hi, i'm new to the board, and i kinda don't own a full El Camino, i have a 88 Monte Carlo SS, and i'm implanting a 78 El Camino 350 into it, due to the oil pump dying in my L69 and seizing and throwing a rod and yeah......not fun.

the first problem i am having is that i live in PA, and i need to pass a visual emission test. So, i need the A.I.R. pipes on my exhaust manifolds. i tried using the 88 305 ones on the 350. the left side bolted up, but the right hand side (passenger side) wouldn't. so i was wondering...do 78 STOCK exhaust manifolds come with A.I.R. Tubes, a heat riser, and an 02 fitting on them????, if it doesn't have the heat riser that's ok, i plan on running an open element agian anyways, but i most definetly need the A.I.R. Tubes.

i really appriciate your help guys, and something tells me i'll probually be back to as other questions.

I do not understand why the driver side air tubes bolt right up but the passenger side does not. Does the passenger side exhaust manifold have the ports for the air tubes? If not, you will have to remove the existing manifold and install one that has the air tube holes (ports).

I am not aware of anything else that would prevent them bolting right up.

my transplanted (84) 305 had them. did you look at the maniold when you were trying to put it on? Is there anything binding?
I would think that if one side bolts up the other would too, if nothing is in the way, take a walk through your local time/space continuem portal
(junk yard) and pick up the passenger side off of a Caprice or something of this nature. Enjoy the wrenching.....

the problem is, that the L69 manifold has the rear bolt flange is longer. and looking at the head of the 305, there are two bolt holes for the rear exhaust port, one at the normal location where you would expect them to be, then there is another one about an inch or so torwards the rear of the engine, and the exhuast manifold is designed to bolt into that one. i was hoping that i could just drill it out, but the exhuast manifold is cast iron, so the tube area of the manifold that the exhuast travels through, is so thick that it covers up the first hole, that i on the 350, is where the exhuast manifold bolt should be. but you guys say that a caprice 350 exhuast manifold would work??

oh, sorry if i wasn't clear, it's not that i can't fit the A.I.R. tubes on to the 350's exhaust manifolds, it's that i don't have 350 manifolds, so i'm trying to use the ones off the 88 305 that have the A.I.R. system on them. and i was looking at OEM manifolds for the 78 motor, and they didn't seem to have the A.I.R. tubes on them

the problem with GM, is in 86 they changed things, head styles, rear main types, and little things like that, which makes crossing that border a bit of a pain

Can you bend the air tubes to make them fit? Or, perhaps even install an extension?

When I changed my 305 to a 350, I used the same exhaust manifolds. I believe they are all interchangeable.

This right side exhaust manifold problem comes up more often than you'd think. Time for a trip to da boneyard and find one that will work. Make sure it will line up with your Y pipe. Also try looking at 305 Camaros and Firebirds. I'd check the ones in the garage but it's 4:19 AM!

Are you saying that the exhaust manifold flange on the right exhaust manifold is different on the 350 and 305 engines? Do they make different exhaust manifold gaskets for the two engines? Don't remember seeing them. Don't believe any 1978 350 in Elkies or Chevelle had AIR pumps.

I had this very same problem with a 86 trk I used to own.The left side fit and the right side not.The rear port bolt holes were differnt.I to was replacing the 305 with a 350.The 350 was from a 74 model and the 305 from a 86.The later model heads had a wider bolt pattern on the rear port maybe 3" and the earlier maybe 2 1/2 I think they were wider because of the vacumn operated canister for the damper which the earlier didn't have.I couldn't use the oil dipstick either [on the left side ]with my old manifolds because it was behind the exhaust exit .I got a pair off a older model 350 from a friend but he didn't know what they were off of,but they are out there.So like Mike suggested,head for the boneyard and start searching.Also the manifold pipes had to be modified to fit.
Also you being from PA ,have you thought of putting Classic tags on your 88 M/C?.It only has to be 15 Yrs old and you'll be Exemp from those emmissions.I have them on my 87 Elky and the 85 M/C SS.

yeah, i thought of just getting 78 manifolds, but i wasn't sure if they had the A.I.R. injection pipes. i also thought, and wanted to do the "Classic" tags, but it said that it "can't be daily transportation" which it is, considering it's my only car.

i guess i'm just going to go with the older style exhuast manifolds, and see if i can't weld the air tubes to it so "it appears to be connected" cause that's really all it needs

1. be present on vehicle
2. appear to be connected properly
3. appear to be the correct style or type for the vehicle.

Your right about the Classic tag,Its not to be used for daily transportation.You shouldn't have much trouble finding S/B manifolds with air tubes,they were used on many early 70,s.And like you said they just have to be on the manifolds for a visual inspection to pass this silly emission test.
The Y pipe will most likely have to be modified to fit the older manifolds,mine did.

I have a pair of 305 air tube manifolds off of a camaro ..they are for sale if your interested $15 and take'em

DynoMax sells a set of headers that have all the tubes and are legal for your car :D

Camaro 88-89 5.0L TBI P/N 87705 Well they have them for a Camaro which should work on your Monty and or any El Camino.

Emissions-Legal Headers
http://www.dynomax.com/images/StreetSeriesHeader.gif


* 50-state emissions legal headers
* Meets EPA & CARB requirements
* Available in painted or high luster ceramic coating inside and out
* Mandrel bent primary tubes for maximum flow
* Precision machined for leak-free seals
* Bolt-on for quick installation
* 100% quality tested

hey, thanks guys, after my dad saw this thread, he's lettin me get headers for the 350, the dynomax ones...i appreciate all your help, and thanks agian!!!!

Hi I am in need of the left side Exshaust manifold for my 79 Elk. After removing it from the 305 we noticed a crack in it . A friend gave me one and said it would be a fit. However it did not work and the old one got thrown out.' Dumb' Well I need the casting numbers from a driver side manifold. I have the air injection tubes. Just need the right part

Thanks

Low_and_slow