Let me preface this by stating I am ordering a new holley intake/carb package and a HEI Vacuum advance distributor, headers with y-pipe and hi flow cat so I can elimate the computer and make my car run better more consistently. Been having a number of problems with all this computer controlled crap. The performance is really lacking in this engine and I would think the combo of these items should wake it up some. I AM NOT trying to build a rocket ship go fast car by the way. It is my daily driver so gas mileage is important also, I get 15mpg currently so I figure my new intake and the 600cfm carb can't hurt my poor number already, can it? I am trying to identify the components that can be removed to clean up the engine bay and need some help identifying a few things.
Here they go:
1) The gold pieceunder the distributo that connects to the manifold and then has a vacuum line coming of of it, you can only see the gold part in this pic.




2) All these sensors or something that they are


3) The brake booster line, the vacuum line comes off the brake booster, goes to a plastic piece and then to a metal line to the carb - do I need the plastic piece?


4)Cruise control thing has 2 vacuum lines coming off of them, I think 1 went up by the power brake booster and the other went to a connection on the intake - Do I need both to keep it working?


5)Now comes all the vacuum line and smog stuff. The small black round thingy with all the vacuum lines (to the right of the alternator) that go to all the emissions stuff

6) Next is the air pump lines to the left of the alternator-I know these can go since the pump is going, To the left of the smog pump lines is another small vacuum canister that connects the air tubes off the exhaust manifolds, I am installing headers and a high flow cat without air tubes so all that crap can go right?


Thanks for all the help everyone.
Tony other carhttp://memimage.cardomain.net/member...64_88_full.jpg

 

let me preface this by saying you've been grossly misinformed that removing the ECM or anything else will make your engine run or preform more consistently. i'd suspect after you complete this operation we can expect to see a post or two about "why won't my engine run right".

since you can't scroll down and look at pics it's hard to answer and use them for referance.
the gold thing looks a lot like an oil sender, but your description sounds a lot like an EGR. you need the check valve or filter, you need the vacuum to the cruse, you need the relays. it'd help alot if you took the time to learn what something was and what it did instead of asking "can i rip this out"

 

ede, it took a minute to figure out the scroll down comment but got it now when I clicked reply to, cant see the pics anymore. Years ago I had an 83 Z-28 CFI that always had problems just like this 86 does, always throws codes and does weird stuff. I tool my old 83 to the shop and it rolled back out with an edelbrock intake, rebuild holley carb and all the computer controlled crap disconnected, I never had another problem with it up til the point I sold it. My logic was to do the same again to eliminate everything I can and run a basic engine like I had before. My power increased significantly after junking the CFI years ago. As for learning what those sensors and controls actually do, my haynes manual only describes and identifies a few basic things that are computer related in the engine bay. If there is a bigger picture I am missing here please let me know. Goal is to: Make car perform better, make it run better, and make it basic so it doesn't take an electrical enginerring degree to trouble shoot this thing. Going back to old school worked once before for me so I figure why not again.

 

if you're set on removing ecm controled

 

ede, that avatar is cool! I just noticed it on this last post - neat.

 

You need the stuff in pic 1 and 3.

Your best be is to buy a chiltons and trace everything off the wiring diagrams. I traced every wire and pulled them out of the harnesses. It takes a really long time but its much better then a hack job.

 

I'd suggest strongly that you not hack ANYTHING AT ALL. You've got a nice clean motor there, looks in pretty good shape, well taken care of; I realize it's yours and all, and you can do whatever you like to it; but a hilljack high-school hack job won't give you any more power, won't make it run any better, won't make it get better gas mileage, won't do anything to make the car better in any way. All you'll end up doing, is creating a world of problems for yourself; like so many of the other people on this borad that have hacked the "smog crap" off of their car without understanding what they were doing. Above all, you will NOT make the car run more "consistently".

The stuff you see up on top of the motor isn't what's making it slow. It's a waste of your money. The exhaust is an excellent idea; but get headers with the smog connections, EXCEPT NOT FOR LG4, and the cat and cat-back to go with it. I'd recommend the stuff for something like about a 88 TPI 350. Then get rear gears, and a torque converter with about a 2200-2400 RPM stall speed.

As always, the way to make your car faster, is NOT to un-bolt stock and re-bolt aftermarket big shiny things up on top where everybody can see them. Those things you can see, aren't the things that are the engine's limiting factors; let alone, the CAR'S limits. Concentrate your money on stuff that will actually repair the deficiencies in the setup, not on ego gratification with shiny things.

