Just picked up a 86 trans am with the carb'd Lg4 and auto tranny. Previous owner switched the intake and carb to edlebrock performer and edlebrock 1407, leaving me with some vacuum hoses unattached and harnesses laying on the intake. They didn't switch out the distributor to a vacuum advance one, and believe that's the reason it's running rough and off time. I'm stuck between staying CCC and getting a quadrajet back on there or going mechanical and getting a new distributor. All opinions and advice welcome!

 

I honestly had to make a judgement call on this as well when I bought mine last year.
SAME boat you are in now with a half a$$ed carb switch with the CC distributor still in there, and vacuum lines not hooked up correctly. SAME BOAT.
I looked at it like this, the LG4 is a disapointment to start with. Its the lowest compression v8 ever produced, and is now 30+ years old. I dont beleive there is a right or wrong answer for you.
If you decide to decomputerize it ( I did successfully) then there is a small handfull of things you need to know to do it right.

1. You are correct. You need a mechanical vacuum advance dizzy. That computer controlled one will not work. It will not have ANY advance at all and run like crap. Here is a link to the one I bought and is an excellent priced solution that has served me well for a year now
http://www.ebay.com/itm/SBC-Chevy-HEI-Distributor-50K-Ignition-Black-Cap-305-350-383-400-Small-Block-/200833799474?vxp=mtr&hash=item2ec2a09532
2. Really I should have listed this as number ONE. Considering the carb swap was half a$$ed make SURE you have the following geometry corrector bracket on that edelbrock carb for your 700r4 TV cable. If you do not, then DO NOT DRIVE it anywhere. I wouldnt even pull it out of the driveway without it. It WILL burn up your tranny quick. Here is a link to the bracket:

http://www.jegs.com/i/B%26amp%3BM/130/64511/10002/-1

3. While its not detrimental, you should really get an aftermarket lock-up kit for the tranny. Dont buy one of the expensive monster transmission jobs...just a run of the mill $40 lock up kit...it will come with instructions. Something like this:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/COMBO-PACK-G...sAAOSwiLdV7gMX

Since your car already has the intake and carb, this is definately the cheaper route for you as obtaining the right carb is going to set you back some coin to first buy one and then have it rebuilt. Unless you can find the right one already rebuilt, but still not cheap.

 

Vacuum hoses are a breeze. Just make sure you have a PCV valve in one valve cover and a breather in the other for positive ventilation. The vacuum hose from the PCV valve will go to a full ported vacuum on the carb base.
Next, run a small 5/16 vacuum line from your distributer vacuum can to the ported vacuum spot on the carb. Done.
As far as the wiring harness laying on the intake etc... Be glad they didnt cut it and chop it to bits. Just neatly zip tie the harness connectors out of the way. They will be useful to you if you decide to put it back original.

Hope this helps.

 

I would go to a junkyard and get a CCC carb and have it rebuilt by Cliff Ruggles.
I REALLY like the flawless operation and 26 mpg highway mileage of the car in my sig

 

I have a computer controlled Q-Jet.... That's from a car I purchased that the PO did a half @$$ed V6 to V8 swap. He put in a CC Q-jet, without it hooked up to a computer and converted the choke to a manual choke..... If you want the Q-jet to rebuild or what not let me know.

 

You are going to get a lot of advice... not all will be good. My two cents is this. Your already 3/4th there. Replace the distributor with an MSD or whatever you prefer. Stay away from Accel. Set timing to 6 degrees BTDC and you are done. The vacuum hoses should be easy enough. The trans lockup might be a problem. Lots of kits are out there to mount a switch. Transgo makes a kit to lockup hydraulically. If you have never rebuilt a trans then this is not for you. Stick with the switch.


The other bit of advice is don't sink a lot of $$$ into the LG4. It will barely make 150HP. There are a lot of options out there.

 

Correct!
You can keep the CCC carb & CC-distributor, and put a REAL engine underneath it! See my sig

 

But he doesnt have the original carb and most likely the computer either. Nevermind not having the original intake. AIR system gone, and probably the charcoal canister too..lol He is definately better off working with what he has and just button up the PO's hack job by doing the conversion right. A good carb tuner worth his salt can make it get comparable gas mileage with the factory q-jet

 

I was just looking tonight and I'm missing some things from the vacuum diagram. what am I missing from not having the original intake? I can't find the canister control valve or the egr. I've completed the efe vacuum lines although a plastic nipple is broken off. Ideally I've decide that I'd want to get everything back to stock, but that might cost too much to repair and replace. I guess my next question is what do I all need if I run the quadrajet?

 

The connector, vacuum lines, gasket, and fuel line. I have a cast iron q-jet intake and the quadrajet if you want them.

 

How much?

 

TBH, probably just shipping. I have no use for them.

 

You can get spread-bore intakes with an EGR provision to use with the Q-Jet as well. Summit has a few different ones available.

 

For the record, the '86 LG4 CR was 9.5:1.

 

Aha.... Looked it up and your right. Some improvement from the early cars. His car should respond well to an HEI done right.