1979 Seville vacuum hose question...

[Driver8]

Hi everyone,

question...

I am doing some work on my '79 Seville, I had a scare last Sept on the road with an alternator/generator fire. So while repairing now, I decided to restore most of the OEM look/equipment under the hood.

I previously had an open 'performance' air cleaner and now have an original OEM Cadillac Seville air cleaner assembly to put back. It has a vacuum nipple on the underside in the back. Does anybody know where it should connect to?  I have all the manuals, etc for my car but cannot find this in any diagram at all.

Also, so far, I have not been able to locate the correct/original metal air pipe on ebay, etc. that comes of the valve cover breather to the air cleaner driver side, but I will use grommets & large reinforced hose as a last resort if I dont soon stumble upon the proper metal pipe. I assume a small breather filter should go on the end of it inside the wall of the air cleaner housing, but maybe someone can verify.

BTW... when I get done with things, I'll post some new before/after pics for everyone to check out the job

Any help much appreciated, Mark~

ps: To Bruce Roe... while I am in there tinkering around, YES I am throwing in a new set of O-rings & seals on the EFI system to keep leaks/fires away & your tweaked Seville EFI computers & home-made sensors are running beautifully

[TJ Hopland]

There should be something here for that breather pipe.   425/455 would have different dimensions than your 350 but anything 403 or below should be the same basic size.

http://www.fusickautomotiveproducts.com/products.asp?dept=347

Only extra fitting I can remember in the air cleaner housing was for the vacuum air ride compressors.   Maybe your housing came from an earlier model that had the vacuum compressor?   79 I assume had/has an electric compressor that had an integral inlet filter on it.  The vacuum compressors had an air intake hose that went to the air cleaner so it used the main filter as the filter.

[Driver8]

Thanks much for the reply. This is a good link, not only for the air pipe I need, but looks like I have a new place to dig around too.

And you may be right, I do have an electric compressor and it might be that the air cleaner assembly I found was from a '78 Seville. I know the '77 def had the gold lid. I just can't remember if the '79 actually does have that hose fitting underneath, been years since I would have seen that.

I will move forward and see how it all goes. Thanks again for your help!

mark~

[bcroe]

I previously had an open 'performance' air cleaner and now have an original OEM Cadillac Seville air cleaner assembly to put back. It has a vacuum nipple on the underside in the back. Does anybody know where it should connect to?  I have all the manuals, etc for my car but cannot find this in any diagram at all.

Also, so far, I have not been able to locate the correct/original metal air pipe on ebay, etc. that comes of the valve cover breather to the air cleaner driver side, but I will use grommets & large reinforced hose as a last resort if I dont soon stumble upon the proper metal pipe. I assume a small breather filter should go on the end of it inside the wall of the air cleaner housing, but maybe someone can verify.

BTW... when I get done with things, I'll post some new before/after pics for
everyone to check out the job         Mark
ps: To Bruce Roe... while I am in there tinkering around, YES I am throwing in a new set of O-rings & seals on the EFI system to keep leaks/fires away & your tweaked Seville EFI computers & home-made sensors are running beautifully.     

Mark, my 79 Eldo came with what looks like a standard Olds air cleaner, except
there are no hose connections.  The breather tube to the valve cover is longer than
my carb Olds, same year.  Maybe related to a spacer on top of the throttle body,
to clear stuff. 

Electric leveling compressor here.  I am working on preparing a set of rear
trailing arms, touring (heavier) rear springs, and bolt up gas shocks.  Did some
measurements, will try to use the heavier springs with pads top and bottom to
get the right height without the leveling system.  Probably needs at least shims. 
Bruce Roe

[TMoore - NTCLC]

All of the above is correct - it sounds like you might have a 76-78 air cleaner - there is no vacuum connector on the 79.  It is getting rare to see these cars in the salvage yards, so you may have to start the on-line search in order to locate that breather tube.

[Driver8]

Mark, my 79 Eldo came with what looks like a standard Olds air cleaner, except
there are no hose connections.  The breather tube to the valve cover is longer than
my carb Olds, same year.  Maybe related to a spacer on top of the throttle body,
to clear stuff. 

Electric leveling compressor here.  I am working on preparing a set of rear
trailing arms, touring (heavier) rear springs, and bolt up gas shocks.  Did some
measurements, will try to use the heavier springs with pads top and bottom to
get the right height without the leveling system.  Probably needs at least shims. 
Bruce Roe

Thanks for the info Bruce, hope you are well. At least I know from you guys here that I need not be concerned over the vacuum port, I think the unit is a 1978. Great thing is, it has the original Cadillac painted blue 'Electronic Fuel Injection' ring with the crest all intact. This black baby has buffed up beautifully. It was a great find. mine had been destroyed by rust in really bad shape.