 

I am all ears and always open to good ideas like I see that 2 of you senior members have expressed. Yes the car is very stock right now. I throw SES lights often and the RPMS jump around like crazy and the car jolts due to this problem and then it clears up and does it again sparatically. I can go a week without it doing it or sometimes for 20 minutes with that problem. I try to pull the code from the computer and it flashes code 12 3 times and then recycles through code 12 over and over. I have developed a hard starting problem as well, when I disconnect the MCS on the carb ir runs fine at start up. I have been replacing parts on the car to get it back to original standards for almost 6 months now and have been stranded because the control module in dist went out while driving, I have replaced the carb with an original rebuilt Q-jet. I have been tryng to keep it stock because I like it that way but am getting disappointed with my luck in the computer controlled stuff department, that is why I thought about going old school again. As for the rear. I just hooked up with another board member and am picking up a Posi rear, disc brake, 3:27 gears on Sunday or Monday for her. I am working the rear end part and hope to have it in the week of the 16th when I am off work. The headers I have seen the type with the air tubes like my stock manifolds have but I was confused when you were refering to the 350 TPI setup version. Is this what I need to find, headers for a 1989 350 TPI engine and not a 1986 Carb 305? Enlighten me on this please. I read a post earlier today from a guy who installed air tubed headers and he made a reference to a TPI setup - what is the difference. Thanks again guys you may sway me to keep this thing running with ECM with some help in the diagnosis depertment please.
Tony

 

The deal is, if you get headers for the motor you actually have, they will preserve the exhaust system's bottleneck... which is the part of the system in between the Y behind the motor, and the muffler. That means that if ANY ONE of those 3 pieces (header kit, cat, cat-back) that are of that size, stays that size, you just lost the benefits of spending all that money.

The 350 TPI stuff is MUCH MUCH larger. Costs the same. More bang, same bucks. A no-brainer.

Ignition modules fail from time to time. That's just part of the facts of life with any car. That's not a good reason to go hacking on it.

Code 12 means the engine is not running, and the ECM is OK. So you have no serious computer-related problems.

In other words, what's about to happen to you, is you're going to spend all kinds of money and hack the hell out of your car, and when you get all done, whatever problems the engine has, will still be there; it won't run any better. And you'll still need a converter, and eventually a cam; but now you won't have money any more.

People here can help you work through the problems that you have. Hacking your car to shreds is a poor alternative. Check over on the carb board by the way, look at a post about "Lean stop screw"; there's a bunch of details in there about how to get one of these carbs set up right. Might help you ALOT.

 

Out of curiosity, is that an LG4 or an L69?

 

LG4

 

I got the rear end home last night. I am replacing the calipers and rotors and putting new brake lines throughout the car. I have the brake booster, master cylinder, and propotioning valve for the new rear end that has 3:42 gears. My old is a drum 2:73. As for the tranny's torq, I am working that issue. I have an extra 700R4 in the garage for rebuilding so I sill use the 2200 stall on it and adjust the gears so my speedo should work correctly with new gears. I have found the correct headers you are refering to by edelbrock with air tubes and will but a new hi flow cat replacement with 3" in and out. I already have 3" from the cat back. Would an aftermarket Edelbrock EPS 3701 intake net me some added HP over my stock intake? Just asking, I read the post about top side stuff. Thanks for all the advice.
Tony

 

Just for your information I have a 9.6:1 350, with an lt4 camshaft, holley street dominator intake, 670cfm street avenger carb, headers, and 3'' exhaust. I got 17mpg with a dieing transmission. This was with 2.73s and a 700r4. My tranny has been acting up for awhile and finally went out completely yesterday. So I am sure I would get a couple more per gallon if I had a good transmission.

You can make a non-computer controlled holley carb run great. It just takes a little time and tuning.

 

I just purchased the Edelbrock TES Headers for the PI set-up. It has the 1 5/8" tubes and a 3" collector. I also purchased a hi-flow 3" in and out Catalytic converter with air tube. I am having the long pipe to the muffler replaced with 3" and the flowmaster I have on there has a 3" inlet but is currently down sized to the 2 1/2" exhaust that is on there. Heres a pic of the edelbrock 6872

 

Apples & oranges, that's why.

If the SES light comes on while the engine is running, it should set a trouble code. If the engine light comes on and it's bucking & snorting, but not setting a trouble code, that suggests a simple electrical problem that is interupting operations that the ECM doesn't have a trouble code for.

My '86 LG4 has been my daily driver for almost 6 years now. It is possible for these things to be trouble-free. Check over your ignition wiring; ignition modules and coils are known weak actors that can cause all sorts of problems; fresh ignition tune-up is typically helpful as well (if you haven't done that recently).