:dontknow: I started the thread HEADERS FOR and 85 el camino. I need to know if i screwed up bad. To start the engine is a bone stock 85 el camiono with a 305, ecm and a 4barrel Rochester. I removed the smog pump and most of the vac tubes i pluged up 1 vac tube on the carb, and i started to remove what i thought was a sensor on the intake manifold and the blue pasltic on it broke. when i removed the actually bolt i saw it lead into on of the coolant chamber on the intake manifold. i dont know if i screwed up bad. Dead End kid had told me now that i did that i have to change the carb and distributor i am not trying to be rude to him but i need to make sure. what can i do from here. i dont plan on selling the car and i live in fla so i got no smog laws.
i dont want to dicth the ecm i just want to clean up the engine bay (get rid of all the tubes and crap) PLS help

I would just take that part off which sounds like a thermal vacuum switch and hit a junkyard for a replacement. Honestly, removing vacuum lines and everything for a clean engine bay is just not worth it for the hassle, especially when the vacuum is used for engine control circuits. Let me offer you a better solution which is more fun, will not compromise the function of the vehicle and looks better that just removing lines. Go get some 1/8 brake line tubing a good bender and tubing cutter and replace all you lines with solid lines that hug the engine to the point where they are almost invisable. If you really want it to look good, get some Swagelock tubing and fittings then you will have he best quality and stainless steel. You will never have to replace it.

Yeah partner, it sounds like you are screwing up. What you must understand is that all those " tubes and crap", work together to make your engine run efficiently and economically. Given your posts, it sounds like you need a bit more mechanical study before you start pulling and plugging. Your engine bay will never look like a 63' 327, but you can repaint, clean and replace worn out hoses. Your 305 can make decent power and get 18 - 20 mpg highway, but not if you start randomly jerking parts off without knowing what they actually do. I live in SoCal and must abide by strict smog laws. You can still have underhood bling and a clean look while keeping legal. Change to a serpentine system and eliminate two belts. Even if Florida currently doesn't have smog inspections, that could change. Restoring a modified engine back to standards can be an expensive nightmare.I hope you'll think twice about pulling parts until you're very sure of the immediate and long term effects. Best of luck...

When I bought mine someone had already removed all the smog stuff and replaced the carb and dist with stock older year stuff and works fine. I don't know where they got ignition from. the computer has been removed (usually behind the kick panel on the pass side front) some wiring has been rigged and out of the way.

hey adruester take a picture if you can and upload it showing exactly what your talking about, more pics the better hopefully it isnt that bad.

Sounds simple to me man, The sensor you found leading into the intake, could be a temp sensor, nothing to bad just a thermometer to tell your idiot lights if it's running hot.

The tubs i cut off mine too, i went to Lowes and bought some, 3/8'(? i cant remember but you can size them out) casted plumbing tube covers, and i covered up all the holes that the tubes lead out of on the exhaust manifolds. It got rid of all my lines, andi took my Computer Controlled Carburetor and replaced it with a vacuum only off of a 78 Cabby.

I plugged some of the Vacuum lines off that carb, and i replaced my sensor with a new one. My Manifolds dont have any ugly vacuum lines coming off them. and im in Texas so no one cares about the environment down here like they do in SoCal. My vehicle passes just the safety inspection.

It doesnt sound to me like you're to far up a creek without a paddle it just sounds like you need to do a little more investigating before you pull stuff off randomly.

My car now is computer-less, but i was lucky enough that my Distributor was a vacuum advance, my replacement carb was cheap, and my inspection laws dont require smog crap.

I believe what everyone else is inferring is that you've chopped and screwed this engine beyond repair, however the way i see it, if it runs wihtout it, and you like the clean look go for it. Granted your car is an 85, but you can have a clean engine bay. You might sacrifice some mpg or some efficiency of some kind for the look but as long as it's worth it to you, who cares. Just make sure you know what you're pulling off before you pull stuff off and double check with your state inspection laws.

dont get discouraged buddy, we're here to help. :beer:

Not all of Texas has no snog laws, Dallas has smog inspections. But I used to just go to a small town nearby and get it done.
I agree with everyone else about not just pulling off stuff that you don't know whats it for. That really could turn into bad news fast.
Donny

No emissions in FL at that age (I think anything older than 20 years); that's why all my rides are tagged down there. I have no smog stuff on either cruck anymore. 85 is a blown 350 with a holley 4 banger; the 79 is a 305 H.O. from an IROQ with my stock 4 banger and manifold on it. 85 is a banshee; the 79 should run fine once it's finished. If you don't know how to properly cutout all the vacuum and smog stuff, find a rod & custom shop in your area that can do it for you.

I just had all my smog stuff taken off but I did it through a repair shop here in town. At the same time we did new valve covers, plug wires and Hooker headers. It certainaly look great but It's still something wrong with the carb., perhaps a fuel filter, will deal with that next since in the morning its going to the body shop for about a week. Sooner or later I will get some pictures on here. Rango

You have to be aware that vacuum is used to operate the heater/AC controls from the dash levers etc, and sort out the lines for that if you pull the rest of them off.

