I completed putting the vacuum trunk opener in my 65 Cutlass. It works well but is only limited to one opening. Is this normal or should I get more openings out of it with the engine off? It also would not open if I left it for awhile.

 

I think that is about as good as it gets with vacuum. The vacuum bulb or can under the hood stores vac. for a short time so you can shut the car off & still be able to open the trunk one more time. Some of the hoses might be dried out & seeing how nature hates a vacuum it soon bleeds off. Maybe inspect all the hoses & make sure they are soft & replace any suspect ones?

 

You did put the vacuum storage canister on, right? and it's vacuum-tight? You ought to get a couple of unlatch cycles out of it if everything's tight.


I'd concentrate on the vacuum ball, manifold-to-ball tubing and ball-to-dash switch and tubing.

 

Just for info, I was routing around in a junkyard one day, several years ago, and I came across a '68 Cutlass...no keys so the trunk was locked. While poking around the interior, I opened the glove box and there was the button for the trunk release. I pushed it and, lo and behold, the trunk opened...just enough vacuum to open it one more time although the car was "dead"! I extracted the trunk release apparatus and it will soon be going into my '69 4-4-2. But I do believe the vacuum trunk release systems are good for only one opening, though, if the engine isn't running.


Randy C.