Replacing vacuum lines/hoses

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Jan 13, 2014 | 12:57 AM

Junior Junior

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From: NEPA

Replacing vacuum lines/hoses

Hey guys, just wondering if anyone here has ever done a total makeover on their 300 l6's vacuum lines, any tips you might have for the procedure and what diameter hose you used to do it.

I'm having all kinds of vacuum trouble lately with my '82 and definitely want to replace all of them one by one, but I have no idea if anything on the market is close to being as thin as the color-coded stock plastic lines (or if that strictly matters, even).

Any help in the right direction is appreciated, especially from those that have done something like this before. Thanks!

Jan 13, 2014 | 05:04 AM

KsCop

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From: Haysville, KS

I just went through my whole system. While I did a computer delete and converted some systems to vacuum control, the end result was fewer vacuum lines.

That being said, this is what I had:

1/4" Vacuum line from carburetor bowl vent to EVAP
3/6" Vacuum line from Upper Port on PCV Valve to EVAP Purge
1/4" Vacuum line from Lower Port on PCV Valve to Intake Manifold
1/8" Vacuum line from Intake Vacuum source to Air Cleaner valve
1/8" Vacuum line from Ported Vacuum source to Ported Thermal Vacuum valve. Also 1/8" line from that valve to the EVAP Purge valve control

Bottom line; if you get 1/4, 3/16 and 1/8 lines in sufficient quantity, you should be good to go. Don't forget to put any thermal valves, restrictors, or solenoids back in line where they were. Also, if you have computer control, you'll have some vacuum 'hard lines' to deal with as well (EGR comes to mind)

Hope that helps..

Jan 13, 2014 | 01:03 PM

Dorsai

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From: Johns Creek GA

It's pretty straightforward - as KsCop says, just get a bunch of the right diameters (you can always bring some pieces to the parts store and they'll give you matching hose) and get to it. I've been slowly replacing all my vacuum lines on my '80 F-150 as I do work on it, and I've never found any reason not to use bog-standard line from NAPA - it replaces the original plastic just fine. And as a bonus, the last batch I replaced fixed an intermittent idle miss that I'd never been able to track down.

Last edited by Dorsai; Jan 13, 2014 at 01:03 PM. Reason: Speeling & grammer

Jan 13, 2014 | 03:33 PM

KsCop

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From: Haysville, KS

Btw I was wrong on the 1/8
It's 5/32

Jan 17, 2014 | 05:39 AM

Junior Junior

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From: NEPA

Perfect information. Thank you so much, guys. One question, though - are those hose sizes for the outside or inside diameter? I've never dealt with vacuum hose before so I just want to be perfectly clear before ordering anything.