I'm looking for some vacuum line assemblies for a '84 T/A - the sets that control the EGR, AIR and heat riser valves. Went to the dealer today for them and he told me they were discontinued

Can anyone out there recommend a place that repros these or has old dealer stock? I'd rather not try to make a homebrew set as I know mine will look and work like c**p.....

Thanks!

 

If you're talking about 7/32 and 5/32 vacuume lines that are pre-molded, I think you might be out of luck. Ask your dealer about UPI. It's a company that buys old GM stock and contracts through the dealers specializing in old GM discontinued parts. I've purchased several "discontinued" items from them through my local dealer. I believe you can also order from them directly if you choose to. See your dealer for details.

If that fails, you can always try a hard line vacuume tube with splitter elbows to replace the old rubber pre-molded lines. Most auto parts stores carry the hard line vacuume tubes in large rolls ready to cut. You can always heat it slightly with a heat gun and bend it to your specifications.

That's the problem with 3rd gens now. More and more items are being dropped by GM and the "aftermarket" is still being ignorant in picking up the market on these cars. Undoubtedly, there is lots of money to be made with a much neglected (3rd gen) market. What a shame!

 

Right, those are the lines I mean. Instead of rubber they're semiflexible plastic with rubber elbows/plugs on the ends.

Ah, I was afraid of that. That they'd be in the grey area between 'discontinued' and 'reproed'. I'll check back with the dealer tho about UPI but I have a feeling the dealer won't know anything about them and that I may have to just deal with UPI myself

 

That's not the kind of thing that makes sense to get from the dealer.

I got every kind of end I needed to outfit my entire car a couple of months ago at CSK, in the Help line. Auto Zone carrries it too as well as Advance and a bunch of the other chains. Just get the bulk plastic line, and the right fittings, and make your own.

Some things you should get only from the dealer. This is not one of them.

 

And to expound upon RB's suggestion, industrial suppliers will have hard nylon tubing in various sizes and multiple colors if you really want something special. Cut it to the desired length, then heat the necessary area with a heat gun or hair drier, bend it to the desired shape, and allow it to cool. Custom hard vacuum lines made to order...

 

Okay. Let me try to clarify what I was trying to say in my previous post. I thought I explained it thoroughly. Unfortunately, others may not have read it COMPLETELY and think it didn't make any SENSE in what I suggested.

David, if you're just looking for the "hard" vacuume plastic lines with 90-degree 5/32(?) rubber elbows, try any autoparts store. If that fails, any industrial supplier should have what you're looking for like Vader suggested. When you go to any good autoparts store, the hard line tubing generally comes in a huge surplus roll which usually resides inside a large endcap fixture on the store floor for DIY'ers to pull and cut what they need. Some places may have it "behind" the counter and cut it for you so it depends on the particular store. All of the local autoparts stores around me carry this type of plastic "hard" line tubing out on the sales floor. Depending on your location, it shouldn't be too hard to find a autoparts store that stocks this this kind of vacuume tubing.

I've seen some cars that use pre-bent 7/32 and 5/32 RUBBER vacuume tubing in some applications. It is THIS type of vacuume line that I SUGGESTED you may have to go to the DEALER for. However, most people just use standard (autoparts store) vacuume lines, rubber or plastic, to replace these lines as well. However, I'm also kind of picky when it comes to these kinds of things as well so I realize your frustration in making it look factory right/correct.

Goodluck!

 

Ah, ok- I was under the impression that the assembly was molded together. That is, the flexible rubber elbows and the 'plugs' connecting the hard lines to the vacuum switches can't be seperated from the hard lines (at least not without destroying something) - that they were fused to the hard lines somehow.

Are the hard plastic lines removable from the molded flexible rubber fittings?

 

Yes.

The rubber fittings are NOT "molded on" and can be easily removed from the plastic lines.

Gently PULL on the fitting while slowly TWISTING it to remove the elbow from the hard plastic vacuume line.

It's as simple as that. LOL!


Hope this helps.

 

Oh, man- it helps a LOT- thanks! I'll check into getting the rubber elbows then.

When installing the new elbows though do I need any sort of glue/sealant, or do they just press in place?

Thanks!

 

I've used gasket shellac to help hold them in place and seal them. Most of what I've found is either black or very dark brown, so it blends in quite nicely and looks very "factory".

 

I Hate bringing this thread back from the dead but does anyone have any contact info for UPI?

 

UPI" Who/what is that? A little more information, and I can probably find it/them for you.

 

Just going by what I read...