Hey guys I have busted my thermal vacuum switch on the passenger side of the manifold while taking the manifold off for a tidy up. What would happen if I plugged it and ran the car without it? Is this possibe? What exactly does it do?or does anyone know where I can get one or the off chance anyone has a spare floating around they wanna get rid of??

It's part of the emissions setup. You can plug it and forget it but if you get done you could cop a nice fine. That part is still available through Holden, and it's a revised design over the originals, I had to replace mine a couple of years ago. Can't remember what they are worth. Whatever you do, try to not break the driver side one, you'll have more luck pulling teeth from a hen than finding another that's in one piece. I was extremely lucky and got one from another forum member that is 100%. I got another as a backup that I was told was 100% as well, only to get it and find it is missing 2 of the vac hose connectors.

Yea I heard the other ones were a c u n t to get. Might look into jus buying a new one then. Could I get one from bersons etc or through a Holden dealership?? Thanks for the reply..

Yeah you could try Bursons, I tried supercheap for the driver side switch and that's where they told me to try. Holden should still have them, I got mine about 18 months ago, so hopefully they haven't ditched them in that time.

DAMN!!! bursons, super cheap, holden dealership all no good. They have stopped making em! Bursons said he tried every wreckers in Geelong for a customer a few weeks ago and they all laughed and said good luck!! I'll give rare spares a try but does anyone have one floating around they want to sell? Would they be the same on the 253? Or a red, blue motor?

Just rang the dealer where I got mine, they are no longer available as of 2007, about the time I got mine so very lucky for me. He looked to see if any other dealers had any stock but nothing. Rare spares is probably about your last chance, but keep an eye on ebay too, when I was hunting for a manifold there were a few on there that still had the switches fitted. And the left and right ones aren't interchangeable, even if you blocked one of the 4 ports, as they operate at different temps. How is yours busted exactly? I'll be extra careful with mine from now on, if I ever strip the car they might be worth a bit.

yea i tried rare spares but no good, american auto parts in oz stock the drivers side one butnot the other. first i snapped one of the ports off, then trying to take it off i shattered the whole plastic part . yea might just have to pick up a whole manifold... was hoping not to, but looks like it has to be done! thanks for your help mate! much appreciated.. Some original photos have not been recovered yet.

No worries. If I come across anything I'll let you know. You'd think there would still be a couple around, they only stopped stocking them a few years back. Funny that American autos can get the driver side switch yet it's been obsolete a lot longer than the passenger. Try American autos again. I remember when chasing the driver side switch for my car, the guy at supercheap had the book for the manufacturer (can't remember) but the number was FVA-001 I think, or it was FVA-002. Do a search on Thermal on Americanautos and it lists a bunch, then click on each and it will show what Holden part it replaces.

Yea I called them and still no go, they are even tying to source something from America . Does anyone actually know what they do?? Could I block it up and cap the carby and manifold ports that usually run to it without it affecting anything?? And would the early model v8 switches fit?? Anyone... Please... Getting desperate now! Lol

Pretty sure yo ucan get away with blanking them off, unless you get done, then you could cop it. They are for emissions, just part of the crap Holden had to do back then to get the 5L to pass the laws at the time. Pretty sure the car won't run any different, maybe when cold, but once the coolant is up to operating temp I'm pretty sure they both close off anyway. One is about 42 degrees, the other is about 102 or something.

Hmm interesting....