As the most important step to getting my 1986 524td roadworthy following timing belt, tensioner and water pump replacement, and newish glow plugs, I hope someone here can enlighten me and help me get my brakes working.
When starting the car in Park, applying the brakes, and shifting the car into Drive, a large amount of braking force is required to keep the car motionless during the shift from P to D or to stop the car while idling at slow speeds. Only once the car has been driven through a few gears do the brakes seem to have any power assist, and this assist is only present the FIRST time you depress the pedal after driving (foot on the gas). So say, driving at 50 MPH, if I let off the gas, and press the brakes, then remove my foot from the brake and then depress the pedal again, the second time I get no power assist and it's quite frightening.
If this were a non-turbo car (one without a vacuum pump), I would suspect the brake booster. But because I have never had a brake booster fail on any of my BMW's so far (thankfully), because they are a pain to replace, are expensive new and questionable used, and because there is another mysterious vital component (the vacuum pump) in the system, I'm seeking the fresh expertise of others.
If anyone has heard of or solved a problem similar to this, please help a brother out.
Thanks in advance!
cm/Hg ???
