Vacuum is Dead; Long Live Vacuum!
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 2,979
Likes: 332
From: Woodinville WA
Vacuum is Dead; Long Live Vacuum!
So, if someone had a super optioned out 3,600+ lb late model C3 (theoretically of course), what all would they need to do to fully get rid of vacuum operated accessories and the tank?
I'm not looking for pros and cons regarding vacuum and why you'd want to keep it or get rid of it; just a laundry list of what would be required to actually do it. I think about all that I have planned for my 79 between now and the end of it's 40 year birthday on Dec 31, 2019 and I wonder what it would take.
Again, if you're starting with a C3 with every option selected that could possibly use vacuum what would you have to get rid of?
The smog crud except for the manifold is off my car already and headers are planned. I'm doing an EFI conversion with ignition control this winter so carb and distributor are gone. I'd love to do the electric headlight conversion.
Does this mean the only remaining items I'd have to deal with are windshied wipers and a hydro conversion for the power brakes to have a fully vacuum accessory free 79?
(Every time I think removing all vacuum stuff is plausible I discover something else using this ancient technology.)
Adam
I'm not looking for pros and cons regarding vacuum and why you'd want to keep it or get rid of it; just a laundry list of what would be required to actually do it. I think about all that I have planned for my 79 between now and the end of it's 40 year birthday on Dec 31, 2019 and I wonder what it would take.
Again, if you're starting with a C3 with every option selected that could possibly use vacuum what would you have to get rid of?
- Headlight: Vacuum to Electric conversion
- Power Brakes: Remove power brakes or go Hydro conversion off of the power steering pump
- Windshield wiper: vacuum to electric conversion
- "something" (I'm a newb, remember?) with the carburetor
- *something* (newb) with the smog pump thingy A.I.R. ??
- Distributor swap
- ????
The smog crud except for the manifold is off my car already and headers are planned. I'm doing an EFI conversion with ignition control this winter so carb and distributor are gone. I'd love to do the electric headlight conversion.
Does this mean the only remaining items I'd have to deal with are windshied wipers and a hydro conversion for the power brakes to have a fully vacuum accessory free 79?
(Every time I think removing all vacuum stuff is plausible I discover something else using this ancient technology.)
Adam
Last edited by NewbVetteGuy; Jun 23, 2016 at 01:36 PM.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 2,979
Likes: 332
From: Woodinville WA
(I have to replace the distributor anyway as a part of the EFI control conversion; but still good to understand.)
Adam
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 2,979
Likes: 332
From: Woodinville WA
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 2,979
Likes: 332
From: Woodinville WA
What does "air handling" mean exactly (I've got a rough mental definition but not a precise one)?
What would be involved in converting this over to something other than vacuum? (say a teeny tiny steam engine mounted in the glove box)
Adam
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Le Mans Master
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From: Saskatoon Saskatchewan
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 2,979
Likes: 332
From: Woodinville WA
If I'm getting so close to being vacuum free, I'd love to pull a Mortal Combat and "Finish Him!" I want to see my Vette updated to modern technology for it's 40th birthday and part of that, to me anyway, involves removing it's old technology. -I admit, I'm just ideologically against vacuum.
This air conditioning hurdle might just be too much for me, though.
There's no way in heck I'm doing without air conditioning; it might weigh 58 lbs, it might rob a ton of HP when it runs, it might make my L82 engine heat problems even worse, but I'm a civilized person and it's 2016 so it's staying. ;-)
Adam
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2016
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From: Woodinville WA
http://shop.docrebuild.com/images/pr...il/DROOPY2.GIF
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 6,397
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From: Saskatoon Saskatchewan
I'm no mechanic either, but this diagram clearly showing vacuum lines running to the windshield wiper motor, countless threads here talking about the windshield wipers being run via vacuum, and a couple of threads on doing a C3 vacuum to electric conversion for wiper motors convinces me that the car's wipers probably run off engine vacuum.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2016
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From: Woodinville WA
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 878
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From: Deep South Denmark
That's the advantage of them, that and being cheap.
Last edited by Danish Shark; Jun 23, 2016 at 02:18 PM.
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 884
Likes: 128
From: Rhine Georgia
I may get flamed for this but.....
My car is a southern car and I dont even have a heater core connected. I have my AC system where everything goes to the dash vents always. So no vacuum is needed to change zones. If I ever have a windshield fog problem (no problem so far) a bottle of "No Fog" will be used. Someday I may make it a correct system but for my needs it works fine.
My car is a southern car and I dont even have a heater core connected. I have my AC system where everything goes to the dash vents always. So no vacuum is needed to change zones. If I ever have a windshield fog problem (no problem so far) a bottle of "No Fog" will be used. Someday I may make it a correct system but for my needs it works fine.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 2,979
Likes: 332
From: Woodinville WA
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 2,979
Likes: 332
From: Woodinville WA
I may get flamed for this but.....
My car is a southern car and I dont even have a heater core connected. I have my AC system where everything goes to the dash vents always. So no vacuum is needed to change zones. If I ever have a windshield fog problem (no problem so far) a bottle of "No Fog" will be used. Someday I may make it a correct system but for my needs it works fine.
My car is a southern car and I dont even have a heater core connected. I have my AC system where everything goes to the dash vents always. So no vacuum is needed to change zones. If I ever have a windshield fog problem (no problem so far) a bottle of "No Fog" will be used. Someday I may make it a correct system but for my needs it works fine.
-Is the vacuum just used when you switch from one function to another? (ex: Heat to AC?) --I still don't understand what the vacuum is actually used for in relation to the AC...
Adam