Open Element FAQ!! If you have ANY questions or concerns about installing/servicing an OPEN ELEMENT on your TBI this thread should be able to answer it! If for some reason you are still unsure about it DO NOT START A NEW THREAD!! This is an effort to clean up the TBI forum. Open Elements are just about the #1 most frequently asked about question and this has to be BY FAR the best thread about them. If you have ANY other questions or think something should be added PM or E-Mail me at rockhard84@hotmail.com Thanks alot guys!! ALLGOHERE

(And yes, this was my very fist post! )

Ok guys, I'm not sure how this message forum works, but from reading other peoples messages I guess we just ask a question. I want to put an open element air cleaner on my 90' RS with a 305, but i'm not quite sure how to, and what I should do about the air sensor. Hopefully before too long I am getting a cowl-induction hood to go with the open element, but when I do, is there a different type of open element that works better with the cowl opposed to the stock hood? Apreciate any advice you can give me.

 

welcome to the boards!!!!!

the best tool on here is the "search" button, usually if you have a question it has been asked before. Also, there is a tech article on installing an open element http://snflupigus.tripod.com/tech/op...tep1/step1.htm
this was also the first mod i did to my car and the tech article that i followed, very easy and straight forward.

good luck!

 

Ditto ... welcome! I also have a '90 RS LO3 TBI and I'm starting the mod process myself. And although I'm a newbie - I've learned tons from this board in the last 9 months of reading.

Feel free to email or PM me anytime.

 

welcome to the board........its a good way to find out parts and stuff you can do to your lo3....i have an edelbrock 14" by 3" and it was a simple process......all you really need to do is purchase it at the store and cut one of the wires that goes into the throttle body to plug up a hole, and then put it in.....also if you going to get an open air element you might want to concider the k&n air filter with the xtream air filter lid.......is your camaro stock or does it have some stuff done to it.....i have done my exhaust, cat back only......hollowed out my cat, dynomax muffler, hei coil, 350 engine, knock sensor, ecm, chip, and more to come during the summer......hope this helped.............

 

Thanks guys, especially that link with the step-by-step for the open element switch, that will help a lot. About any mods I have right now actually when I bought it 7 months ago it was COMPLETELY bone stock, all original e.q., and all I have done to is is a flowmaster 40 series muffler and a K&N filter. (Funny thing is, with only those 2 mods AND H rated tires, I run a 15.3) I also had to put a higher powered alternator for my sound system, got quit the setup there. But other than that nothing. My near future plans are hopefully true dual (cat-free), some hooker headers, chip, and a functional cowl-induction system. Eventually I want the richmond 6-speed, but that won't be for a while. If anyone that reads through this has a working cowl-induction and they have a diff. setup than just an open element that they find works better I'd like to know, because hopefully I'm getting the hood soon. Thanks guys!

 

hello again.....with the hooker set up you can get a cat free system with hooker part number 2210, 1 3/4" by 3" collectors....you can hook that up to a mufflex system of you choice...that is what i am doing with mine....they have the 3" y-pipe with no cats into a 3-4" cat back system either spintech or flowmaster......this i think is a very good setup if you want to put more mods onto your car...mufflex-performance.com is the web site...to get the whole system done like this with 4" cat back system is close to $1500 just for parts......i think that it is worth it but if anyone has a better place in which then can get a 4"cat-back system please feel free to tell us...i would like to know before i spend that money.....

 

http://web.ics.purdue.edu/~mforma/ol...penelement.htm
doesnt get any more discriptive than that hope that helps.

 

Wow, I just looked at the page DevilsAddvocate posted and that was huge! Both links that I've gotten will work great but those of you that are like me and work better with picture books will like DevilsAddvocate's link. Thanks! I'm still wondering about the cowl-induction system, I have an idea for it myself, but it's just too hard to put into words, I'll try to draw it sometime....

 

Sure no problem, I just had a problem with removing the IAT sensor just unplug/screw (dont rememeber lol) it from the houseing, pull the houseing away and the end that was inside the houseing put it back onto the IAT sensor and put it twoards the back of the firewall. um... Just look at the pictures lol hope it helped.

 

Wow advocate,good timing!Im getting ready to install an open element from autozone too!
I do have some questions though. After taking off the old snorkal I plug up the hoses and slap the open element on?Nothing needs to plug into it (pvc)?And whats this on "Snuffy's" site about car fires?If it can be scewed up I'll do it so I want to know what to look for!

 

Ya just goes right on top, i really cant explain it better than that link it should be good to go, just make sure it doesnt rub against ur coil dont want that thing 2 short ull hear it if it does, and thats how a fire might start. You shouldnt have any problems tho more of something 2 scare people with.