BTW... would love to come out to the 'compound' for a visit in the Fall if things slow down some with work.

Thanks again, Mark

[Driver8]

All of the above is correct - it sounds like you might have a 76-78 air cleaner - there is no vacuum connector on the 79.  It is getting rare to see these cars in the salvage yards, so you may have to start the on-line search in order to locate that breather tube.

Well, I went ahead and ordered one from the link TJ gave me. I got one for the Olds 350, hopefully it works out, and yes... Gen1 Sevilles are certainly a rare breed in the boneyards around me. I only ever found one and it was raped of anything usable.  I also grabbed the correct grommet/adapter from FUSICK for the tube to attach to the v/c breather. i found a new v/c breather on rockauto for under $4

as I mentioned, I'll get some pics up whenever i get done. can only do a little at a time with my schedule lately. 2 days ago we had 90degrees+   ... today we have 32degree windchill & 40 temp yikes! no engine painting in this weather, my garage is not temp controlled

Mark

[TJ Hopland]

If those parts work out you will have to let them know they can add those to their Cadillac section for the Olds equipped cars.    I saw there were a few different pipes and grommets listed, if what you get isn't quite right you can maybe call and ask them if one of the others they stock is a little longer or bent a little different.  Who knows maybe Cadillac was digging deeper into the Olds parts bin and used something from a much earlier model. 

[bcroe]

I looked in the shed, but did not find that 79 Cad 350 breather tube (as expected). 
I was however reminded again, that when I moved, stuff got thrown into boxes
and put on shelves here.  MANY boxes need to be sorted/organized/thrown away. 
Not likely to finish in my lifetime; lately been working on the foundation of a new
solar system on the southern acre. 

Lots of Oldsmobiles have been by here, but I've never seen that breather tube
on anything else.  Decades ago I saw lots of Sevilles & Eldos lined up for scrap,
I think they were mostly the 4.1 cars.  Only saw one or two 79 Eldos.  I don't
bother to look for them anymore, except from collectors.  Bruce Roe

[Driver8]

Good morning all,

Bruce, thanks for taking time to look for that tube for me. Too bad you didnt have one, but appreciated you trying.

Anyhow, I'm a bit down now because just this morning I found a picture on Google of the correct tube, (see attached & blow up pic). This attached picture is the look I'm going for under the hood now. (Seville engine pics online usually only of the front, but this one showed drivers side & tube) As you'll see, its long and very custom-bent just for the Seville setup

Well before it even arrives, its obvious that with out 'rigging' something up, the '70s Oldsmobile 350 tube is not even gonna be close. I really dont want to add hose or clamps to make it work. I will see if Fusick will take the part back later. I should have thought of it before, but tomorrow I am calling Cadillac Heaven & Cadillac King. I'm pretty sure of them will have it, I have bought rare parts from King before.

This project is a cake-walk compared to last year's overhaul of my complex EFI & fuel delivery/return system (would like to do a detailed post on it sometime later). So... today is to start disassembling/removing things for masking, painting etc.  I am not looking for Concours OEM perfection with my car, but def want to reverse what I did 4 years back with copper paint and hi-pro parts, that will all be seen in pictures to follow

I will be addressing looks and function. Alot of this is little stuff, but I want it to run nice, as well as look nice too:
                            -  alot of paint & color details including intake, heads, V/covers in GM/Cadillac blue, under hood paint
                              freshening
                            -  restored original ('78) Cadillac air cleaner assembly (with original blue EFI painted circle on lid, no decal)
                            -  replacement valve cover to air cleaner breather tube (still locating)
                            -  OEM repro under-hood decals for: fan caution, engine info, air cleaner decal-'keep your GM...'
                            -  new Powermaster HD 100amp alternator  (due to generator fire cause & damaged)
                            -  new A.I.R. pump
                            -  new battery
                            -  new alt to batt charge cable 6AWG + new harness tubing & Dorman connectors  (all fire damaged)
                            -  new EFI injector seals & O-rings
                            -  new HEI cap, rotor & plug wires
                            -  new OEM style master cylinder cover- correct color plated

Updates to come, this project will be broken up between a busy work schedule but I want her back on the road again

mark~

[bcroe]

Bruce, thanks for taking time to look for that tube for me.

