How do you use a vacuum pump to check at what vacuum the Superior 058 switch will kick in/off
jim larson said
Feb 28, 2023
Working on when the switch will activate power to my lock up converter. My system is a 2004R with lock up to only accrue when in Overdrive. I also have a brake switch that cuts power when you tap the brake, then restores power when you let off the brake. Bob helped me set this up. I don’t want it to lock up immediately when transmission shifts into Overdrive. But when vacuum reaches a certain amount. I kind of messed around with it. But it would be nice to know at what vacuum it locks in. Only other option I see is to not use the switch at all and mount a manual on/off switch that I can turn on when cousin on the highway.m
-- Edited by jim larson on Tuesday 28th of February 2023 06:22:31 PM
BLyke said
Mar 1, 2023
great question, looking for the experts to chime in.
jim larson said
Mar 1, 2023
I am thinking this is what I should do. Power coming In to switch. Then hook up pump to vacuum end of switch. Use a test light in power out of switch. When using the pump, when the test light goes on. That should tell me the amount of vacuum needed to close the Circuit. There is a little Allen wrench to insert in the vacuum end of the switch that you turn to increase or decrease vacuum needed to close the circuit.
Use a voltmeter / continuity checker.
Your procedure is sound.
With the meter on "Ohms", or continuity/beep mode, have a probe on each side of the vacuum switch terminals. Apply vacuum, and wait for the meter to go from "OL" to 000.0, or beep.
Bobs_Place said
Mar 1, 2023
I would recommend driving the car with a vacuum gauge set up on the dash, disable the lockup clutch, when you get into overdrive as you reduce the throttle from accelerating the car to cruise the vacuum will come up, you can than decide at what vacuum level/throttle setting you want the lockup to come in, record the number and adjust the switch. You may need a reservoir of some kind to slow down the buildup of vacuum as the pump hooked directly to the switch would build vacuum to fast.
jim larson said
Mar 1, 2023
I think I understand you guys. Bob after messing with that switch a bit last fall I don’t know what vacuum it’s set at. I just wanted to get it back in the middle of its range. Then adjust up or down. The vacuum gauge on the dash would tell me what I like, but I would still have to use an Allen wrench to increase or decrease the vacuum of when the switch kicks in, right?
Bobs_Place said
Mar 1, 2023
Yes you will need a vacuum source to check your settings, check the switch as the vacuum is increasing,switch closing/clutch lockup, than slowly bleed the vacuum back towards atmosphere and check switch opening/clutch unlock point. The switch should lock up the clutch some what higher than when it unlocks the clutch.
jim larson said
Mar 3, 2023
Well I tried what John suggested. When I check continuity between the NC and COM it shows connectivity no matter how much vacuum I have regardless of where I screw the adjustment screw. When checking COM and NO it shows no connectivity. I must be doing something wrong or the switch is bad?
Check the NO to COM without any vacuum, if you still have continuity than try adjusting the switch until it goes opened, might just be adjusted way low.
jim larson said
Mar 4, 2023
I tried that at numerous vacuums. I never got any continuity. I assume switch is bad or frozen between COM and NC no matter how much vacuum it never switches to NC and COM.
Bobs_Place said
Mar 4, 2023
I suspect your switch is backed way off, beyond the normal range so that even at 0" of vac the switch is still on.
So try adjusting the switch with out any vac and watch the ohm meter, the NO (normally opened contact) should go to open/switch off as you adjust towards a higher vac setting.
jim larson said
Mar 4, 2023
Don’t know if this was the proper thing to do or not. I took the adjustment screw all the way out. Took a long, strong needle and poked it in the opening of where the screw Was. Pushed in and out, could hear a clicking as something moving back and forth. I think that freed a stuck switch Lever. Put screw back in.in and adjusted. Now seems to work as it should.
-- Edited by jim larson on Saturday 4th of March 2023 11:07:01 AM
Working on when the switch will activate power to my lock up converter. My system is a 2004R with lock up to only accrue when in Overdrive. I also have a brake switch that cuts power when you tap the brake, then restores power when you let off the brake. Bob helped me set this up. I don’t want it to lock up immediately when transmission shifts into Overdrive. But when vacuum reaches a certain amount. I kind of messed around with it. But it would be nice to know at what vacuum it locks in. Only other option I see is to not use the switch at all and mount a manual on/off switch that I can turn on when cousin on the highway.m
-- Edited by jim larson on Tuesday 28th of February 2023 06:22:31 PM
I am thinking this is what I should do. Power coming In to switch. Then hook up pump to vacuum end of switch. Use a test light in power out of switch. When using the pump, when the test light goes on. That should tell me the amount of vacuum needed to close the Circuit. There is a little Allen wrench to insert in the vacuum end of the switch that you turn to increase or decrease vacuum needed to close the circuit.
Your procedure is sound.
With the meter on "Ohms", or continuity/beep mode, have a probe on each side of the vacuum switch terminals. Apply vacuum, and wait for the meter to go from "OL" to 000.0, or beep.
I would recommend driving the car with a vacuum gauge set up on the dash, disable the lockup clutch, when you get into overdrive as you reduce the throttle from accelerating the car to cruise the vacuum will come up, you can than decide at what vacuum level/throttle setting you want the lockup to come in, record the number and adjust the switch. You may need a reservoir of some kind to slow down the buildup of vacuum as the pump hooked directly to the switch would build vacuum to fast.
I think I understand you guys. Bob after messing with that switch a bit last fall I don’t know what vacuum it’s set at. I just wanted to get it back in the middle of its range. Then adjust up or down. The vacuum gauge on the dash would tell me what I like, but I would still have to use an Allen wrench to increase or decrease the vacuum of when the switch kicks in, right?
Yes you will need a vacuum source to check your settings, check the switch as the vacuum is increasing,switch closing/clutch lockup, than slowly bleed the vacuum back towards atmosphere and check switch opening/clutch unlock point. The switch should lock up the clutch some what higher than when it unlocks the clutch.
Well I tried what John suggested. When I check continuity between the NC and COM it shows connectivity no matter how much vacuum I have regardless of where I screw the adjustment screw. When checking COM and NO it shows no connectivity. I must be doing something wrong or the switch is bad?
Check the NO to COM without any vacuum, if you still have continuity than try adjusting the switch until it goes opened, might just be adjusted way low.
I tried that at numerous vacuums. I never got any continuity. I assume switch is bad or frozen between COM and NC no matter how much vacuum it never switches to NC and COM.
I suspect your switch is backed way off, beyond the normal range so that even at 0" of vac the switch is still on.
So try adjusting the switch with out any vac and watch the ohm meter, the NO (normally opened contact) should go to open/switch off as you adjust towards a higher vac setting.
Don’t know if this was the proper thing to do or not. I took the adjustment screw all the way out. Took a long, strong needle and poked it in the opening of where the screw Was. Pushed in and out, could hear a clicking as something moving back and forth. I think that freed a stuck switch Lever. Put screw back in.in and adjusted. Now seems to work as it should.
-- Edited by jim larson on Saturday 4th of March 2023 11:07:01 AM