 

Do a search for "cowl induction". I'd just give you the link, but it's more satifying to find it yourself.

BTW 15.3 is pretty darn good for basically stock w/o gears. What was your mph? Headers, cam, gears/posi, and chip tuning and you have yourself a mid 14 sec car.

 

Huh, guess I forgot to tag my signature to any of the posts I put. My bad! It was at 87.00 mph. I wish I could do all that fun stuff right now, getting the cowl induction hood keeps slipping further and further away. Funds just ain't where they were at before. I'm lucky if I can even get the parts for the open element anymore. Maybe I can start a "Rally Sport Comemerative Upgrade 10K" or something.....

 

Pony, I bought the Edelbrock #4207 (14x3) open element and installed it, it has places for your PCV to attach to the housing just as it did before, but you will have to punch the indentations out. I left my PCV hanging out as it did before, just pointed it away, I will put some sort of breather cap on it eventually.

 

WOOHOO!! I finally got that d*mn thing on there! For some reason I thought it was going to be more than $30 dollars, and that the installation was going to be more of a pain in the @$$, but I was way wrong! I'll be getting ahold of a digital camera before to long hopefully so I can take some pics of my car and take a couple of my engine. Show off my shiny Edelbrock for the whole world to see. Thanks for all the help you gave me guys!!

(Now if I could just afford the new hood....)

 

Devilsadvocat,
What exactly does the AIT do, and why away from heat sources?

That is the one thing that has been nagging at me since my open element change.
Thanks Scoty

 

The IAT sensor lets the computer know the temperature of incoming air. I believe if the computer senses hot incoming air, it will lean out the fuel mixture a bit.

 

Thanks, maybe if I move mu AIR sensor it might run a little better.

 

ALRIGHT!! The whole reason I started this post is finally a reality. And here it is...

 

:rockon:

 

looks good man

 

If anyone needs it, I have a template for the bracket I made to reposition the coil when I added the open element to my TBI.
It bolts directly to the existing location, and then mounts the coil to the side of the distributor....eliminates the risk of contact and fires.
I don't have a scanner, but am willing to mail a template at no cost if you send a stamped addressed envelope (pm me for the address), or if you like, I can fab bracket up for you for $20.00 ea plus s&h.

 

What about the gaping hole in the exhaust manifold?

 

The what?

 

The hole is simply a stove...there is no flow of air or gas other than from convected heat rising from the manifold.
You can just leave it open as many do, or make a custome plate to fit, which is what I will be doing.

 

Still don't know what hole your talking about, can you see it in the pic I posted?

 

He is talking about the heat riser that comes out of the heat shield over the exaust manifol and with a tinfoil tube or what ever it is, runs up to the stock airbox and is supposed to help the car warm up faster in cold weather.

 

Ohh ok, lol, I got it. I'd like to take that little piece off, kinda pointless now, and it looks bad...

 

90rs305:
Is that a drop base or non drop base? Got a part number? I like the look of the edelbrock better than the others I've seen on here. This thread is a lot better than the others I've searched on the same topic.

 

Yeah I do, I just have to go grab it. and no, with the one I got you leave the spacer on. I got it at AutoZone for $29.99 Instalation took my about an hour, but thats just becuase I had to keep running back and forth from the computer to see what I do next, didn't think to maybe print the pages out or something, like people with common sence might....

Also, if you currently have a K&N filter in your car, if you get the same open element I did (which I would suggest, smaller one just seems kinda pointless) then your filter will be useless. I had to buy the bigger K&N to fit.

 

Well, talk about dejavou...this was the very first thread/post I made...

Anyways, I just wanted to update it with some new advice/new warnings. Up untill about 5 minutes ago I had no idea what happened to my car. I was driving it today and after making a U-Turn, my car's electrical system kicked the bucket.
I opened up the hood, couldn't find anything wrong. Checked the battery, still good. Tried to jump start it AND push start it, nothing. At one point, I remeber replacing the AIT sensor back where I had rigged it (it kinda fell down, you can see where I put it in the pic). I didn't think anything of it. The car is absolutley toast right now. Then I came back through here and read that little quote and it hit me. BE CAREFUL WHERE AND HOW YOU MOUNT THAT THING!!! I'm not looking forward to her doctor bill....

 

Ouch, I take it something shorted?
That sucks man

I punched a hole into the open element base and re-mounted the IAT there.

 

And I should have done that. Mine came with little spots where your supposed to cut it out and stick it there (optional) but I decided that it wasn't worth all the work and the way I did it worked just fine.....*cough*.........

