who uses the stock vacuum gauge

[Red68]

Who uses the stock vacuum gauge? Can it be installed in an non-vacuum gauge dash? What are the advanages of having a vacuum gauge in the cab?

[Alex Hayley]

I have one in my dash. You can install one in a non-vacuum panel however, the tin face would not have the cut out for the vacuum gauge I believe. You could track down a tin face but they are hard to come by. There might be a few other differences as well but it has been a while since I had my dash apart.

There are not main good reasons to have a vacuum gauge to watch as you drive. Perhaps if you are trying to get the best mileage you can by keeping your foot off the pedal...but looking at you engine in you signature, the gauge would not be of much use. It is nice to fill up the empty spot though in the dash.

[SS Tim]

On the bigger trucks it was installed on, it monitored the vaccuum level in the Hydro-Vac brake booster system. My D500 Dodge just uses a really annoying buzzer. Most people, I think, use them more for the "cool factor" than usefulness. However in a light duty truck they can serve as an inverse fuel flow indicator. More vaccuum more MPG. It will, if you try hard, help you use your throttle a bit more judiciously. Provided that you can watch the road and the gauge simultaneously. I'd rather have a cluster with tach and a clock, plain old analog with two hands clock!

[Red68]

Thanks for the replies, I wasnt sure if it would be useful in tuning the engine etc. Doesnt really sound like it is worth the effort.

[litew8]

The vacuum gauge can tell you a lot about your engine.
Scroll down to the graphic, select the green buttons for more info/interactivity.
http://www.secondchancegarage.com/public/186.cfm

There are ways to tune your carb. using the vacuum gauge too. There are sites out there.
Google. tune carb with vacuum gauge

.

[Husker]

I have one in mine, I like having it. I even put one in my CJ.
Ron

[Already Gone]

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[Daddy Bartholomew]

The vacuum gauge can tell you a lot about your engine.

Exactly why I installed a vacuum gauge in mine. It is also very useful for fine-tuning the carb, after all other issues have been dealt with (engine, timing, etc). Discovering where the engine vacuum is at normal cruise will allow better decisions for power spring tension, which affects jet & rod combinations. But mostly, if something goes bad, a vacuum gauge is a simple way of gaining info before it goes Very Bad.

[SS Tim]

Originally Posted by Daddy Bartholomew

Exactly why I installed a vacuum gauge in mine. It is also very useful for fine-tuning the carb, after all other issues have been dealt with (engine, timing, etc). Discovering where the engine vacuum is at normal cruise will allow better decisions for power spring tension, which affects jet & rod combinations. But mostly, if something goes bad, a vacuum gauge is a simple way of gaining info before it goes Very Bad.

I can't agree more a quality vacuum gage can be very helpful in tuning, but lets be realistic the small production (what 2 1/2"?) dash gauge is not going to indicate remotely like a professional 6" 270* sweep handheld gauge normally used for tuning and diagnostics. And often it is very small changes even on a large dial. Beyond "yep, there's vacuum sorta in the middle" the productuion gauge is an expensive decoration.

[special-K]

I have a real vacuum gauge mounted in my '72 to monitor fuel consumption. The P.O. installed it,I guess because it was set up to haul a 5th wheel camper. It is much more visible and accurate than the factory gauge intended,basically,to read high/medium/low at a glance. Mines an actual tuning gauge with color coded ranges for power/economy/idling/cruising. GM used to put gauges like this in cars in the '60s for monitoring fuel consumption and/or carb tuning. Every car should have them,if they really care about saving fuel. Just a lift of the foot and you can maintain the same speed and watch the vacuum rise. I guess they finally came up with a computerized version these days that tells you your mileage.

I have this from a Pontiac I'm going to put in my '67. I'm using an air pressure gauge for the extra hole when I put bags in the rear:

[bobs409]

I noticed these are available in repro now. Classic parts has one listed for about $50 ish. (tach's also available)

Just a heads up for anyone that is looking...

[special-K]

Here's the one that is in my '72. It mounts under the dash

[Daddy Bartholomew]

I can't agree more a quality vacuum gage can be very helpful in tuning, but lets be realistic the small production (what 2 1/2"?) dash gauge is not going to indicate remotely like a professional 6" 270* sweep handheld gauge normally used for tuning and diagnostics. And often it is very small changes even on a large dial. Beyond "yep, there's vacuum sorta in the middle" the productuion gauge is an expensive decoration.

