Air Grabber Woes on 1971 Road Runner

• Oct 7, 2025

• #1

Erik70rt

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My air grabber was working, then not, then working, now it's not working again.

I have vacuum from the engine to the canister and from the canister to the switch. I don't have vacuum from the switch to the door actuator. Could the switch be bad? Is there something else I should be looking at? Seems strange to work intermittently.

Thanks!

 

• Oct 7, 2025

• #2

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Rick@Laysons

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I'd be checking for pinched/collapsed vacuum hoses.

Do you hear any soft air leaks coming from under the dash? That could indicate a loose hose or a broken vacuum nipple somewhere.....

 

• Oct 7, 2025

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steve340

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You could buy or borrow one of those hand vacuum pumps to allow you to find the problem without running the engine.

 

• Oct 7, 2025

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PurpleBeeper

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Both of these guys have great ideas….look for a leak or collapsed hose. The switches “can” leak vacuum, but I’ve never heard of an intermittent switch (?) You could also look for something in the mechanical linkage bending up (?)

 

• Oct 7, 2025

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Runcharger

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The little nipples on the switch are very delicate. One could be broken.

 

• Oct 7, 2025

• #6

mbc0724

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Erik70rt said:

My air grabber was working, then not, then working, now it's not working again.

I have vacuum from the engine to the canister and from the canister to the switch. I don't have vacuum from the switch to the door actuator. Could the switch be bad? Is there something else I should be looking at? Seems strange to work intermittently.

Thanks!

Click to expand...

Agree with all of the above suggestions. In my experience with several air grabber cars, it is usually either a kinked/burned vacuum hose or, more likely, the actuator attached to the hood. Once you eliminate the switch or hose as the problem, find a spare actuator and give it a try. They often don't fail all at once. They might work, and then they don't, and then they work again, and then they just quit forever. Good luck.