Newbie with Air Grabber Question

71Runner · Post by **71Runner** » Wed Sep 19, 2007 4:50 am

I've been poking around a while and I've seen lots of great info available here. You guys have put together a great forum. Hopefully somone can help me. I've got a '71 RR with an Air Grabber hood. When I turn the switch to the "open" position the door does not open. What I have to do is manually open the door, then it will stay open. I believe it's hooked up correctly because if I'm driving with the door open, and move the switch to the "closed" position, the door will close. If I move the switch back to the "open" position before the door closes, the the door returns to the open position. If the door comes to rest in the closed position, I have to open it manually again. I removed the spring that assists in closing the door thinking that this was overpowering the vacuum signal, this hasn't helped.
Thanks in advance.

CtownRunner · Post by **CtownRunner** » Wed Sep 19, 2007 5:44 am

Welcome, I don't have an AirGrabber on my car but I'm sure you will get the info you seek pretty soon.

Tell us more about your car.

71Runner · Post by **71Runner** » Wed Sep 19, 2007 6:35 am

Thanks for the welcome Ctown. I'm the third owner and have had the car since '86 or so. A 10 year resto was completed by me ( with the exception of exterior paint) in '02. I used as many NOS parts as possible, which took a long time to acquire, not to mention the cost. It only made it to Carlisle once in '03 I believe. It's a numbers matching 383/727 ( I added the A/G ) Autumn Bronze Metallic over white car. I replaced the 3:23 rear gears with a set of 4:10's and bumped the compression a bit and added a purple shaft cam. A 750 double pumper sits atop a Edelbroke Torquer manifold. Hooker Super Comps expell the exhaust through a 2.5 in aluminized system with crossover pipe and Flowmasters. Exhaust system is topped off by a set of repro slotted tips. Tranny ratios remain stock, with B&M Transkit, and 3000 RPM converter. Interior is all stock appearing with new everything. I'll try to post pix later if I can figure it out.

71Runner · Post by **71Runner** » Sat Oct 27, 2007 3:23 pm

Photo as promised. Finally figured out how to post pix. Any answer to the question, please???

[img][img]http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i159/ ... thouse.jpg[/img][/img]

71440 gtx · Post by **71440 gtx** » Sat Oct 27, 2007 4:47 pm

nice 71 rr

72RoadRunnerGTX · Post by **72RoadRunnerGTX** » Sun Oct 28, 2007 12:23 am

Does the door close when ignition is turned off with the switch left in the â€œopenâ€ position? If not, check the function of thee bleed-off solenoid. May sure it has power when ignition is on and does not have when key is off. Try reversing the hoses or by-passing the hose connections at the solenoid altogether, connect the two hoses together. Still not working correctly, I would get a hand vacuum pump, any auto parts store, check all components for leaks. Assuming that there is no excessive mechanical resistance the door mechanism movement.

71Runner · Post by **71Runner** » Sun Oct 28, 2007 8:32 am

Thanks 71440.

72RoadRunnerGTX, the door does close when the switch is in the "open" position, ignition is turned off and the car is not running. I suppose the bleed off solonoid is the white part, under the dash, with the 3 nipples located behind the switch itself. Is that right? Is that where I attach the two hoses together. I've tried switching them at the vacuum can on the inner fender with no improvement. There is no mechanical resistance on the door itself. Thanks for the help.

72RoadRunnerGTX · Post by **72RoadRunnerGTX** » Sun Oct 28, 2007 2:02 pm

â€œWhite with three nipplesâ€ should be the switch. Mounted just above the switch on a small bracket is the solenoid, should have two nipples and a green wire. This solenoid is â€œin lineâ€ on the open side of the actuator line. When the green wire is powered, the two nipples should act as a pass through. Power removed, will open up, or bleed off, the line to the actuator allowing the spring to close the door. Temporally by-passing the solenoid should help to rule it out as a vacuum leak. The two hoses on the vacuum reservoir need to be on the right nipples. One has an internal check valve and should connect to the intake manifold, the other goes to the center position on the switch. If working correctly, should provide two or three open/close cycles after engine shut down, key back on.

72RoadRunnerGTX · Post by **72RoadRunnerGTX** » Sun Oct 28, 2007 2:44 pm

72RoadRunnerGTX · Post by **72RoadRunnerGTX** » Sun Oct 28, 2007 3:31 pm

I believe this should be the correct hose connections for the reservoir. Note the green stripe hose and the green paint drop near the center nipple. Should run to the switch, center nipple. Unmarked hose on the outer nipple then connects to vacuum source for the system at the back side of the intake manifold.

71Runner · Post by **71Runner** » Sun Oct 28, 2007 4:10 pm

72RoadRunnerGTX,
Thanks so much for the photos and explaination. I'm sure I'll get it going correctly now, provided I don't need parts.
Thanks again, very much.
Tony