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Topic: Vaccum System, Not Wiring....

in Forum: C3 Electrical

Vaccum System, Not Wiring....

Posted: 3/18/15 7:20pm Message 1 of 9
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Edmonds, WA - USA
Joined: 9/21/2014
Posts: 46
Vette(s): 1980. Black with T-Tops.
So I got a new set of hoses for my vacuum system from Bair's......fantastic service from those folks! I am looking at the system under the hood and see something odd. It looks like, up near the nose of the car, a large coffee can painted black, is incorporated into the system. Is this a standard piece of equipment that just looks like a coffee can or did some shade tree mechanic work some magic with a coffee can?


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Re: Vaccum System, Not Wiring....

Posted: 3/19/15 3:10am Message 2 of 9
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WEST SENECA, NY - USA
Joined: 12/3/2001
Posts: 2379
Vette(s): 1981 Blue Ice Met. w/pearl ghost flames TKO500 5speed. LS1 Swap 3.45 Dana 44.
Yup, that is a factory piece. It's a headlight vacuum storage can. Kind of cheesy looking imo. You'd think GM would have had a higher tech looking vacuum reservoir on America's only sports car back then. 



GEN III 5.7L "LS6" Engine swap
TKO500 5 spd.
3.54 Dana 44
'69 "N11" Sidepipes
Borgeson Steering Box
Born 8/1981
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Re: Vaccum System, Not Wiring....

Posted: 3/19/15 9:37am Message 3 of 9
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Duncanville, TX - USA
Joined: 11/8/2003
Posts: 20214
Vette(s): #1-1974 L-48 4spd Cp Med Red Metallic/Black deluxe int w/AC/tilt/tele./p/w-p/b/ Am-Fm/map light National/Regional/Chapter NCRS "Top Flight" #2-1985 Bright Red/Carmine Cp.L-98/auto Member: NCRS, NCRS Texas, Corvette Legends of Texas
GM was the prevalent maker using the coffee can vacuum reservoirs,  but Ferd & Chrysler used them, too. Cheap, and light weight...what could possibly go wrong? LOL
Most common issue with them is rust on the inside. Rust causes pinholes. Can't fix them because the dang things are so thin; welding melts them, epoxies won't hold because of the expansion/contraction thing, and sillycone gets sucked right inside. Only thing you can do with one that is damaged is replace it. That's when it would be good to have a friend at Folgers....LOL


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Re: Vaccum System, Not Wiring....

Posted: 3/19/15 11:21am Message 4 of 9
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WEST SENECA, NY - USA
Joined: 12/3/2001
Posts: 2379
Vette(s): 1981 Blue Ice Met. w/pearl ghost flames TKO500 5speed. LS1 Swap 3.45 Dana 44.
That's probably what is wrong with mine. The override used to work. Now it don't. I like using that feature so when I give 'er a bath I can wash the headlights off. I have all new hoses, actuators and relays. My luck is there is a pin hole in it. I see they are reproduced, so maybe I'll just go buy a new one.



GEN III 5.7L "LS6" Engine swap
TKO500 5 spd.
3.54 Dana 44
'69 "N11" Sidepipes
Borgeson Steering Box
Born 8/1981
Sequence #3975




Click here to see more pics of my Vette on CarDomain.


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Re: Vaccum System, Not Wiring....

Posted: 3/19/15 3:08pm Message 5 of 9
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Ash Fork, AZ - USA
Joined: 4/18/2007
Posts: 1058
Vette(s): 1981 Red Interior White exterior
Adams' Apple said: GM was the prevalent maker using the coffee can vacuum reservoirs,  but Ferd & Chrysler used them, too. Cheap, and light weight...what could possibly go wrong? LOL
Most common issue with them is rust on the inside. Rust causes pinholes. Can't fix them because the dang things are so thin; welding melts them, epoxies won't hold because of the expansion/contraction thing, and sillycone gets sucked right inside. Only thing you can do with one that is damaged is replace it. That's when it would be good to have a friend at Folgers....LOL


bad news.  Folgers cans are plastic now!


|UPDATED|3/19/2015 3:08:50 PM (AZT)|/UPDATED|



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Re: Vaccum System, Not Wiring....

Posted: 3/19/15 6:17pm Message 6 of 9
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Lemon Grove, CA - USA
Joined: 10/17/2007
Posts: 2041
Vette(s): 1982 C3 Collectors Edition 44000 miles, sat in the sun most of its life, My wife purchased it for me for Father's Day in 2007 from her girlfriend that had it for 19 years. It is on the road again. I'm retired but it is now my daily driver.
Yes but paint cans are not and are the same size.  But you are better of just replacing it now that they are made.


Re: Vaccum System, Not Wiring....

Posted: 3/19/15 6:39pm Message 7 of 9
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Edmonds, WA - USA
Joined: 9/21/2014
Posts: 46
Vette(s): 1980. Black with T-Tops.
Thanks for all the replies....so it was a shade tree engineer not a shade tree mechanic! I am going to replace the hoses and if the lights still don't pop up I will replace the can....through Bair's....they have been treating me right.


Re: Vaccum System, Not Wiring....

Posted: 3/20/15 1:14pm Message 8 of 9
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Gig Harbor, WA - USA
Joined: 10/2/2014
Posts: 405
Vette(s): 1973 L82 4 Speed Coupe - Very original, well documented driver/survivor. 2016 Bend Regional NCRS Top Flight.
Hey Ernie, sent you an e-mail a few weeks back. I'm fairly near by if you ever run into any problems. Drop me a line if you ever need any assistance !! John


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Duct tape is the new Black !!

Re: Vaccum System, Not Wiring....

Posted: 3/20/15 8:26pm Message 9 of 9
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Edmonds, WA - USA
Joined: 9/21/2014
Posts: 46
Vette(s): 1980. Black with T-Tops.
Vman73 said: Hey Ernie, sent you an e-mail a few weeks back. I'm fairly near by if you ever run into any problems. Drop me a line if you ever need any assistance !! John



I will check my msgs on this site....not sure if I can find it if it was an email. erniedebella@comcast.net

|UPDATED|3/20/2015 8:26:49 PM (AZT)|/UPDATED|



in Forum: C3 Electrical


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