'86 Model Motor goin non-computer

[2bits]

I have a '86 Monte Carlo 305 that I picked up cheap and I am about to start up for test run, and it has a computer controlled Quadrajet. Couple of questions.

1. Am I gonna be able to start this engine sitting on a run stand with that carb or am I gonna need to go ahead and put a non-computer controlled carb on it first?

2. Generally speaking, what kind of stuff am I gonna need to replace to dump all the computer controlled stuff. Please save me the soap box for the wonders of computers and indulge me.

I am not an expert in the computer stuff so don't go askin me this that and the other, that's why I don't want to mess with it. It is an '86 so if you don't know, let the next guy answer Now that I said that feel free to run amok anyway haha

Thanks to anyone who can help

[camshaftgsxr]

What kind of distributor? If it's a computer controlled hei jump the green wire to the wire on away from it and it will work like normal and ditch the carb and go edelbrock for ease q-jet for gas milage or Holley for power, and get rid of everything but the Pcv valve as far as emissions goes
Posted via Mobile Device

[C-10 simplex]

This is fascinating stuff:

1) Do you have the original distributor?

2) Try it and find out----i think it will run, but run crappy at idle without the computer. It may run ok at mid-to-full throttle.

3) To "dump all the computer stuff," Personally i would just get a non-computer reman q-jet and gm HEI but that's just me. Remans tend to be jetted a little rich though among other things..........

Here's a good link to read regarding CCC, i think so anyways:
http://www.robertpowersmotorsports.com/CCC.html

[2bits]

It has the original distributor, and it looks normal but does have a connector coming off of it so it might have some computer controlled spark advance of something. Luckily I have a spare distributor so that's easy enough solved. Wikipedia just noted the carb was computer controlled nothing else, but that connector is suspect.

I should probably be more specific about the carb deal. I bought the engine and tranny after it was already pulled from the car. He says it ran great but who knows right? He was asking $300, so I gave him $200, which is the same as a core charge for a rebuilt engine (Not even including the bonus tranny), so I am thinking with all the accessories and the brackets I am still winning no matter what. My goal is before going out and spending a bunch of cash, I wanted to get the engine started on my run stand to see if it is as good as the guy said, so yeah definitely my plan it to ditch the computer controlled carb, but I wanted to get it running with it just long enough to make sure it doesn't smoke or knock etc. My '86 Jimmy had sensors all over the place and I had hell with it when they went out.

I am taking Friday off and if it gives me fits, I will drop my 2bbl with my adapter plat on it and use that as plan B for the run test.

Thanks for the CCC link too! It was very informative and I saw all the names of all those sensors that I never want to see again. Looks like the replacement distributor will be in order as well!

[BigBlocksRule]

Is there a reason you're messing with a 305 rather than a 350?

[2bits]

Did ya read my post? I picked up the 305 AND the tranny for $200! That's a pretty good reason. I am not building a hot rod, just a street cruiser so it's cool with me.

[junkyardjohn]

WHEN I PICKED UP MY 84 LONG FLEET 4X4 ABOUT 12 YEARS AGO IT HAD AN ESC (ELECTRONIC SPARK CONTROL) DIST. WITH THE ORIGIONAL 305 WITH OVER 300,000 MILES ON IT (I GOT IT FROM THE ORIGINAL OWNER & KNEW HIM, & THE MOTOR WAS WORE RIGHT OUT) I PUT A 72 350 IN IT & I CUT OUT ALL THE WIREING I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND,PUT A G.M. HEI, EDELBROCK CARB, INTAKE & A SET OF HEADERS. IT'S BEEN LIVING HAPPILY EVER SINCE. SOMETIMES SIMPLE IS BETTER... AFTER ALL... EVEN AN OLD HILLBILLY LIKE ME KNOWS WHAT IT TAKES TO MAKE A 350 CHEVY RUN. JOHN

[2bits]

Cool, that's exactly what I'm doin!

[benoit454]

the reg. esc hei dist. can be bypassed as mentioned to save you money no need to buy another hei dist. it doesn't make one bit of difference in how it runs. I've done it and it runs great just as it did before. From what I've seen that carb will work it's only a feedback carb? i think is what they call em, just unhooked the electrical junk and run it. For me I'd run an edelbrock or non computer controlled one.

Gonna ditch all that emissions crap too?

Also looks like that's a goodwrench replacement motor having the 305 sticker on the valve cover, maybe I'm wrong?

[2bits]

Originally Posted by benoit454

the reg. esc hei dist. can be bypassed as mentioned to save you money no need to buy another hei dist. it doesn't make one bit of difference in how it runs. I've done it and it runs great just as it did before. From what I've seen that carb will work it's only a feedback carb? i think is what they call em, just unhooked the electrical junk and run it. For me I'd run an edelbrock or non computer controlled one.

Gonna ditch all that emissions crap too?

Also looks like that's a goodwrench replacement motor having the 305 sticker on the valve cover, maybe I'm wrong?

Yup that is a Goodwrench replacement motor. 165HP 305. Those AIR valves are gonna be pulled and capped for sure. It is going in a '74 Model. I am also gonna replace the carb with a new one no matter what once I am ready to really run the engine, just because I want clean efficient fuel delivery.

I couldn't figure out how to bypass the stuff on the dizzy so I said screw it and just bought a new one just now, I got the starter stuff all wired up, changed the oil and it turns over fine, I am goin out now to find TDC and drop the dizzy and see if it will crank!

[benoit454]

man should have waited it's only cut 2 wires and splice em together and it's done.

http://www.73-87.com/7387garage/driv...repl/plug1.jpg
http://www.73-87.com/7387garage/drivetrain/escrepl.htm

[2bits]

Originally Posted by benoit454

man should have waited it's only cut 2 wires and splice em together and it's done.

http://www.73-87.com/7387garage/driv...repl/plug1.jpg
http://www.73-87.com/7387garage/drivetrain/escrepl.htm

Ain't no thang, I wanted to get it done today and I like working with what I know, plus I need the vacuum advance anyway.

