Webb Jay Stewart Vacuum Tank Gauge Info Sought

I just purchased this Webb Jay vacuum gauge for a Stewart Vacuum Tank Fuel system. Anyone have any period information on hooking it up?

Howard Dennis

That is very cool. I've never seen one installed, but several of the Stewart-Warner vacuum tank equipped cars on which I've worked have had t-fitting in the manifold vacuum inlet port on the lid (some having other accessories run off the other side of the t's, and some capped). I suspect that would be the ideal place to tie in.

I'll check my Dyke's manuals later today and see if they are mentioned.

The editions of Dyke's that I have didn't cover it. However, this has been scanned into Google books. See your gauge and text at the top-left corner.

It should just be a connection to a t-fitting on the vacuum port. I can get you a photo of an original style t if needed.

Thanks Walter, you did exactly what I just did with the same results. What really prompted my question was the dual scale (how to read it) and the ads claim that it records miles per gallon. I was surprised at the $5.00 price, no wonder I've never seen another. I did find some patent information which I've yet to study so I hope it has some answers. My last experience with a vacuum tank was years ago with a 1928 Plymouth which seemed to run fine for days and then stop until manually refilled and continue on for random lengths of operation. Perhaps when I learn how to read this it will forewarn me of that problem? Let me know if you find anything else and yes I'd like to see what that fitting looks like so I can be on the lookout for one.

Howard Dennis

Along with your vacuum gauge I have seen some High-End cars that also had a small in-dash manual vacuum pump that was also T'eed into the old Stewart-WarnerVacuum style fuel pump tanks on the firewall.

This small hand pump was used to prime and fill the Stewart tank prior to starting-up after a long period of non use.

I believe one of the gauge scales was to measure total vacuum

at idle (lower scale)~

The other scale (Top) was used as sort of a fuel economy gauge.

The higher the vacuum reading number on the gauge~ The better overall fuel economy you would be getting while driving !

These were mostly used on trucks and very large high-end Full Classics !

The gauge is T'eed into the vacuum line from the intake manifold to the Stewart-Warner Fuel pump tank.

OR ~

As in my case directly to a small vacuum port on top of the Stewart-Warner Fuel Pump vacuum tank itself~

By the way~

I have been looking for such as guge for quite some time to replace a missing unit on one of my Full Classics !

It's the only gauge I am missing ...

Hi Howard,

Sorry for dropping the ball on this. The example I thought I had here wasn't the right one and I forgot to go digging for a photo. In the shot below you can see the fitting on the correct tank for a '27 Chevrolet that went home a few years ago. It's the best view that I have of it. If you'd like a high resolution photo that you can zoom-in on, p.m. me with your email address and I'll send it your way:

p.s.: what is your application?

Thanks Walter, that let's me see the compression fittings. I had pictured flare fittings with the long nuts but guess they aren't correct?

Howard Dennis

I believe the T in this tank to be an original, and it is an old style T like you can't get anymore. They are, indeed, compression fittings, and if memory serves it's pipe thread on the bottom.

It doesn't screw directly into the tank. There's another little fitting that goes in first and it is nickel plated like a lot of S-W fittings of this vintage seem to be. I can't remember the purpose of the piece screwed in ahead of the T. It might simply be to raise it as a lot of things intersect in close proximity right there. Shoot me your email address in a p.m., anyway, and I'll send you the high resolution copy of the photo so you can see the details on the fittings.

Since the path of my restoration has changed I find I no longer need this gauge. Does anyone know how to contact "Silverghost" as he had expressed a need for it to finish off the dash on one of his cars?

Howard Dennis

Since the path of my restoration has changed I find I no longer need this gauge. Does anyone know how to contact "Silverghost" as he had expressed a need for it to finish off the dash on one of his cars?

Howard Dennis

What does "banned" under his name signify?