The vacuum for the brakes is created via the engine, via a take-off from the inlet manifold. With the engine running it is near instantaneous. Disconnect the hose to the brake servo and with the help of a friend do:
1) put you fingure over the end of the hose 2) get your assitant to start the engine. 3) you should quickly feel the "suck" on you finger 4) gently start to pry/remove your finger from the vacuum hose. You should heat the air rush and the engine revs with change. 5) with your finger totally off the end of the hose the engine may stall, rev fast or even over rev (so ensure your assistant is ready to quickly turn the ignition off.If the engine is creating vaccum and there is no obvious loss of air, indicated by hissing noises somewhere between the end of the hose where your finger is shutting it off and where the hose attaches to the engine/inlet manifold, then the problem lies either in the one way inlet valve to the brake servo unit or a perforated diaphram in the servo unit. If it is the little one way valve then this is easily sorted. Otherwise you need to replace the brake servo unit.
problem with my brakes being rock hard. There doesn't seem to be any
> vacuum created by the brake vacuum pump. The spline of the pump is worn
> but I believe it turns as I removed the one way valve of the pump and
> oil was being pumped out fairly quickly. I have tried another second
> hand pump but with no success.( the spline was more worn than my one).
> How significant is the vacuum created by the pump and would it be
> instantly felt by a finger over the valve.
> Can a brake vacuum pump be repaired or can they be reconditioned? >
> How long does it take to creat the vacuum for the servo, is it minutes > or hours?.
> Does anyone have a working brake vaccum pump they want to sell?
>