I bought a 2009 HHR LS. I was planning on doing preventative maintenance. The check valve on the power booster is $10 at the auto parts store. Is it really simple to pull the old check valve out and press the new valve in? Or would the brake booster bladder become part of the repair?
Does that indicate the 10+ year old check valve was faulty?
A faulty valve would cause you to lose braking power if the engine suddenly lost vacuum, such as if it stalled
https://www.repairsmith.com/blog/brake-booster-check-valve/
Before the repair, the rpm would sometimes fluctuate
this would indicate a vacuum leak to me.
I would have replaced all the vacuum hoses while I was in there. They tend to deteriorate quickly.
That is very easy fix if it fixes it if it doesn't it would mean the bladder is gone and you would have to buy a new or rebuilt booster
2009 Chevrolet HHR LS 2.2 liter mileage 213,000. I bought a new check valve with a gromet from a Chevrolet parts department. Before the repair, the rpm would sometimes fluctuate unpredictably with brake press, release, and various temperatures. I replaced the power brake booster check valve. The check valve hose required a pair of pliers on the clamp. I wore gloves and pulled the check valve out of the gromet. I pulled the gromet off the metal case. I pushed the new gromet into place. I was unable to push the new check valve into place. I lubricated the check valve flanges with liquid dish soap and water. The check valve slipped into place easily. Pressing the brake pedal down , with engine running cold, results in a 40 rpm drop and immediate rebound to about 800 rpm. Releasing the brake pedal results again the exact same 40 rpm drop and immediate rebound to about 800 rpm. This is perfectly rhymithical. Does that indicate the 10+ year old check valve was faulty?