Anyhow, I'm a bit down now because just this morning I found a picture on Google
of the correct tube,  its long and very custom-bent just for the Seville setup

This project is a cake-walk compared to last year's overhaul of my complex EFI & fuel delivery/return system (would like to do a detailed post on it sometime later). So... today is to start disassembling/removing things for masking, painting etc.  I am not looking for Concours OEM perfection with my car, but def want to reverse what I did 4 years back with copper paint and hi-pro parts, that will all be seen in pictures to follow.

Updates to come, this project will be broken up between a busy work schedule but I
want her back on the road again.  mark~   

Very nice work.  I glanced at my 79 Eldo, and the tube looks exactly the same as the
pic.  Hope you find one, so I don't have to decide what mine is worth.  Maintenance on
these cars is esp important because of the fire risk.  Your rebuild of the fuel delivery
system could be interesting.  I have been patching up mine for decades, rubber hose
for rusted tubes, etc.  This year got more serious with a RENU diesel tank (4 extra
gallons) and the single high pressure pump in the tank, waterproof connectors and a
new harness down there for better grounding and to simplify service.  With the FWD
trans on the left side of the engine, its tight getting pipes down, and I am not happy
to see the main fuel line coming so close to the exhaust manifold.  A leaking gasket
could blow right on it.  My thought is get 3 new (rustproof) pipes up the right side to
the front, then double back for the fuel rails.  Turn the fuel rails around to get the
pressure feed on the front right corner.  Get rid of those hose patches. 

I did notice the Seville seems to have a different upper radiator hose, than all
my Olds with same engine.  I should try one for fit.  The general practice here is
to standardize my cars so that the same set of spares fits any.  I wonder, did your
100A alt have a diode failure & short, like my 64 Merc so long ago?  Maybe a fuseable
link there would be a good addition.  I concluded the 100A version wasn't worth the
belt slip and spare problem.  With 3 original diesel cars, I converted all cars to the
70A diesel alt, all the current I will need unless I put a really powerful HAM rig in the
car.  The belt slip problem in my 79s I cured by changing to the 81 Olds belt scheme. 

While you are concentrating on originality, I am working on performance and
reliability.  I could guarantee the K car could reduce 0-60 AT LEAST a second with
a free flowing exhaust (monolithic cat) and converting that TH400 to switch pitch,
improved mileage too.   My FWD TH325 wasn't switch pitch or as robust, and a
couple of the final drives failed (crystalized gear teeth) at around 100,000 miles
each.  My cure is a 66 Toro TH425 trans & final drive.  As first glance things look
stock under the hood, but a close inspection reveals EVERYTHING has been
replaced (except the air cleaner & steering box), with the engine bumped over
1/2" and back 1  1/8" to fit in the bigger stuff.  Bruce Roe

[TJ Hopland]

I have seen Olds engines with a long tube like that.  Fusick has a couple much longer tubes listed, they say they are for 68's.   Its hard to tell from their photos what the angles are but they have to be a lot closer than the standard short one.   

[Driver8]

I have seen Olds engines with a long tube like that.  Fusick has a couple much longer tubes listed, they say they are for 68's.   Its hard to tell from their photos what the angles are but they have to be a lot closer than the standard short one.

G morning,

TJ, I will call Stephen at Fusick today before calling Cadillac Heaven or King and let you know what I find out.

BTW... you guys really know your technical details. I managed to dig up my old air cleaner base yesterday. It is not usable aesthetically due to bad metal from heavy rust, but... in fact it does NOT have the vacuum port underneath. Therefore, the one I bought is a 1978 because earlier had the gold lid, not black & blue. I will use the '78 because of the paint/finish condition and just block off the connector. 

Another thing I find interesting, and maybe someone knows why... is that in the 1978 pictured in my earlier post, the snorkel has an angled flat-to-round adapter (like a 70's Pontiac Trans AM), going into larger diam. 4" intake tubing. But, I checked old pictures of my original state '79 and it has smaller (3" diam) tubing w/the GM plastic retaining clip coming right of the round metal tip of the snorkel. What gives here, or, why would they change this at the end of the run for Gen1?

mark~

[bcroe]

The Trans Am might have a 455 or 400 engine.  The 78-79 Seville had a 350,
with a restrictive size throttle body, so perhaps they decided to downsize. 
Bruce Roe

[TJ Hopland]

Some years and models they had a muffler on the inlet so that could explain a difference.   75 I remember the muffler being a fairly heavy metal unit but I can't remember how it was attached.   Not much later they went to a plastic assembly so that could explain differences in the snorkel.

Size of the alternator could have also effected things over on that side of the engine.   They didn't come out with a 'compact' high output unit till maybe 81.   The one in your photo kinda looks like one of the larger units which had a completely different bracket that included various support struts so I could see that getting in the way if the inlet.    Except for the diesels I don't think you usually saw the huge alternators on an olds.   I suppose things like dual electric fuel pumps was why they put em on the efi cars. 

