73 vette headlight problem

First of all, please be easy....I'm no mechanic. I have a '73 vette
and installed a cam. I have basically no vacuum in the system and
hence my headlights won't accuate. I've been told an external vacuum
resovior will likely fix the problem. Can anyone tell me what
size/specs I need for the vacuum resovior as well as a little info on
installing it?

Thanks a bunch.

Considering there is already a vacuum reservoir in them from 1968 up, I
doubt you will have much luck. However, since the reservoir was moved from
being a separate tank that sat under the fender near the master cylinder to
the big hollow tube that supports the rubber bumper, you may have no tank
and have the hollow tube in yours.

Check all of your vacuum lines. Leaks are common, but fixing them makes the
system work.

Get a vacuum gauge and read your vacuum. Just how "no vacuum" is "no
vacuum". there has to be some for the car to run, but it may be too low to
run other things.


> wrote in message
oups.com...
> First of all, please be easy....I'm no mechanic. I have a '73 vette
> and installed a cam. I have basically no vacuum in the system and
> hence my headlights won't accuate. I've been told an external vacuum
> resovior will likely fix the problem. Can anyone tell me what
> size/specs I need for the vacuum resovior as well as a little info on
> installing it?
>
> Thanks a bunch.
>

Some of the cams made are not good if you plan to continue to drive the
car on the street. They have too much valve overlap and thus not enough
vacuum to operate things such as headlights, wiper doors, heater/AC
controls and distributor advance. On older cars like my '63, the only
consideration is vacuum advance which is disconnected and the
mechanical is set for 38 degrees total.

If you are going to continue street use buy a small, electric vacuum
pump and a small tank. Attach the main vacuum feed from manifold to the
tank, except fot the advance line, and all systems should work.
Checking the existing lines for cracking and leaks will help things
work better.

PDeen

Thanks for the advice. I appreciate it.

JB