brake pressure sensor + other 5000S questions

["G. Benedikt Rochow" <rochow@segosf.hlo.dec.com>]

Don't hold anything back now, tell us how you feel :)

> > connectors attached....disconnect one.....done!!!
> 
> I don't think I've ever heard anything so irresponsible.
> 
> The sender on the brake servo is giving a very simple message - instead
> of the nominal 140 bar assist pressure, there is (nominally) less than
> 107 bar.  There are a number of possible causes for this, but the
> general consequence is - there is insufficient brake assist available to
> provide safe braking.
> 
> Forget the bullshit about 'twenty brake applications from a full bomb' -
> that applies only to non-ABS braking operations.  In a _real_ emergency,
> ABS eats brake assist at 0.25 bomb/sec.

I didn't think I had ABS. Hmmm...

> 
> [To original poster]
> 
> A bad bomb results in a potentially LETHAL vehicle.  True, you can drive
> around and pretend there isn't a problem.  Do me (and every other driver
> you're likely to meet) a favour - take your car out on gravel or snow
> and see how it stops once the ABS engages.  Friendly tip - pick
> somewhere without too many trees, and lay a plastic sheet under your
                                        ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> ass.
  ^^^^
?

Well, I do know that. I am in the near future going to have the bomb
replaced (any source recommendations, BTW?). However, until I do,
I'd like the warning light 'available' for other warnings, which I think
is probably safer than going on as I have been. _When_ the bomb
will be replaced is not affected by the sensor disconnection. 

BTW, I did a number of hard stops and was surprised by how well
the brakes work. (This is Massachusetts, after all - the number
of people that wait out a long gap in traffic and finally go
just in front of me is amazing, not even the heft of our
Caprices scares them...)

The bomb replacement is a combination of cost and chances
of the car's survival - and that part is looking better by the day.
The coolant leak has apparently subsided (though a quick check is 
difficult - here in the US, every parking spot has large oil stains
from everybody's ignore oil leaks :)
and just the other day, it passed emissions testing (with 
30% of the max HC and 60% of the max CO).
This is interesting, as the PO was trying rather hard to not have
me check that before buying it. Perhaps his weasel mechanic
was having him pay extra to 'pass' the car while it really was
passing, or the cheap new spark plugs and cheap new air filter
(the old one was solid dirt) and two oil changes I put in
did a lot of difference. Hmm, actually the statement
'the cats were gutted a long time ago to improve performance"
makes even less sense now.

Question: is there a way to adjust the fit of the driver's
side window to the seals? I have a noisy air leak
in the lower 6 inches of the slanted part, and all I can see
is that the edge of the window is relatively firmly in the surrounding
seal, but has a space between the pane surface and the (formerly) 
fuzzy seal that it's against everwhere else.. 


TIA,
-gbr