I have a 97 Frod F250HD with a brake problem that just developed today. It was kind of cold this morning and I didn't have the engine heater plugged in very long. When I went to start it didn't start right off and I had to try a couple of times. When I backed out of the drive I notice a small puddle, didn't check it carefully as I assumed it was diesel fuel. Shortly after I noticed the brakes weren't right. Fluid is full, no apparent leaks???

 

What are they doing?

 

I took it to the dealer today as I need it for hunting Friday so I didn't have a lot of time to mess with it. As I suspected from looking at other areas at this site that my problem was going to be a bad vaccuum pump and it was.

The symptoms were that all of a sudden my brakes went from working fine to feeling like I was trying to do leg presses with my brake pedal. I would stop but not real fast. I also noticed that my brake lights were on until I drove above approximately 1700 rpm for a short time. When the light would go out I had one good normal stop left! Needless to say I drove to the dealer very carefully!!

I am a new diesel owner and appreciate any info I can obtain. My truck is a stock Supercab, longbed 1997 F250HD, 5 sp, 4.10 rear with 120,000 miles. Around town I get a good 19 mpg and on the one trip of about 400 miles I got about 17.5 put was pushing it pretty good. Wish I had the 3.73 rear.