CCC elimination and Intake Swap

[Tank]

I have just completed my elimination of the Computer Controlled Carb and Intake on my 3.8L 229C.I. V6 in a 1981 El Camino.
The parts I used were the following:
Edelbrock 2111 aluminum intake--says will fit 1985 and up but actually fits 229 V6 just fine.
Holley 1850S 600 CFM 4 Barrel carb with Vacuum secondaries and a manual choke--64cc Main Jets and 70cc Secondary jets--before going and saying this carb is way too big for this motor (which on a stock motor probably would be). I have a 252H Comp Cam upgrade along with Flat top pistons for a higher compression ratio and ported and polished heads and the aluminum dual plane intake. The only adjustment I may need to do is up the Main Jets to 66's instead of the 64's.

Since mine was a 1981 with a vacuum advance distributor I was able to reuse this part and I did not have to purchase a different one.
I have completely unplugged and removed my computer from the El Camino. It has not effected anything else in the car, no check engine lights or dash lights came on and the car started, ran and drives just fine.

 

[DoubleV]

You rebuilt a 229? :shock: May I ask why?

You say your engine was on the computer but you're saying it came with a vacuum distributor stock? That can't be right.

 

[Tank]

You rebuilt a 229? :shock: May I ask why?

You say your engine was on the computer but you're saying it came with a vacuum distributor stock? That can't be right.

In 1981 the first year of the CCC carb they still used the vacuum advance distributor since the computer only controlled the idle air mixture on the Carb. In 1982 they went to the computer controlled timing and eliminated the vacuum advance. My Distributor does have a wire coming out of the back of it with one needle point connector (was not hooked up to anything) which when I removed the harness for the computer it also had the same connector but was not hooked up to it. It does have the vacuum advance pod and is working just fine.

This El Camino for 1981 came with the 229 V6 and manual 3 speed on the floor which for that combination less than 2000 where made during that year. The 3 speed was swapped out for a close ratio 4 speed and the V6 was rebuilt by the previous owner with the cam, flat top pistons and ported polished heads (receipts show over $1500 spent on the rebuild); however, he just left the stock intake and carb on it which I upgraded for an additional $600.

So it is pretty cool going to car shows and people actually see something different than the same old SBC 350.

 

[DoubleV]

I would very much like to see a pic of your distributor that you're saying ( unless I'm misreading you ) has the plug for the CCC hookup and also has a vacuum advance as well because that makes no sense to me. I have never once heard of any such beast and find it hard to believe such a system/setup would've ever been invented even by the idiots at GM.

 

[Tank]

I would very much like to see a pic of your distributor that you're saying ( unless I'm misreading you ) has the plug for the CCC hookup and also has a vacuum advance as well because that makes no sense to me. I have never once heard of any such beast and find it hard to believe such a system/setup would've ever been invented even by the idiots at GM.

That will be no problem, I'll try and get one this weekend. I was completely baffled by it also and so was another buddy that was there with me helping set the timing. I am only assuming it is the plug for the CCC hookup as both my computer wiring harness and the distributor had the same style but were not hooked up originally.

 

[DRIVEN]

Good writeup -- could use a photo or two though.
I went on rockauto just out of curiosity and they show 2 options. One is a 4 terminal that looks like a standard non-CCC HEI distributor. And another is listed as a 5 terminal (no photo).

 

[olds307 and 403]

I had one of those distributors. It came on a 82 Delta 88 Canadian non CCC 307. That module, by grounding the extra terminal, supposedly retards the timing 10 degrees. A regular module goes right in place, otherwise a regular vacuum advance distributor. Some chevy trucks had the stupid extra power piston electronicly controlled, maybe this the case.

 

[Tank]

Here is a pic of my upgrade on the Elcamino. The photo isn't the best since it is on a cell phone I will try with a digital camera for a better quality picture.

 

[Fox80]

Very cool right up, good to see someone work with a small motor rather than just scrap it for some "big" power motor. This is along the lines of what I am doing to the 260 in my car, however I had to build a intake to change the flange pattern over to a standard Holley, to eliminate the 2bbl. They dont make a smaller runner Olds intake, and welding the junk aluminum Edelbrock uses is a pain, so i just got a carb flange/ runner top kit, and used a stock intake i got from a member on here.The dist you have is similar to mine, but mine used the temp controlled retard function along with the vacuum/mech. advance. Do you have any/many miles on it yet?, ill be interested how that carb works on a smaller motor, I will be doing some of the same mods you did but I'm starting with a 390cfm vacuum secondary carb

 

[Tank]

Very cool right up, good to see someone work with a small motor rather than just scrap it for some "big" power motor. This is along the lines of what I am doing to the 260 in my car, however I had to build a intake to change the flange pattern over to a standard Holley, to eliminate the 2bbl. They dont make a smaller runner Olds intake, and welding the junk aluminum Edelbrock uses is a pain, so i just got a carb flange/ runner top kit, and used a stock intake i got from a member on here.The dist you have is similar to mine, but mine used the temp controlled retard function along with the vacuum/mech. advance. Do you have any/many miles on it yet?, ill be interested how that carb works on a smaller motor, I will be doing some of the same mods you did but I'm starting with a 390cfm vacuum secondary carb

I did this upgrade back in June and I have driven it quite a bit. My original plans called for the Holley 390cfm but I just didn't have the extra cash to cough up for the carb, so I went with the friends 600cfm he sold me for $125 and only 3 months old. With the internal upgrades to the motor it seems to be handling it ok. I still need to put a vacuum gauge on it to dial it in, but I think if anything I may need to up the jets from 64's to 66's as it seems that it may be actually running a little lean. The response when I kick in the secondaries is amazing and it really opened up this little motor. I will be doing a header upgrade here shortly. I found some stock tube headers off a 4.3L at my local salvage yard I can pick up and I think that will help out. I really enjoy the look on peoples faces at car shows when they try and figure what motor that is.