It all worked out cause I got the new engine running tonight!!! It was sitting for who knows how long in his mom's carport covered in a tarp, at least a year from the looks of it. All I did was changed the oil, bought a new non- computer controlled distributor, located top dead center and dropped it in, wired it up, hooked up a battery and a can o gas, and with one glug o gas in the carb....

Man o man it fired up on the first keystroke and screamed! I was surprised that it didn't need any coaxing to get started either, I mean it was like I went in to Kroger and came back out and it started right up!!! No smoke and no knock, everything was perfect on it and it sounded AWESOME. The timing was also perfect! I think I found my engine and I am ready go GO!

YouTube - You never forget your first time

[benoit454]

the original dist. did not have vac. adv.?

[2bits]

Originally Posted by benoit454

the original dist. did not have vac. adv.?

Nope. I was reading that it had computer controlled advance, but I don't know anything about them, can't see why the PO would pull that one piece but it's in the core bin at Oreillys now hehe

[benoit454]

hmm what year was it? The 86 truck we had, it had esc dist. but had vac. adv.

I don't blame you a bit for buying one then if it did not have vac. adv. IMO it's something you need.

[2bits]

It is an 86 like it says. I ran the numbers on it too to be sure. I never heard of one not having vac advance either and yeah you DEFINITELY need that LOL now that I know it runs great, I'll be picking up a new carb next paycheck.

I guess an additional question is about the lockup TH350. I am gonna be putting a 700r4 in it in short order so the 350 is just going in so I can drive the car for a month or two while I save up for the tranny. Point being I don't want to jack with wiring up the lock up unless I am gonna burn out the transmission if I don't I could get a non-lockup converter but that is a huge expense for a workaround. What's the word on running a TH350 lockup transmission without wiring the lockup? Super bad or no big deal?

[benoit454]

IMO nothing. I think it's a myth without lockup they burn up, if so then why are they reg. th350's that don't lock up, been around for years and still going?

From what I read you cannot put a regular th350 non locvk up TC on a lockup trans and vice versa.

However if you are going to put in a 700anyways, you could do the lockup now and just reuse it on the 700r4.

IMo I'd ditch the lock up and ditch the od. Unless you run some good gears out back like some 3.73's or 4.10's then I could see using od.

[2bits]

Ditch the lock up and not do Overdrive? What's the upside of that? I drive an hour to work and back everyday on the freeway. I'm looking for mileage! Overdrive is golden to me.

[benoit454]

I hate them both. they are useless here. If it was me and I wanted some better mileage then maybe, or just get some highway gears for the rear end. You going with a 305 and such I can understand mileage over power.

That's why I said if you hook it up now you can reuse it on the 700r4 you put in.

[2bits]

Seems like most people are building street rods here. I like to drive mine every day. I want highway gears, a mouse motor and overdrive and 20 miles to the gallon hehe The 305 has plenty o power for me too. Thanks for all the input

[C-10 simplex]

1) CCC distributors don't have vacuum advance---the computer controls that. ESC distributors do have vac advance, but, for the most part, these aren't CCC.

2) So, in the video are you using the orig CCC carb?

3) If it's just for a month, i think you can run the trans w/out lockup with no harm.

[benoit454]

well we drive ours everyday too, highway and around town a mild 350 with a cam and edelbrock crab, no emissions junk, headers, and mines a 350 tbi setup and it's driven everyday too.

Somebody please tell me how the crap you are gonna burn up a th350c without it being locked up? They made th350's and those didn't ever lock up, and we had a 700r4 that never locked up because it was unplugged and ran it daily for years and it never went out.

[2bits]

Yeah, I didn't want to roll out the dough for a new carb yet, so I just got the dizzy. I knew I could get it to at least run with the CCC carb. It did good, but it's on the plank for replacement now that I know the engine is good.

Hey Chris, I'm not sayin you can't drive a nice 350 around everyday, I just want to maximize my mileage is all.

The reason I brought up the question about burning out a lockup converter is what I read from the article that Mr. Simplex posted: http://www.robertpowersmotorsports.com/CCC.html

"If you run the tranny unlocked in overdrive, especially with 2.xx series rear end gears, you could damage the transmission. These transmissions can be converted to non-lockup, but the check ball in the input shaft snout must be removed, then you can run a non-lockup torque converter."

Obviously it is talking about in the overdrive gear, but I wondered what the consensus was for a three speed.

[benoit454]

That sounds kinda wrong to me, having the 2.xx gears is gonna lower rpms big time not to mention od that should be the perfect mileage setup. Although it may in fact be too low rpms for the convertor to lock up, not meaning the lockup crap but the stall speed of it. If that is the case then yes definately it's gonna burn up cuz it's doing basically nothing but slipping big time. I no trans guru, but I think you'll be ok, we drove around without a 700 hooked up forever. it was a 4x4 and had 33's on it and 3.08 rear gears.

[C-10 simplex]

i think what the issue is concerning running without lockup is that there is something in the lockup trans---be it 350, 200r4, or 700r4 that makes the fluid circulate slower vs. a non lockup trans. In this case the lockup trans does not "need" as much fluid to circulate because the converter is supposed to be locked up.

So if you run a lockup trans w/out locking the converter you could burn up the trans. Or something like that-----i'm maybe not phrasing right.

But, i would say if it's only going to be for a month or 2, you'll probably ok, maybe.


i would personally get it to lockup soon just to be safe as right now i can't get no clear answer if its safe or not. And that happens to be my exact my situation! Plus you get better mpg.