One-Way/Check Valve for headlamp pod system

[Sea Ranch]

Greetings.

Finally replaced the one way valve in my Plus 2 headlamp pod vacuum system and I thought I would just report on the part I used. Came from Columbia Valve & Fitting Ltd (here in the Metro Vancouver area of BC, Canada), but more importantly, the part is a brass poppet check valve with fixed pressure, from Swagelok (tip from another member). Swagelok is a US company making precision valves for medical and oil/gas/chemical production.

The part I chose was B-2C2-1, where B is brass, the C is the valve series, the 2's are for inlet and outlet connections (1/8" male NPT) and the 1 is the cracking pressure (takes 1 psi for the poppet valve to open). I believe that's how their part numbering system works. Here's the Swagelok webpage for the part . . .
http://www.swagelok.com/search/find_pro ... C2-1&item=

Installed the piece, along with an adapter (1/8" female NPT to 1/4" hose barb), and my headlamp pod vacuum system works as it should: pods go down and stay down, no more bobbing up and down in different rev ranges.



However, they only stay down about 30 seconds after the motor is turned off. Could it be because the vacuum cannister (my 1970 Federal Plus 2S is a failsafe system with the pods ganged together and one vacuum cannister pulling the pair of pods down, against spring pressure) is thoroughly rusted on it's bottom, where it sat on the metal mounting plate for 40 years, and there's a 1" hole in the bottom, sealed off for now by some stretchy/sticky packing tape????
That will be the next project on that system, probably this winter (will remove and de-rust the cannister in my trusty electolytic rust remover, then epoxy or JB-Weld the hole and repaint the thing ).



As a side benefit, in the process I discovered why my Webers were not carburetting well in the bottom third of their range: the old headlamp vacuum checkvalve was leaking so much that the resulting vacuum leak directly into the intake manifold was throwing off the mixture and/or flow. Now the thing has decent throttle response and revs out quite acceptably.

Randy

[Alex]

Hi,

You can't beat Swagelok parts, very high quailty, but not cheap. I susspect then that you do have a leak elsewhere. If you have the original release solenoid, that could also cause the vacuum to escape.

On a +2 I rebuilt a few years ago I fiited a Formula 1 fuel tank non-return valve. Once the lights had been sucked down, they stayed down for almost 3 months until the car was sold. Is this a record....

Alex

[Sea Ranch]

Alex, that is unbelievable. Given all the joints in the hoses . . . wow!

Yeah, the "wink" after my comment about the holed and taped up vacuum pod was the give-away. Clearly my taping job is not doing the trick

Once that pod hole is dealt with, then I will find out just how good the innards in the pod are.

[stugilmour]

Randy, I can check my parts pile for you as I may have a vacuum cylinder around that is surplus to my needs that you can have if you want it.

At one time my system worked, holding down pods for a couple of days, which I understand is pretty much normal. When I was trying to make the system work "better" I screwed something up and it only stayed down for a few hours. Whether this was the cylinder or something else I don't know. At any rate, with the extra cylinder you may be able to get one good vacuum canister figured out if you end up opening them up or mine might just work OK off the hop?

Let me know if this would be of use and I guess I could pop it in the mail? Guessing it would only be about $20 or so.

As you probably recall, I converted to electric with the new chassis, but I never tried the pod on a known good & intact cross-member vacuum tank and plumbing.

HTH

[Sea Ranch]

Stu, yes I remember: electric all the way for you.

Well, I truly appreciate the offer. If you come across it, I would certainly be happy to hear about it. Just email me whenever, at your convenience. I bow in your direction . . .

Randy

[rgh0]

Many years ago my plus 2S 130/5 with failsafe headlights was off the road for over 12 months waiting for a new rear window. Never started the engine durng this time and the lights stayed down the whole time !!


cheers
Rohan

[Sea Ranch]

Again, I'm astonished. I had in mind that 12 hours would be good.

I have renewed hope, and a tough record to beat, too!!

Thanks for the story, Rohan

[gerrym]

Re the Swagelok NRV, check out the soft seals. If Nitrile, the effect of petrol pooling into the valve inlet may be a fairly short life, especially if your fuel (gasoline ?) contains appreciable amounts of ethanol. However, I recall that Swagelok may offer a Viton seal kit.

In any case, a Mity vacuum pump will quickly diagnose a leaking NRV (or rusted out vacuum pod or leaking connection etc)..
Regards
Gerry