Agreed. I went with what was once a fairly good (even though small) Autometer gauge, back in the 80s when I put it in. Good enough to register minor variations, anyway, and since it's just an early-warning system rather than a full diagnostic tool, it serves its purpose well enough. It even fits pretty well in the stock spot.

[litew8]

Originally Posted by SS Tim

I can't agree more a quality vacuum gage can be very helpful in tuning, but lets be realistic the small production (what 2 1/2"?) dash gauge is not going to indicate remotely like a professional 6" 270* sweep handheld gauge normally used for tuning and diagnostics. And often it is very small changes even on a large dial. Beyond "yep, there's vacuum sorta in the middle" the productuion gauge is an expensive decoration.

I'll take your word for it.
Mine came with the new cluster so no biggie there. Besides, it's cool to watch it nearly peg out.
Check out my videos.

Some issues can be caught/understood easier by seeing the vacuum.

[bobs409]

I just scored a vac gauge cluster from a 72 GMC 6500 series truck (was an oil delivery truck)

Think I'll put it in my 71 for a while. I never had a stock one before.

[midniteblues]

Originally Posted by bobs409

I just scored a vac gauge cluster from a 72 GMC 6500 series truck (was an oil delivery truck)

Think I'll put it in my 71 for a while. I never had a stock one before.

dag bob I stopped there one day when I was in the area and saw that dash but I didnt have any tools with me went back two days later dressed appropertily with tools and time and it was gone

that truck has a complete 351 v6 in it I didnt catch how many miles the cluster said but that engine looks clean

[hugger6933]

I have two tac/vac clusters with a line on another. I would like to have my speed warning stuff put into one of them just to add a little to the cool factor, and probably put it in my 68 GMC with the factory air, bb and buddies, power steering and power brakes and the tilt that I have added. Jim

[pritch]

Originally Posted by special-K

GM used to put gauges like this in cars in the '60s for monitoring fuel consumption and/or carb tuning. Every car should have them,if they really care about saving fuel.

We rented a Nissan while we were on vacation and it had one. It was set up as a horizontal bar, though, that went from green to orange as you made more or less vacuum. It's cool seeing them making a come back.

[bobs409]

Originally Posted by midniteblues

dag bob I stopped there one day when I was in the area and saw that dash but I didnt have any tools with me went back two days later dressed appropertily with tools and time and it was gone

that truck has a complete 351 v6 in it I didnt catch how many miles the cluster said but that engine looks clean

Sorry about that! Once in a while I get lucky. Usually I'm the one that's a day late or a dollar short. LOL Mileage on it is 113k if I recall. I got first crack at all the good stuff from those trucks. I even bought the blue/white 72 Cheyenne and the 71 Chevelle from the front of his place a few weeks ago. Parting the truck due to it only having a junk certificate but the Chevelle is too nice so might try to sell whole. This is the same place I bought the wrecker from.

[midniteblues]

bob did you get the title with the chevelle? last i known it didnt have one he promised that car too my buddy with the boyertown truck but he was looking for a title then it dissapeared.that is a sweet car for a more door.

I ran into the fellow up there that redid your seat belts as i was pulling the ones from the 72seem like a pretty cool fellow I pretty much stripped the rest of them trucks but some body got the door panels from that 72 like you said a day late,and also they cut the retract buckles off just for the boots and left the rest I hate when people ruin a great set of parts for one silly

[bobs409]

Yep, got the title for the car. They had a long wait for the title as the owner died and the state somehow or other was involved. That car is basically a one owner car however the guy signed it over to a brother or relative. I saw the title before it was sent in.

Car runs great! It probably wasn't run in a very long time as the lifters had to pump up but even the choke and fast idle worked without me doing anything. Those damn loaders though! He bent the driveshaft on it just like the wrecker. Now I'm frantically searching for one. Turns out it's specific to 4 doors, wagons and elky's. I wish they would find another way of picking up cars!!!

I got the car to save it from being parted & crushed. Planning on doing some small fix ups and resell it on ebay. I must admit, I am feeling like I'm getting a bit attached to it already though. Might have to license it for a while. LOL

The trucks, I don't bother with seat belts much as they are a major pain to unbolt. I think they were still intact last I was there. I did get the door panels. They are on ebay now. I also got the west coast mirrors from it and will be listing those soon.

[midniteblues]

thats funny you and I were there every other day getting them parts.
If you really need that shaft klingers has a schoolbus full of drive shafts just gotta measure them.

One of the reasons I went back was for them door panels
hope you do well one them they were nice.

I noticed that one truck had a brand new windsheild in it but had wiper scratches in it all ready.