[Vwdiesel] vacuum pump

[Scott Alexander]

Just got my '82 Rabbit Diesel back from the mechanic who did the valves.  It's amazing how much that's improved things.

However, within a day of getting it back, I think I've had the vacuum pump go bad again.  Yesterday I had power brakes on the first press and had to really stand on the pedal if I wanted to brake again in quick succession.  Today, I'm standing on the pedal every time I want to stop.  I need to get a moment to do a more thorough job of checking to make sure that there's not a leak somewhere, but a quick check didn't show any loose hoses.

Assuming it's the diaphragm yet again, this one last only about 10 months.  Given that, I'm wondering if there's a better answer.  Is there a source for diaphragms that hold up?  Alternatively, is there some sort of conversion that's more durable, perhaps to an electric pump?  Obviously, this isn't one of the hardest repairs to perform, but I also hate that sense of surprise when the brakes don't work the way that I expect.

Thanks,
Scott Alexander
Warren, NJ