CUTLASS Can anyone confirm the location of a vacuum ball behind passenger headlight?

[RotaryLvr]

WOW!!! Appreciate the answers. I'll take a look tomorrow for that reattachment point on the intake, behind the carb. Always something new to learn!
Talking about questions...and answers...yes, I do have many questions on this car. I'll endeavor to post a picture of the car tomorrow from a daylight picture. Honestly, with the maintenance issues I have, I thought about flipping it. This very conversation has really helped my thoughts on keeping it! (I've got other projects I can spend time on as well 🙂)

 

[RotaryLvr]

Couldn't resist the curiosity. Did hit my head on the trunk corner, but it has K34 listed!!

 

[69hurstolds]

Bigger question is does it have G80 listed? That's limited-slip rear end, aka posi. That was what I consider a flaw in the ordering guide. It was stand-alone, a la carte option that unless you specifically added "G80" you weren't going to get it. Many dealers started using the "new" select-a-unit package ordering system. It was very similar to the different packaged option levels as GM likes to use to this day, like 1SA, 1SB, etc. Chevy used to use it on their Monte Carlos, and with each package level you got more and more junk thrown in. Oldsmobile did not back then. But G80 was never on any of those lists regardless. So odd to me.

Pictures! Post a pic of your SPID sticker in the trunk and we can decode it for you. Tell you what options came on it from the factory.

 

[CopperNick]

Six pack of pictures, second row, left pic, that line being shown is the feed from a vacuum source to the control head for the HVAC/heater in the cabin. It perfectly matches what is resident in my 85 Monte.

Second row, right pic, is your Evap canister. Two, ports, one hose runs back to the gas tank, the other either goes to the throttle plate on the carb, or to the PCV valve embedded in the rocker cover. Either beside or below those ports will be titles that tell what the port is for. The third port is either a blank or has had the nipple broken off it.

Bottom row, right pic is that vacuum ball for the cruise control. Basically it is a reservoir that keeps a little vacuum on hand JIC. If you eyeball the diagram and work back along the vacuum line you will notice the tee. What is happening is that vacuum reaches the tee and moves directly from it to its target destination. Should vacuum drop or fail, for whatever reason, the ball contains just enough negative pressure that it can keep the system working until vacuum is restored or the vehicle drops out of cruise and the driver has to take over.



Nick

 

[RotaryLvr]

Took some pictures...Unfortunately no G80 I saw, but what's weird is that there's a plug under the hood...electrical like you would find for a block heater...

 

[RotaryLvr]

I did try to find that tap in point for the violet/pink tube. That #2. So, attached is the picture I took for the point I think we are talking about, but it looks like it has a factory cap on it. So where would my hose have come from. It looks like the end is broken, but I did not find a mating broken end...unless...someone was under there, left the hose broken, removed the other broken end and put a cap on the part where the hose would have gone?? Sleuthing here...but I couldn't find the other end where the pink hose should be attached.

 

[CopperNick]

Quite possible if it snapped from old age or abuse and they didn't have a section of new tube to plug into the circuit to repair it.


Nick

 

[69hurstolds]

Yeah, K05 is on the sticker, which is your block heater option. Where the f*k did this car live prior to Atlanta? It most likely started as a northern car.

Your car is VIN 411935. This puts you after January 1, 1984 so MOST LIKELY your car came with the silver ring horn button, aka "big horn button" on the steering wheel.

There should be a body tag on the cowl right under the driver wiper arm. Look in upper LH corner and there's two numbers followed by a number, could be something like 01B or 02A or some crap like that. Look close, it's up under the lower windshield trim. You'll likely need a flashlight. It also has "W40" for the (H/O option) stamped on it. It's a Fisher Body tag. That two number, one letter code is the scheduled build month/week for your car. Build month/year is also on the driver door jamb safety decal, if it's still on there.

 

[69hurstolds]

Yup, that cap is where you would tap that purple line into. You can always get some small rubber hose (GM replacement vacuum line is a rubber hose.) They didn't sell replacement plastic tubing, although you probably could find some if you wanted. Key is, you NEED that vacuum.

 

[CopperNick]

Think that the factory plugged that heater socket into that water jacket port almost by default. It saved the cost of the sixth frost plug and thus saved money.

As for the vacuum hose, that can be bought by the foot in bulk or you can buy some kind of kit, like the one for the windershield water hoses and just use the hose from that. The main difference between standard small dia hose and the genuine HD vacuum stuff is the wall thickness of the hose and the fact that it is typically marked on the outer casing as being meant for use with vacuum. Any franchise auto part store should offer it; worst comes to worst, can even check out Wally World.

Nick