I finally did it! vac conversion!

[Grimster]

So I have had the kit sitting here for a couple months but we've had nothing but 95+ degree days and working in my garage in that heat is just not something I want to do. So today we were forecasted for 82 as a high, and I got my swap done.

The pedal is a pain to swap, golly damn. Also the pedal went hard after the car got good and warm, I'm betting the new hose I put on the pcv isn't liking that hard bend and when it gets warm and pliable it's pinching shut, I'll get some tubing that can't collapse and redo my vac source and I think I'm good.

 

[davidf]

Wheres your vac. source coming from? I've had no hard pedal issues so far. I'm using Gbodies vacumn block for the vac. brakes. Works well.

 

[Grimster]

Wheres your vac. source coming from? I've had no hard pedal issues so far. I'm using Gbodies vacumn block for the vac. brakes. Works well.

The little tube from the top of the intake to the PCV valve.

At first I teed off right at the pcv valve but the hose had a hard turn at the top. When the car got hot the bend kinked shut.

So I moved the T to the TOP and pointed it like this:

LINE TO BRAKES=====T====HARD LINE TO THE MANIFOLD
                   |
                   |
                   P
                   C
                   V

This fixed it it seems, nowhere is tubing bent where it could get kinked up.

I took the car out 3 times today and not once did the brakes feel anything but fine. So I think I'm all good now.

 

[bmackinnon]

Gary,
That "T" configuration is exactly how Nick Micale told me to run mine....couple/three inches of hose atop the pcv, then the 'T' facing front/rear, hose to booster running behind and under coilpack.... and he's done hundreds of vac conversions.... 8 years later, perfect brakes....

 

[Grimster]

Yeah sometimes you look at something and the (wrong) solution is so obvious you just don't see the REAL solution.

I was actually in IRC describing my problem to a car buddy from another forum (Josh the owner of 67-72chevytrucks.com) when I was like "duh I know exactly why it failed today and what I did wrong". I quickly fixed it the next morning and I drove it back and forth to O'reilly's for stuff Sunday several times without a single hiccup.

The powermaster was bad about locking up one tire on "idle" situations, I ignored it a while since it was only in a parking lot it happened, till it happened when I was stopping for a light in traffic, yes, dumb dumb dumb.

Gonna drive the GN to work tomorrow, wish me luck

Edit: also I like the new feel of the brakes, while I can lock them up easily I get much better feedback than the powermaster gave, it was more... flinchy somehow, the vacs are more smooth.

 

[bmackinnon]

Gonna drive the GN to work tomorrow, wish me luck

Edit: also I like the new feel of the brakes, while I can lock them up easily I get much better feedback than the powermaster gave, it was more... flinchy somehow, the vacs are more smooth.

Good luck!! Yep... that is EXACTLY what I thought when I first converted.... waaaay more progressive..... the PM brakes were REALLY touchy and non-linear.... your results mirror mine...

Edit: We should meet up sometime... maybe for a beverage? My wife works at 801 Franklin in HSV, and I come there all the time... where in HSV are you??? PS - Noticed your sig.... I am a road racing FREAK!! Maybe I could come help crew for you sometime??? Free, of course.... I used to work on an SCCA TransAm crew during the summers in college, and helped build/race the Purdue Univ. Formula SAE car... ???

 

[Grimster]

I work near Bob Wallace and the Parkway so 801 Franklin is like a few blocks from work. Yeah meeting up for a good brew (I'm also a regular on homebrewtalk.com) is always something I'm down with Does 801 Franklin have a good selection of beer?

I haven't raced all year, just not a good year. I only have a time trial license but it's hella fun that little Rabbit may only have maybe 110 horses but with the suspension and slicks and traction it gets, it's fast around a twisty track.

 

[bmackinnon]

Does 801 Franklin have a good selection of beer?

I haven't raced all year, just not a good year. I only have a time trial license but it's hella fun that little Rabbit may only have maybe 110 horses but with the suspension and slicks and traction it gets, it's fast around a twisty track.

I've recently become somewhat of a beersnob as well... currently 801 has Old Rasputtin Imperial Stout (9%...yum..), Straight to Ale (something)'naut, and Ole Town Summer Ale on tap... also have a 'gourmet beer' menu.... so yes, they have good beer, for sure!! :biggrin: Every nite 4-6 is happy hour with $3 draft, and $5/$10 small/large plates from the bar menu... a steal, and their food is freakin' fantastic!!, by far the best in HSV.... definitely high end...let's hook it up!!

Them wascally wabbits are fast!!! and I always have loved the sciroccos.... a cooler looking wabbit...

Free the Hops WORKED!!!

 

[Grimster]

I've recently become somewhat of a beersnob as well... currently 801 has Old Rasputtin Imperial Stout (9%...yum..), Straight to Ale (something)'naut, and Ole Town Summer Ale on tap... also have a 'gourmet beer' menu.... so yes, they have good beer, for sure!! :biggrin: Every nite 4-6 is happy hour with $3 draft, and $5/$10 small/large plates from the bar menu... definitely a steal, and their food is freakin' fantastic!!, by far the best in HSV.... let's hook it up!!

Hell yeah then, what's a good night and time? Being a typical male I have no clue what is on my calendar I just wait for my wife to remind me, I do know the 9th I have to go to B'ham with her and the kid so the 9th is out, I know that much hah!

And Old Rasputin is one of my favorite beers of all time. If it weren't technically illegal I'd have some homebrew in my fridge right now that's very similar to old ras, but since Alabama still has those silly laws on the books I would never ever make illegal homebrew so of course the only thing in my fridge is some fying dog and some beer that the labels fell off of :biggrin:

 

[bmackinnon]

I have in my fridge.... Flying Dog Horn Dog Barley Wine Ale - 10.2%, Bell's Third Coast Old Ale - 10.2%, Bell's Expedition Stout -10.5%, and one last Left Hand Brewing Co. Russian Imperial Stout, 10.x%..."a black beer to brighten your day"... ...they are out of them for now... waiting on them to age so they can ship out some more.... Flying Dog also makes a good, high gravity porter, and 801 has it.....

Wife is coming back from gulf shores tomorrow, off weds, so maybe thurs or fri?? If you can get there before 6, we can eat like gods, for $10 while we're at it....

Edit: oh... I get half price too, on food.... so make that $5... haha

 

[Grimster]

I have in my fridge.... Flying Dog Horn Dog Barley Wine Ale - 10.2%, Bell's Third Coast Old Ale - 10.2%, Bell's Expedition Stout -10.5%, and one last Left Hand Brewing Co. Russian Imperial Stout, 10.x%..."a black beer to brighten your day"... ...they are out of them for now... waiting on them to age so they can ship out some more.... Flying Dog also makes a good, high gravity porter, and 801 has it.....

Wife is coming back from gulf shores tomorrow, off weds, so maybe thurs or fri?? If you can get there before 6, we can eat like gods, for $10 while we're at it....

Edit: oh... I get half price too, on food.... so make that $5... haha

Friday, before 6 should be no problem, I usually leave here about 3:30 and my wife works for the school system so she gets off at 2:45 so getting to 801 before 6 should be no problem. Thursday we're in Bham all day so there's no telling when we'll get home. So let's pencil in Friday at say 5:30? I'll have to check with the wife to make sure I don't already have other obligations of course.

Also, drove the Buick to work today, not a problem other than it needs tires and an alignment. Yay!