Not all of Texas has no snog laws, Dallas has smog inspections. But I used to just go to a small town nearby and get it done.
I agree with everyone else about not just pulling off stuff that you don't know whats it for. That really could turn into bad news fast.
Donny

Oh yeahh i forgot about dallas, but who goes there anyways:dontknow:! :p


:poke: jus kiddin' donny

Oh yeahh i forgot about dallas, but who goes there anyways:dontknow:! :p


:poke: jus kiddin' donny
smog devices?? We don't want smog devices.!! I haven't smog my wifes car in the last 6 years..and its a "99"..as far as my cruck go"s?? don't need it,at least where I live.:poke::cali:

No smog laws here in south carolina either..I say junk the smog garbage to..just make sure to trace where its leading and make sure it ok to toss :You_Rock:

25 years and older here in mass, the computer and all control wiring were the 1st thing I ripped out when I got it home. A non-computer controlled Carb and an HEI distributer and these things run well:beer:

When you get right down to it, there is only a little bit of stuff that is directly related to Smog. The air pump ( easily removed- no affect on ECM), lines to the headers and line to the cat converter. The Cat Converter can be removed and a "test Pipe" installed in it's place, or it can be gutted. The EGR valve is partly smog related, but also helps the engine run cooler. Impact on performance is negligable, so I would keep it.
You can remove the Plastic tube you broke on the manifold and replace it with a pipe plug. Primarily, it controls the EFE valve on the passenger manifold, allowing for quicker warm-ups. Make sure to wire this valve open. You can remove the mess of vacumn tubes at the front of the carb. Plug the one going to the Charcoal cannister, but keep the cannister. Keep the one coming from the PCV valve to the carb. Also keep the line going from the air cleaner to the other valve cover, or replace it with a Breather cap. Also keep the Vacumn ball and hoses. Used for Heat/AC controls, and for cruise.
The Carb and Dist work together with the Oxygen sensor and ECM to maintain near perfect Air Fuel ratio. This is as close to Fuel Injection as you can get with a carb. If you remove one, you need to remove all. You now have a less effecient carb, making less power and lower mileage. I would keep this intact, and continue to use the ECM to control it. Set your timing at 6 deg BTDC for a little more power, and/or get a MCSS ECM.

Just my .02 worth

not sure on other states but WA requires you to keep the origional smog devices even if the car is old enough not to be required to test for emissions.(or you live in a area that does not test) That being said mine all fell off, dunno what happened to em :dontknow:
But as stated above, stock you need all the systems working together to make it run decent and efficient.
anyone notice this post was started almost a year ago? wonder how he made out:beer:

When you get right down to it, there is only a little bit of stuff that is directly related to Smog. The air pump ( easily removed- no affect on ECM), lines to the headers and line to the cat converter. The Cat Converter can be removed and a "test Pipe" installed in it's place, or it can be gutted. The EGR valve is partly smog related, but also helps the engine run cooler. Impact on performance is negligable, so I would keep it.
You can remove the Plastic tube you broke on the manifold and replace it with a pipe plug. Primarily, it controls the EFE valve on the passenger manifold, allowing for quicker warm-ups. Make sure to wire this valve open. You can remove the mess of vacumn tubes at the front of the carb. Plug the one going to the Charcoal cannister, but keep the cannister. Keep the one coming from the PCV valve to the carb. Also keep the line going from the air cleaner to the other valve cover, or replace it with a Breather cap. Also keep the Vacumn ball and hoses. Used for Heat/AC controls, and for cruise.
The Carb and Dist work together with the Oxygen sensor and ECM to maintain near perfect Air Fuel ratio. This is as close to Fuel Injection as you can get with a carb. If you remove one, you need to remove all. You now have a less effecient carb, making less power and lower mileage. I would keep this intact, and continue to use the ECM to control it. Set your timing at 6 deg BTDC for a little more power, and/or get a MCSS ECM.

Just my .02 worth
hey darbysan,if i deleted my ac/heater and dont need cruise can i ditch the vacumm ball?:poke:

Only safety inspections here in WV, and not even that in Ill. (for cars).

So DDD is from Dallas huh, that explains it.

:poke:

hey darbysan,if i deleted my ac/heater and dont need cruise can i ditch the vacumm ball?:poke:

Yep- Just be sure to plug the vacumn source.

Hi,I got a 86 w/a 305 stock engine and am removing the electronic carb,dist.,(replaced w/a Holley 650 spread bore carb., a new HEI dist. w/a 65000 volt coil and 10 mm wires from Skip Wight) and smog stuff as you did.Do you think MPG's will be better or worse ? Thanks,Alvan

Alvin, the holley carb will probably be worse for mileage than the factory quadrajet, unless the factory carb was fairly bad. You didn,t specify if the holley was a mechanical or vacuum secondary model, the vacuum models are better for economy, the mechanicals definitely worse for mileage. New distributor won,t help mileage unless old was pretty bad shape, coils tend to be overrated,not as much help as you,d hope for, good wires sure never hurt.
On the subject of fuel economy, any item such as headers ,exhaust,air intake, etc that raises the volumetric efficiency of the engine & free's up more power will help mileage PROVIDED you drive it the same way, not using the extra power.
Items like overdrive trans(if you don,t have) fuel injection, & even spark boxes like the msd 6a are the larger ways to improve economy.