wr er wro um mistaken! I have a 20,000 mile engine that's been sitting for awhile and decided I'd toss in a set of head gaskets and rear main oil seal before installing in the truck. I'm very glad I did, somehow water had gotten in one cylinder (exhaust valve was open and piston @TDC) and had a rusty ring around the top of the cyl. I ended up using a ridge reamer to knock it down and finished with a hone, now good as new! If I had just installed and started it may have broken a compression ring and/or gouged the cyl. wall. THANKS CUCVRUS!

 

[cucvrus]

I do it all the time. If it sat it rotted. Less mileage means nothing. Time weather's everything. Good call. It would have been different if you had just installed it and tried to run it. Changing head gaskets is an easy task. Doing everything else is where the work is. Just make sure to purchase new toque to yield head bolts. I have used the old ones for sinkers Cat fishing below the Conowingo Dam in Maryland. Very rocky and lose a lot of tackle and weights. Good Luck. Glad you found my method helpful. I do a lot of things the hard way. Many times that is the right and only way.