Thread: Vacuum help?
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Old 01-01-2005, 05:17 PM
kerry kerry is offline
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Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 18,350
Vacuum help?

The locking mechanism had a vacuum leak on my 85 300td. I disconnected the door locking system under the hood and plugged the line a few months ago, now I'm trying to troubleshoot it. All the door pod mechanisms, including tailgate and fuel door test fine both opening and closing. On the switching valve on the drivers door there are three lines. I can pull a vacuum on the rear one and it locks all the doors. I can pull a vacuum on the center line but nothing happens. The center line holds vacuum. I can't pull a vacuum on the front hose to the switching valve. I also can't pull a vacuum on the hose going to the system from under the hood.
Is there any one with wisdom as to what is happening? I assume this means that there must be a leak somewhere between the line under the hood and the driver's door switching mechanisms. But, I'm assuming the center line on the switching valve is the unlocking line. Why won't the doors unlock when I pull a vacuum on that line? What am I missing here?

EDIT:
Now I'm more confused. I can still pull a vacuum on the rear most line of the driver's door switching valve but nothing happens. I've also looked at the sticky vacuum diagram and now know the middle line is the line from the vacuum pump. It still holds a vacuum so I know the line from under the hood to the driver's switch is good.
So, I'm concluding that my problem is a leaky unlocking line somewhere. Any hints as to where it might be? Where should I tap into the unlocking line downstream to test it?
But there is still the oddity as to why the doors wont lock when I pull a vacuum on the rear line at the driver's door switch. I also locked the driver's door and then pulled a vacuum on the system from under the hood at the locking mechanism line. I assumed this should lock the doors since the unlocking line should be excluded from the system by reason of the driver's door being locked. I could only get 10 inches of vacuum there (as opposed to 24(?) when I tapped into the locking line directly at the driver's door switch?
Any ideas? My mind is a vacuum.
__________________
1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

Last edited by kerry; 01-01-2005 at 05:52 PM.
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