Do you mean to just butt the two hoses together and paint / coat the joint with the MEK? Or brush the ends of the hoses before butting? These hoses are so small, the MEK wouldn't stop up the line?

What about heat shrink? I even wondered about coating the tubes with some kind of adhesive and then applying heat shrink. Good or bad idea?

 

Use like a shot glass or something similar with MEK. Dip the boot into the MEK, pull it out, give it a shake and install it quickly onto the mini tube. This will shrink the rubber boot onto the line making it leak free...doesn't glue it, not adhesive...nor is it permanent.

 

Shouldn't have to make any repairs, the vac line you got from the yard should fit perfectly. Pretty much all the same. If you need to splice for some reason, you can pick up a pack of silicone vacuum connectors at a 3rd party supplier.

Wear rubber gloves, and heaven forbid, don't down that shot glass thinking its happy hour



That's the piece you got from the yard...well half of it anyway.

 

You can pick up MEK localy. Hardware store, Home depot, -

https://www.acehardware.com/departme...B&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

Thanks Jbrew, you were right, I didn't have to fool with splicing hoses, just snap together the connector. Was lucky that I changed my mind while out in the scrapyard. I was so hot in that desert and so thrilled to have found that reservoir, I almost cut the lines, assuming I would have to splice them anyway. As I was just starting to bare down on the snips, I stopped and thought I should go up further to get as much line as I could so I would have more line for the assumed splicing work. I followed the lines up into the engine bay and went as far as I could and cut them off. I ended up with the full length of hoses and the connector intact.

I got it installed! The reservoir itself was a snap, but I had complications due to the frame being bent from the wreck. I'm sure now the wreck is what messed up the reservoir. There was not enough room to put the new one in. I ended up having to take my sledge to the frame a few wacks. to make enough room, but I did get it in there (my replacement blinker light and new grill won't fit, but I got the reservoir in). So, I can report that the AC/Heat is swapping properly between all the dial setting (Max, AC, Vent, Off, Floor, Floor-Defrost, Defrost, etc).

While I'm grateful that the AC venting is corrected, I was originally trying to fix a very rough idle on my truck. There's a lot to do on this old truck, but my thinking was to try and get a handle on the engine first, and if it can be resolved, work on the frame, cosmetics, other less important things next. So, I was hoping that this reservoir would go some measure towards helping with engine related leaks. Does anyone know if anything tied into that harness is related to the exhaust or anything else for which this repair may have been a remedy?

I know it's because this truck is ancient, but I was surprised that there was nothing at all coming up about it online, so I'm going to post some pictures and the part number: The part number for the Vacuum Reservoir is: F75E-9E453-AA (two other numbers on the part - see picture: "M536A" & ">PP-TD20<"). This fit my 1997 F150 4.2l V6. The part number is not likely to help you though. There is nowhere to purchase this part other than a junkyard as far as I can tell, not even ebay had anything. I searched for hours. The lucky news... it is really easy to get off the truck, if you find one. Remove the fender wheel well liner, take out the two bolts and disconnect the vacuum hoses (WITH the connector located inside the engine bay). That's it. 5 minutes.










Most importantly, thank you to everyone who took your time to read, comment and post pictures. I am grateful for your help.

 

autoparts stores sell vacuum hoses and connectors. You can even buy a big variety pack box that has different sizes and styles (straight for 2 pieces, Ys, Ts etc.). They aren't expensive. Glad you found the box, I'd definitely replace those lines, the ones on yours look pretty bad

 

Does anyone know if this vacuum reservoir is connected to the EGR? Or any other engine / exhaust component?

 

Connects to everything. Black is main vac, white is EGR, EVAP.

 

Probably should of grabbed the vacuum harness off one at the yard. They disconnect by hand ..no tools. Preferably a 97/98 model as the 99 plus models are a little different. The harness is pre-bent and laid out like map...pretty much showing where they connect. If you need one anyway.

Most of the 97/98 routing is burnt into my brain...isn't painful.... if you need some assistance with it feel free.

 

thanks man, I'm doin some other repairs today. I think the Vacuum reservoir is done. It's installed with the harness connected good on both ends. Im doing other stuff today. I fixed my fan only running on high with a junkyard resistor. Tested it at the yard. Plugged it in, and now all fans speed worked. The reservoir fixed the ac not switching between vent, defrost, floor etc. I found an instrument cluster that had RPM on it. Mine didn't have that and it was always frustrating. I swapped-um and the new ones running great. Now my truck has 70k less miles lol. Trying to figure out the horn not working. I grabbed a relay from the yard but swapping it didn't do the trick. The one from the yard could also be bad. I'll have to test them later, but it could also be something else.

I'm getting a lot of codes even after the reservoir swap. I'll post them later, but there's like 12 - 14 codes, some kind of banks are stuck open, something egr, etc etc etc.

On the bright side, the truck is still running rough, but WAAAAAAYYY better than before. Before I found the first vacuum leak, it would cut off 6 times before I could do the fancy foot work to make it stay cranked with enough gas etc (I have a manual 5-speed). If I stopped at a light, it'd cut off. Now it atleast cranks up first try and never cuts off. After I sit a minute, like at a light, it will even idle back down to something more normal without cutting out.

Going back to the yard just now looking for some door panels that'll look decent. Mine are nasty and cracking bad. I found a set that or more sort of grayer. I don't know how to describe mine, sort of less than tan, idk. I'm about willing to swap them even if they don't match, at least both door would be mis-matched the same lol.

I appreciate your commenting. It' awesome to hear what other people have learned.