Vacuum hoses messed up

[qside]

I am a new owner of a 1966 Tbird convertible. It runs, drives and stops as it should. As I am trying to get various vacuum driven items to work (door locks, parking brake, heat...) I noticed that I have no vacuum in any of the lines. So I traced all the lines and it appears that they loop to each other but none attach to the manifold. I have included pictures of where I believe the vacuum hose should attach to the manifold. (red arrow) If someone can confirm this for me before I do harm. Thanks

 

[Yadkin]

I have a 64 hardtop with no options so my vacuum system may be different, but I can still give you some advice.

The brass fittings that you show in the fitting- if they are original, don't be concerned that you have to connect every port. The largest one looks like it's your PCV system. The next largest (probably 3/8" hose) should go directly to the power brake assist. The third largest (1/4"?) goes through a check valve, then vacuum accumulator, then the firewall into the interior. There it splits to the parking brake release and the two rear deck motors that open that vent. If you have AC then it also feeds the heat and AC controls. If you have power locks then those hare vacuum controlled too. Last, you may have other hoses depending on the options that you have.

The accumulator is so that your power locks work after the engine shuts off. Note the check valve in that line.

Test all these for leaks and fix them. Apparently the previous owner didn't want to so looped the hoses. The engine will run terrible with a vacuum leak.

The vacuum port at the base of the carburetor, passenger side front, should go directly to the distributor vacuum advance.

 

[qside]

So just so I understand, I should remove the black cap (as depicted in my picture with a red arrow) and that is where the vacuum lines that go through the canisters and firewall, etc connect. I understand the connections and purpose of the canisters and hoses from there on. I have traced them through the firewall, replaced and reconnected what was necessary. I was just not getting any vacuum and discovered that they were not connected to the manifold.
The car actually runs beautifully... Just all the gauges, lights and functions are messed up. Previous owners taking short-cuts.
Thanks

 

[Yadkin]

No keep that port plugged unless you find out that you need it. It is common to have unused ports, again, depending on what options need them.

 

[qside]

well thats the only place left for me to hook up the vacuum system. One goes to the brake, one to the PCV system, one dives down deep... maybe to the transmission? Neutral switch? That leaves only the capped port to use for my other vacuum driven functions.

FYI: the line with check valve is actually one of the lines that is looped together. It does not have a connection to the manifold at this time.

 

[Yadkin]

I forgot about the transmission- yes that gets connected to the manifold port as well, the vacuum modulator.

I believe that the accumulator supplies the cabin vacuum. This is so stuff works after the engine is shut down. This does the E-brake release, the vacuum motors to the rear window vent, AC controls, and the door locks (may be others depending on options). The E-brake release is connected through a valve in the neutral safety switch.

 

[qside]

so that leaves that capped port as the only one left for connection to the line to the accumulator. I need to open the unconnected loop and attach it to the capped port. Once I get a vacuum then I can get the rest to work.

 

[Yadkin]

Your second picture shows the accumulator, a line going back to the port through a check valve. I assumed that was already connected.

Use a vacuum tester on each part so you know it works. Otherwise troubleshooting becomes a nightmare.

 

[Yadkin]

By the way all those black phosphate body bolts and screws, that is a factory finish, similar to Parkerizing, developed for firearms back during WW2. It is a porous finish that will last forever as long as they have a tiny amount of oil saturated into the molecule deep finish. Clean them with detergent and a toothbrush, dry them with compressed air then resaturate with WD-40. After a day or so wipe off excess. Do this annually and they will look new.

 

[qside]

Thanks for all your help. I will let you how it works out on the weekend

 

[stubbie]

It looks like you have a splitter to the rear of your engine under the vac can for the door locks. Is that correct? There should be a line that runs from your brake booster to that brass block on the engine. There should be a line that runs from the brake booster to your transmission. If you only have the single output from the brake booster then one of the lines from the brass block should go to the transmission. From the brass block one line goes to the vac can on the inner fender with a check valve. That line should split and go down and through the bottom of the firewall. From there I think it splits into smaller size pipe and goes to the neutral safety switch and beyond. There should also be a pipe from that brass fitting that runs to the vac can on the firewall for the door locks. There should be a small pipe that runs from the vac can on the fender through a rubber grommet at the top of the firewall. I think that goes to the temp control on the AC.

 

[stubbie]

Door lock vacuum reg under dash
http://www.tbirdforum.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=771&stc=1&d=1507769452