Dash heat/ac control and vacuum line repair

[patrick flowers]

I've had my instrument panel open since the weekend for a few
alterations and repairs. Got a wild hare last night and pulled the
heat/ac control unit out. The controls were stiff and nearly
non-functional and I wondered how tuff it would be to fix. These
controls are nearly impossible to replace(IIRC, possible donors are
early 70's Buicks, but the vacuum discs on the back are unique) and I
was concerned that, if I got heavy-handed on the lever one day, a pivot
would break.

Short version of this story is that, with the back cover off the
instrument panel, the control was a piece of cake to remove.
Disassembly was straightforward(take good notes or pictures - the
digital camera came in real handy) and turns out the only thing wrong
with mine was dried-up grease. At the expense of a dimes worth of
mineral spirits and white lithium grease, it now works like a new one.
Total time to complete was around 30 minutes.

Now for my question - while reinstalling my air compressor Saturday, I
noticed that the little purple vacuum control line that runs along the
driver's side of the heater box had been pinched with a tear in it about
2 inches long. Any suggestions for repair or where I might find vacuum
tubing that small?

Thanks!
Patrick
- --
Patrick Flowers
Mailtoatri63

The GMC Motorhome Page
http://www.gmcmotorhome.com

 

[richard guthart]

Patrick,

Is that little purple line made out of rigid nylon or plastic? (I can't recall.)

If so, couldn't you just cut out the damaged section and press the ends of the
remaining line into a short piece of rubber vacuum tubing?

Some Mercedes models of 1980's vintage had rigid vacuum lines running all over
the vehicle to control door locks. The lengths were joined with rubber elbows,
etc.

Richard

- -----Original Message-----
From: Patrick Flowers
To: gmcmotorhome
Date: Thursday, February 25, 1999 8:30 AM
Subject: GMC: Dash heat/ac control and vacuum line repair

>..............Now for my question - while reinstalling my air compressor
Saturday, I
>noticed that the little purple vacuum control line that runs along the
>driver's side of the heater box had been pinched with a tear in it about
>2 inches long. Any suggestions for repair or where I might find vacuum
>tubing that small?
>
>Thanks!
>Patrick
>--
>Patrick Flowers
>Mailtoatri63
>
>The GMC Motorhome Page
>http://www.gmcmotorhome.com
>

 

[patrick flowers]

>
> Is that little purple line made out of rigid nylon or plastic? (I can't recall.)

Well, it's a rigid plastic. Probably nylon due to the age, don't
think the rigid poly's were available in the 70's(could be wrong tho')

> If so, couldn't you just cut out the damaged section and press the ends of the
> remaining line into a short piece of rubber vacuum tubing?

Yep - I've thought of several methods to splice, but access to both ends
is easy enough(with the rear cover off the dash). Might just replace
the whole thing, but then I'd lose the color code.

Thanks!
Patrick
- --
Patrick Flowers
Mailtoatri63

The GMC Motorhome Page
http://www.gmcmotorhome.com

 

[patrick flowers]

>
> Try almost any auto parts store. I have purchased it at the local Pep Boys
> store. You can also buy a splice hose that will slip over the cut ends. I
> used a couple of these when mice chewed through the plastic tubes.

Thanks Emery! I knew that someone had "been there before". I'll check
with the usual places.

Patrick
- --
Patrick Flowers
Mailtoatri63

The GMC Motorhome Page
http://www.gmcmotorhome.com