[Driver8]

Some years and models they had a muffler on the inlet so that could explain a difference.   75 I remember the muffler being a fairly heavy metal unit but I can't remember how it was attached.   Not much later they went to a plastic assembly so that could explain differences in the snorkel.

Size of the alternator could have also effected things over on that side of the engine.   They didn't come out with a 'compact' high output unit till maybe 81.   The one in your photo kinda looks like one of the larger units which had a completely different bracket that included various support struts so I could see that getting in the way if the inlet.    Except for the diesels I don't think you usually saw the huge alternators on an olds.   I suppose things like dual electric fuel pumps was why they put em on the efi cars.

Yes I think you may be right about the alternator being part of it. My old 'generator' was HUGE. At any rate, whatever the reason for diff versions, my original snorkel matches the '78 style I bought which has no flat end for an adapter (like the '78 picture i found online), just a direct round opening for tubing to the front of car, so that is how I will do it.  (I threw in a pic of my motor from like 5yrs back before I did the mod work for ref.)

On another note, I never could have imagined a non-toxic stripper working at all let alone better than chemical based. This citrustrip is amazing, no burn, odor or toxic anything. Layers of clear, paint and even 39yo paint underneath all fell off together from just dipping the parts. You can even stick your hands right in and wash away in the kitchen sink ready for paint. I love this stuff... valve covers here I come

[Driver8]

Ok, so on the breather pipe, Fusick says they have nothing like what I need. He told me to see about possibly adapting the one coming to me with some nice hose and maybe use the indiscreet black ring clamps. If I cant make it work as I like, they said they'd take back the stuff I ordered, minus the shipping. Mike did mention that I should google around to see about early-mid '80s Olds 307s  poss a similar enough setup that might work on the Seville so I will look into it. BTW... the guys there are super nice.

Bruce, if the 'rigging' doesnt look like a go for me, and your's is the same unit and you end up wanting to sell me the one off the Eldo, let me know and maybe we can put something together.

RE: Alternator/generator >>  I have a new issue now. Just went out to line up the new Powermaster GM 10si ALT. ... of course, it has a single mounting ear for the front/left. my original had 2 upper ears for the large center bracket. Anyhow, the left ear lines up, and looks like the support coming up from the lower cylinder head mount to the backside would work with a spacer in-between. Problem now is the huge A bracket (with slide/tension adjust), coming up from the steering pump area is way far away now so I cant mount the new unit.    I have never encountered this before so I am completely lost & halted on the install. I have no idea what to do.  It cannot be uncommon for this issue, I imagine people install these physically smaller units on here if the original giant HD is bad, but how and with what brackets or adapters, I dont know. Is this just a gen1 Seville issue? Any thoughts or experience with this? Thanks guys, mark~

[bcroe]

You may have a mounting problem, if that alternator was never used on an
Olds, ending maybe 1988?  I go to the junk yard and find an alt-bracket set
off an Olds; stick with that generation.  That 100A is so big; about the only
real need might be more output at idle.  Then you get this squealing belt. 

Here is the belt conversion, which involves a later water pump pulley and
tricks with the power steering pump.  A belt speed step up allows a bigger
alt pulley with more belt wrap around. 

Bruce Roe

[Driver8]

You may have a mounting problem, if that alternator was never used on an
Olds, ending maybe 1988?  I go to the junk yard and find an alt-bracket set
off an Olds; stick with that generation.  That 100A is so big; about the only
real need might be more output at idle.  Then you get this squealing belt. 

Here is the belt conversion, which involves a later water pump pulley and
tricks with the power steering pump.  A belt speed step up allows a bigger
alt pulley with more belt wrap around. 

Bruce Roe

good news (i think)... i found several of these on ebay now in a $60-$75 range for re-manufactured. i believe it is a match, what do you think, look good?>>  http://www.ebay.com/itm/Alternator-QUALITY-BUILT-7157112-Reman-/172574615545?hash=item282e3fa7f9:g:ke4AAOSw~gRVjyE8&vxp=mtr

it appears to be the correct housing and size. i dont trust ebay compatibility check, so unless you guys can tell from link, i will verify dimension with a seller & if good, i can just swap on my original flat-faced fan and i'll be good to go.  i really dont want to get into hunting down diff brackets etc to make an alternator fit, hope this works out so i can get back to the other projects.  mark~

[35-709]

Why not get your old one rebuilt by a local auto electric shop?  You know it fits.  Don't get someone else's rebuild from a parts store, get your own done.