Project car vacuum lines.
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Heel & Toe
Joined: Oct 2018
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Project car vacuum lines.
Hello, I have an anniversary model of the 78. The previous owner has allowed it to sit and rot for the past 20 years. So now 1 of the issues that I have to deal with is the giant web of dry rotted vacuum hoses and rusted through emissions system. My question to day is this, are all of the vacuum lines the same diameter? If they are it would make my life 100% easier and faster to just by a 40ft length and call it good. Now if it is the case that they are not all the same, does anyone have a list of the different sizes I will need? I'm just trying to avoid 30 trips to the auto parts shop.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 2,365
Likes: 428
From: Cape Girardeau Missouri
Hello, I have an anniversary model of the 78. The previous owner has allowed it to sit and rot for the past 20 years. So now 1 of the issues that I have to deal with is the giant web of dry rotted vacuum hoses and rusted through emissions system. My question to day is this, are all of the vacuum lines the same diameter? If they are it would make my life 100% easier and faster to just by a 40ft length and call it good. Now if it is the case that they are not all the same, does anyone have a list of the different sizes I will need? I'm just trying to avoid 30 trips to the auto parts shop.
If you do get your own hoses be aware that outside diameter sometimes matter--most notably at the headlamp vacuum relays.
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There are a number of different sizes used. I suggest the kits from Doc Rebuild. Everything cut to length, color coded like the originals and fit just like the originals. The kits also come with tees and clamps.
If you do get your own hoses be aware that outside diameter sometimes matter--most notably at the headlamp vacuum relays.
If you do get your own hoses be aware that outside diameter sometimes matter--most notably at the headlamp vacuum relays.
Buy the hose kit from Doc and save yourself some headaches. The hose kits also include all the smaller command side hoses. The color coding is extremely helpful, particularly 5 or 10 years down the road when you have to fix another vacuum issue.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 2,365
Likes: 428
From: Cape Girardeau Missouri
Note that there are a number of hose kits: Headlamps, Vapor Canister/PCV, Emissions, Cruise Control, HVAC. The only vacuum hoses not included in those kits are a little short one on the transmission at the modulator valve (auto only) to the power brake booster. The HVAC lines are of a different material, use a different connection method and seem to last much longer than the others. I would not replace them unless you confirm leaks.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2016
Posts: 3,193
Likes: 184
From: Central Bucks County, Pennsylvania
OP brings up a good point. On a sort of related situation, just last week I noticed dry rotted fuel lines on my tractor. Replacement hose at The auto parts stores was $1.80/ft, but online I found a good quality reinforced flex fuel hose in the same diameter for just 0.38 per ft. for a 25 ft spool. That’s about how much I wanted at the parts store anyway.
Now back to the issue at hand. I want to replace whatever vacuum hoses may look too old on my ‘vette, but after reading this post I’m game to replacing everything under the hood if I can get everything at once in one kit and it’s color coded with proper diagrams.
I went to the Doc’s website but I didn’t see any complete kits. You can buy individual lines for each thing that needs a vacuum line but nothing resembling a worthwhile “kit” or any “Set.” Is there something I’m missing?
Rich
Now back to the issue at hand. I want to replace whatever vacuum hoses may look too old on my ‘vette, but after reading this post I’m game to replacing everything under the hood if I can get everything at once in one kit and it’s color coded with proper diagrams.
I went to the Doc’s website but I didn’t see any complete kits. You can buy individual lines for each thing that needs a vacuum line but nothing resembling a worthwhile “kit” or any “Set.” Is there something I’m missing?
Rich
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 2,365
Likes: 428
From: Cape Girardeau Missouri
OP brings up a good point. On a sort of related situation, just last week I noticed dry rotted fuel lines on my tractor. Replacement hose at The auto parts stores was $1.80/ft, but online I found a good quality reinforced flex fuel hose in the same diameter for just 0.38 per ft. for a 25 ft spool. That’s about how much I wanted at the parts store anyway.
Now back to the issue at hand. I want to replace whatever vacuum hoses may look too old on my ‘vette, but after reading this post I’m game to replacing everything under the hood if I can get everything at once in one kit and it’s color coded with proper diagrams.
I went to the Doc’s website but I didn’t see any complete kits. You can buy individual lines for each thing that needs a vacuum line but nothing resembling a worthwhile “kit” or any “Set.” Is there something I’m missing?
Rich
Now back to the issue at hand. I want to replace whatever vacuum hoses may look too old on my ‘vette, but after reading this post I’m game to replacing everything under the hood if I can get everything at once in one kit and it’s color coded with proper diagrams.
I went to the Doc’s website but I didn’t see any complete kits. You can buy individual lines for each thing that needs a vacuum line but nothing resembling a worthwhile “kit” or any “Set.” Is there something I’m missing?
Rich
