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[Paul_Royal@isserv9.idx.com]

  >What exactly are these
  >things? My guess is the "bomb" is the rectangular hydraulic fluid box on
  >the driver side of the motor that contains the fluid for the brake
  >booster and power steering. This fluid. Not to be confused with the
  >brake fluid reservoir -- the roundish thing in the middle of the engine
  >compartment that actually looks like a bomb. Am I close?

  >How often do the bombs go out? Where do you get them? How much do they
  >cost? How hard is it to do? Symptoms?

  >I kind of have a sinking feeling that mine is going (car has 61k).
  >Sometimes the brake warning light takes a minute to go off when I start
  >the car. The pedal feels kind of mushy and if I pump the pedal quickly
  >about 15 times, the light goes on.

  >As for Pentosyn, where do I get it. How do I know the previous owner
  >didn't use something else? If they did, how do I flush the system?


  Hi Tim...
       First...I've got a new address...I'm lucky I got this at all..should
  be in the header.

       The "bomb" is also known as the "brake pressure accumulator."  I
  believe that it's main function is to maintain hydraulic pressure
  approaching the vicinity of 2500lbs...and to retain most of that pressure
  even after a night in your driveway.  The reason your light is going on
  is probably because the diaphragm inside the accumulator is on it's way
  out which I believe is much more a function of age than use...or miles.
  Over night, you are probably losing pressure.  After your car runs for a
  few minutes, the pressure is restored and the light goes out.  Here's the
  caution: Under heavy and/or repetitive breaking (your 15 pump driveway
  test) the "bomb" does not have enough reserve or is not able to maintain
  the pressure that it should.  You are now in what I consider to be in the
  caution zone.  If it is the bomb, it will need to be replaced fairly
  soon.  Do it now, get it over with, and be safe (got kids?).  My
  experience tells me that bombs are usually good for 4-6 years on average
  (who knows).  I do not believe that any "bomb" I've seen is a box...more
  like an expensive WWII German hand grenade with a big bulge in the
  middle.  They should come in a velvet lined jewelry box for the roughly
  $275 they charge (and that's a good price) expect an installing shop to
  charge about $330-$350 which is reasonable.  On your car you should be
  able to get out of the whole mess for less than 4 bills.  Placement of
  most bombs is near the bottom of the engine compartment (listers?).  That
  sinking feeling test of yours: My experience has been that after pushing
  a number of times you can push very hard the last time and feel an
  unnerving pulsing as the pedal gravitates towards the floor.  I'm
  forwarding this to the Q-list so some other folks can critique it if I've
  given any misleading info....as for install..I personally do not like to
  do brake related work..it makes me nervous because I've had no good
  trainer or mentor...so I part with the $45 labor for this messy and
  critcal job....Good Luck!
       Most good foreign parts stores carry Pentosin at about $17-18 a
  quart.  I have used Luca's version in the past with no ill effects for
  $11 a quart (it's only green baby oil for chrissakes).  You could take
  the used Pentosin to a lab but that's undoubtedly overkill..you tell me
  (listers?).
       How's the rest of the car treating you?
       Questions for you...where did you..and how much are you paying for
  the Bently?
       Is a car really yours until you've had sex in it?

  >>Paul Royal
  >> 90 90Q20v (no sex)
  >> 87 5Ks (interesting sex...sorry Huw)
  >> 67 SS/RS 350 Camaro (classic sex)
  >> 90 Suzuki VX800 (are you kidding me?)
  >>
  >>"THE BEAUTY AND CHARM OF THE WILDERNESS ARE HIS FOR THE ASKING,
        FOR THE EDGES OF THE WILDERNESS LIE CLOSE BESIDE THE BEATEN PATH
        OF THE PRESENT TRAVEL"
                      -Theodore Roosevelt, 1916