I'm still not 100% sure that is what happened though. There still are other possibilities, but right now that seems to be the only thing I can think of that would cause something like what happened to my poor car.....I'm gonna go cry now....

 

as i said in ther very beginning, make sure your coil wires and your air cleaner arent touching...also........


check your coil by wiggling it, if it gives, that could have caused your coil to go out, and also check for wires having exposure to the air cleaner..from rubbing and such, i would definitely check your ignition coil though.

blain

 

I'm not sure that the coil would have the effect on the car that I'm having, all though I could be wrong. Take a look at this post and that will explain what is going on. Hopefully you might know something....

Click Here For The List Of Doom!

 

I would second the notion to check your coil and air cleaner.

 

90RS, you said you had a problem but it isnt very clear what the problem is....you say you TRY to start it...


does it turn, do you just get a clicking when you put the key in on position....

Does it try to start forever and ever but just wont? (check coil)

When you put the key in the on position, do you hear a low pitched hum from the car (if you do, thats good...its your fuel pump) if you dont hear this noise, sounds like fuel pump is bad

during the time the car was running....at any time was there missing?

was there choppy acceleration? (usually bad plug....bad wire..crossed wires...fuel filter...vacuum leak (check the most common leak areas by looking at the air mgmt valve on passenger side of block for disconnected hoses, also the T-valve near the back of the block, topside....has 5/32 inch hoses running off it...more often than not you should replace these hoses...almost like Pixy Stix size...goes for about 50 cents a foot

explain the problem in more detail, and you will get more accurate suggestions.

blain

 

If you take a look at the link I posted you'll see what works/doesn't work. As for the ignition and fuel pump and other various components or what not, NOTHING works. When I put the key in the ignition it doesn't even beep to let me know its in let alone make anything work. No dummy lights come on, no clicking, no humming, no nothing. When I try and crank the car, all that happens is the key moves. No clicking in the engine bay. I'm so confused, excuse me while I go cry....

 

hmm, no lights, no sirens, no nothing.......if you have an amp-probe, you can check for voltage just about anywher ein the car (an air conditioner technicion or an electrician would definitely have one)

sounds like your ECM....COULD be....

because if it were your battery, youd get a click, maybe some dim lights, if it were the coil, it would try to start, but wouldnt kick....if it were your ecm that was fried, nothing would work...

questions: when you tried to jump the car....are you sure whomever placed the clips on the terminal didnt cross-polarize the car, as that would completely fry your system.

I know cuz a friend did that to my 84 Fiero.....new ECM (800 bones)


gl, hope im wrong

 

Actually, I do get lights, my head lights and brights still work. Also my dome light turns on when I open the door. Even the little motor in the back for my hatch that closes it still works. But my turn signals don't work, my hazards don't work, my brake lights don't work, its screwey as all get out. I had the battery tested professionally and its running like it was brand new, so I know thats not it. Where would I locate my ECM? $800 is a little out of my hands right now....hope its not that....

 

Ohh and yeah, the jump start there was no cross polarization, I did it myself. It didn't do anything....

 

doesnt sound like ECM problem then...

check fuses?

pull em out 1 at a time, replace 1 at a time

 

305 TBI ECMs are not that bad.
I replaced a fried one for under $70. (Advance Auto Parts)

 

I did, all of em' are good. It almost seems like my car is playing a really sick joke on me...

 

check your starter

 

Thats still good too...

 

Have you checked the fusible links down by the battery?

There are five that I know of:
3 are by the starter solenoid
2 are come off the junction block just inboard and in front of your battery.

The fusible links look just like a wire with a black tubular connection to the rest of the circuit.
The only way to be sure is to use a probe on each side of them.

I have the shop manual for the 90 RS, and it looks to me like this could well be all that's wrong, one of the fuse links looks after brights, another looks after what appears to be the feed to the fuse panel.

Good luck

 

I think Heavy may have a point.
If your basic accesories work, yet nothing else seems to fire up
it would be logical that the issue is related to an open in the
circuit.

The other possibility being that none of those things will fire up
with a bad ecm in the car? Can anyone tell us for sure?
Fuel pump, ignition, etc ...

 

Thought I'd throw mo 0.02 cents in.

I used to have single snorkle--I went to dual (no ducting) and went to the track---no gain what so ever.

I sold the dual sn--got an AC Delco 14X3. They have covered holes in the side of the base.

Drilled it out and threaded the IAT in it--no problems.

Went back to the track--picked up 0.1 sec and added about 1.5mph!

Firm believer now.:hail:

 

it might just be an open in the ignition circuit