1972 Cadillac, The dreaded nuteral saftey switch......

[Coupe Deville]

Hello everyone. I'm starting to near the end of my project 72' CDV. When I bought the car, the vacuum hoses going to the neutral safety switch were unpluged and capped off. So I am assuming that it has a leak. Are these switches rebuildable like the 1960's ones? Is there a way to fix this? Getting a new or nos one is definitely out of the question.

Thanks

-Gavin

[cadillactim]

Gavin

I have those switches rebuilt. Will send you a PM.

Tim

[TJ Hopland]

Why is getting a new one out of the question?   I know they are not commonly available but they do seem to be around, and it appears that Tim has a rebuilt one. 

Is there something wrong with it?   Or did it just separate?    I have seen that happen many times and most of the time have been able to drill a hole in the cast piece that then allows me to use a zip tie to hold the plastic section on the cast part.   I know I did that to my 73 about 15 years ago after getting a 'fix' ticket from a cop for having my reverse lights on.   I seem to recall that even 15 years ago the one for my 73 was hard to find, a few years earlier and later no problem but of course mine was an odd one.   Its worked great ever since.   From time to time I have run into it with other cars too and they were all pretty similar. 

[Coupe Deville]

Yeah TJ, the only reason I said getting a new or nos NSS was out of the question is because everyone wanted a very premium price for it! And being a broke teenager I just could not offered one. But I read Tim's message and he had one for a very fair price so I jumped on it! The old one wasn't broken, I took it apart to show the inside pices but prior to that it was just leaking internally and that's why I needed a new one. 

-Gavin

[55 CDV Fan 82]

Ebay...its always worked for me

[35-709]

The leaking part is the backside where the vacuum ports are, there is no vacuum in the part you showed in your first picture, only the electrical part.  The rear section of the switch may also be taken apart to access the rubber parts that may (or may not) be damaged.  The vacuum side of those switches can also make a hissing noise if they are not adjusted properly. 
Once you break the very delicate pot-metal tabs off the electrical side that hold that side together you have made the repair and reuse of the switch much more difficult.