I've got a Y-pipe that won't hook up to the engine. The problem seems to be that the passenger side part of the Y is too low to make a good connection. I think the Y is bent, my dad thinks theres a missing piece between the EFE valve and the Manifold or the EFE and the Y. When I took it apart there were no other parts.
We took an LG4 outta a Caprice (it was free) to swap out with an original L69 that was blown up by my aforementioned parent. I swapped out all the LG4 accessories, fuel pump, carb and the Exhaust mainfolds as well as the rest of the Exhaust system on it for the hotter L69 compoenets. However when we finally got it all together the original L69 Y pipe was not hooking up to the engine. It hits the bottom of the car before it even makes contact with the ball gasket on the EFE.
My question is...do we missing a piece or is there something wrong with our Y pipe (its been 4 years since its been taken off),or worse case scenario wrong Y pipe for the setup? The Engine is an 87 model if that helps. Also the oil pan block and heads and intake manifold are the only things that still remain from the caprice. One final note on my regretably long post is we are in NJ where we are screwed into having factory setups or else we fail Emissions. Thanks in advance.

 

If you have the correct L69 exhaust manifolds and the correct L69 y-pipe, and you have the EFE valve, then yes it sounds like something isnt correct.

You could also get a 350 TPI y-pipe, as they used the same exhaust manifolds but without the EFE valve in the y-pipe.

 

They did, however, use a spacer in place of the valve.

JamesC

 

in theory could replace the spacer on the 350 Y with the EFE from the L69? NJ inspection may give us grief....

 

Yes. To make the EFE appear stock, you might have to remove a few components.

JamesC

 

The biggest problem I see after screwing with it last night and this morning is the fact that it hits the bottom of the car before it makes a good solid connection with the manifold on the passenger side. If I did even start with this then i would either destroy the bottom of the car or I would break the oil pan.

 

Like others here have said, you need to put the spacer in there, as far as I know they made 2 sizes, a small one and a larger one.

I may have the smaller one, pm me after 5 tonight and I'll take a look, if you want it you can have it for the cost of shipping.

John

 

upon further checking out and visits to parts stores I am certain I have a bent Y. the fact that you would need serious muscle or leverage to even make this thing attach to the opposite side of the engine depending on which side goes on first is my reasoning. I know it shouldn't be this hard to put a Y on so we are gonna break out the torch and see if we can bend this thing just enought that we can get it on. Thanks to all for your input.