Collapsed vac line to boost gauge...what can i do?

Mike Manzo

Registered User
I remember when this happened...It was when my balancer snapped and we were trying to start the car and it just stuck right over 10in vac. I thought it meant something else and started screaming on the boards...WTF does that mean!!!

Anyway, after realizing that it was only the gauge, line or something like that, I finally went under the dash, disconnected it at the vac "T" that separates the line going to the engine to the line going to the cluster and there was no hissing and the engine RPM didnt change, etc. Disconnect it from the engine itself and its a different story. When disconnecting the line, the boost gauge hits 0..straight up...When reconnecting, the gauge somewhat moves from time to time. I have yet to get really technical and spring for a vac tester, but I am hooking my aftermarket gauge to it to make sure...

Five Star says that the exact line has been discontinued, which sucks, but I would assume for a simple boost gauge that this could be a simple fix.

The only problem that I see is how to "adapt" the nipple on the intake to something that will mate with the tubing for either a vac line to the stock gauge, or more importantly, the vac line to my new boost gauge.

I dont want to have to drill any holes in anything, but seeing that I can get spares of the upper intake on Ebay, thats not COMPLETELY out of the question...But I would rather not...

Is there any way to MacGyver something together for this or does anyone have an SC parts car that they would be willing to rip this sucker out for me...

Not the half that goes to the gauge..the long ****er that goes through the firewall and into the fenderwell, bla bla...

Thanks...
 
Mike,

Go to your local auto parts store and get some vac line (maybe 10 feet so you will be able to cut it) and get a T fitting. Hook the line to the fitting on the plenum, run it through the firewall (many places) then T it off under the dash, run one to your gauge and one to your other gauge. Its pretty easy to do.

Just like running power wire through the firewall for a stereo system. There is a hole above the brake pedal.
 
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The problem is...

How to attach it to the intake...I already have a way to fish it through (thanks to the alarm) and was going to see what the store has for vac line. I have tubing, but the rubber connector is what I lack. I hope they sell something close to the rubber connector to make the install easier.

Im sure I could jam something on there or cannibalize the existing connector, but I would rather be assured that there is no real leak there so I can correctly monitor vac for various reasons.

I dont want to be hunting down a potential vac leak and have it be the tube and I also dont want to think that it is the tube and actually have a vac leak...

Im kinda drunk, and what I just typed sounded like what the voice said inside my head...

Thanks!!!

Mike
 
Mike, where in the line is the damaged portion ? Many of the seem to go close to where it passes through the firewall. This happened to mine a few years ago, so we just took some small diameter rubber vacuum hose that fit tightly over the stock nylon tubing, and spliced in a section of the rubber.


cheers
Ed Nicholson
SCCoO
 
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