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

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RotaryLvr

Not-quite-so-new-guy
Nov 22, 2022
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1984 Hurst Olds. I've got a pink vacuum tube (or that's what I think it is) just hanging on the passenger side, kind of by the coolant tank. One end goes down into the air box on the firewall, other end is hanging free. I've tried to do research on a vacuum ball behind the passenger headlight but can't find a picture. I've come close, but the picture cuts off right before where it should be. I've seen other locations mentioned for this vacuum ball as well.
What I can't figure out is where this ball should be and what other tubes go into it. I've only got the pink tube hanging. I don't have this vacuum ball and I don't know where it should be exactly. A picture and what tubes are going into it or out of it would be really beneficial. At this point, I don't even see a bracket or some sort of mounting point, but I think there should be at least something indicating where it should be...Thank you!
 

ELCAM

Royal Smart Person
Jun 19, 2021
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Not much, hope it helps.

88 Cutlass Vacuum.jpg
 

69hurstolds

Geezer
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Jan 2, 2006
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84 Hurst/Olds doesn't use an ILC. There shouldn't be any ball up by the headlights regardless of your configuration. If you have cruise, you have a vacuum ball on the driver side fenderwell. It handles both the HVAC and cruise via a T and check valve arrangement on the intake. If you don't have cruise, there's a stupid looking quonset hut looking vacuum tank on the HVAC housing only. Either way, there's no pink tube that I can recall. It's two plastic tubes for HVAC vacuum originating from under the HVAC housing over by the fan.

It's quite possible your pink may be what I call the light purple color of the HVAC vacuum control. The other is gray and goes to the hot water cutoff valve. If it's supposed to go to a ball up front, then someone has been mucking around with the car because that ain't where the factory put it.

Nothing to see here...

1677419167919.png



No cruise diagram below- which is sorta rare on H/Os. Usually they got cruise ordered, even if it was just a lot lizard dealer order.

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Here's a picture of the HVAC tubing. Does it look like THIS shade of purple/pink?

1677418027977.png




Here's a snippet from the 85 CSM. Which is exactly the same picture in the 84 CSM. ote the ball was initially going to be way forward, but ended up on the fenderwell behind the WSW tank by the time production started. They show a "cap" for #2, but this is where the purple/pink tubing taps into. GM engineers seem like they tried to be obtuse designing these systems. As if they knew something would go there, but didn't know about it or wanted to say. I only put this here in case you did find it was for your heater controls and needed to find out where it was supposed to tap into. #2 would be the tap point.

84-87 HO 442 Cruise Control Vacuum Diagram.jpg


The real deal...note the ball is "teed" in on the vacuum line going to the cruise actuator as the connector is on the back side of the ball.
1677420587572.png


Here's another look at the vacuum routing. Tap point at #2 above.

AC underhood vacuum lines.JPG




If I were to put down money on this, it's an untethered vacuum line for the HVAC.
 
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CopperNick

Comic Book Super Hero
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Feb 20, 2018
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As a question here, have you ever put a thumb over that plastic tube while the engine was running? If so did the engine change sound or note? Did you feel any suction pulling at that finger? If no, then it is a vacuum feed line that has been disconnected from a Tee or fitting, and it is probably the vacuum delivery tube to the control head for the Heater/A/C unit.

If you feel vacuum, then it can still be that vacuum delivery line that I mentioned, only it has become detached from a connection or fitting somewhere further back in the circuit.

Is the visible end of it nice and clean and straight or is it ragged and torn or look melted? Clean and straight is a sign that it is probably a disconnect; a line that popped off a connection or fitting. if torn or melted, those plastic lines get brittle due to UV exposure over time and they can melt if routed too close to an exhaust pipe.


And thanks for posting that cruise control harness diagram; been looking for one of those for a very long minute or so.



Nick
 

69hurstolds

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I posted all that not particularly for the noob, because who knows whether he’ll be back again. I posted it mainly for anyone who may be in a position that needs the info. Noob or not. Otherwise I’d want to see pics first
 
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RotaryLvr

Not-quite-so-new-guy
Nov 22, 2022
29
13
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Nick, I have not tried that check with testing the vacuum line...thank you for the suggestion!

OK, thank you all for the comments. It is much more information than I started with. I should start also, by saying this is my first H/O. I had a 77 Salon a long time ago, but never really worked on it. Daily driver for about a year. That said, I did not know that the G Bodies have this vacuum assisted HVAC system. Yes! The illustrations, pictures and copies from the manual are EXTREMELY helpful. I have read the information once and will have to read again. I am going tot ry and post some pictures I took of my car this afternoon to give an idea of what I'm dealing with. So, yes, I'm following this post...my post... as I need answers but I was performing a brake job on a 2017 Jetta to save a friend $650. I hope I can post these pictures successfully! I did take a picture of the ball on the driver side for illustrative purposes since I do have cruise, I think.
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RotaryLvr

Not-quite-so-new-guy
Nov 22, 2022
29
13
8
As I stated, this is completely new to me. I bought the car in December, didn't really drive it as it had a massive oil leak...came out of the oil sensor. I had that fixed but it took them about 4 weeks dealing with the issues. It's an old car, most shops only want new stuff. There are lots of maintenance issues. I've got an outstanding issue with the power antenna which I'm going to have to get out as well and send to Chicago to be fixed. So, baby steps!!!

One picture is in front of the coolant bottle, passenger side and one picture is in back of it, towards the firewall. The tube looks pink to me, but if there is a more educated analysis as to its color and where it belongs, I am willing to listen up! Could that really have started out as purple? Judging by how its attached with the zip tie, it looks factory.\\

Ralf
 
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69hurstolds

Geezer
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It is factory. Recall that tap point for #2 in the diagrams above? Where it says it’s capped? That’s where the end of your mystery line goes. Look on the intake behind the carburetor. You should see that vacuum connection.
 

69hurstolds

Geezer
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Jan 2, 2006
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Open your trunk and see if your car still has the service parts sticker. If so, look for K34 which is the option code for cruise. From your pics it’s obvious someone has been messing around under the hood. The ball also means cruise control. Just in case someone removed it too. None of your dampers will work with that vacuum lined disconnected.
 

DROLDS84

Master Mechanic
Feb 15, 2015
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Welcome...all good info...would be nice to see some pics of the whole car tho...you will probably have more questions and you can definitely get help here.
 
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