howdy i am in the process of gettin a replacement carby and distributor for my cutlass with a 307. i am fed up with the c4 system and i want to get rid of the vacuum balls and emissions thingy things. if i order a vacuum advance aftermarket distributor or can i keep my old one? also what kind of carb should i buy if im on a budget.? also could someone explain electric/manual choke?
eliminating vacuum system.
- Thread starter pimplogic
- Start date
- Status
First, I would keep "those vacuum ball thingys". They run other items such as HVAC controls and flapper doors. It really isn't a big deal to swap out the carburetor and distributor (Go to a parts house and get a "1975 Oldsmobile HEI"). If you're on a budget, I would recommend a used non-computer controlled quadrajet. Your car is already set up for one which will bolt right in, just find an older unit. Before you start ripping things off, I would learn what each item is, and it's function. I'm not saying all that crap is good, but you should be familiar with what you are doing before starting that endeavor.
That computer system will run most any small block Olds as long as it does not have any radical modifications. Mine has never given me any problems.
Most Oldsmobiles have a hot air choke which used manifold heat to operate. An electric choke uses 12 volts applied to a bimetallic strip which opens and closes the choke depending on temperature. A manual choke requires a cable to be run up to the dash, and you remembering to close it after the car warms up every day. Most folks who don't understand automatic chokes go this route, because it's the easy way out. Over time, screwing with a manual choke becomes a pain, so why not do it right?
That computer system will run most any small block Olds as long as it does not have any radical modifications. Mine has never given me any problems.
Most Oldsmobiles have a hot air choke which used manifold heat to operate. An electric choke uses 12 volts applied to a bimetallic strip which opens and closes the choke depending on temperature. A manual choke requires a cable to be run up to the dash, and you remembering to close it after the car warms up every day. Most folks who don't understand automatic chokes go this route, because it's the easy way out. Over time, screwing with a manual choke becomes a pain, so why not do it right?
If your getting rid of the stock CCC system then you need a non-CCC carb and distributor. No need to buy expensive aftermarket stuff unless you want to.
All you need is an HEI distributor with vacuum advance out of a late '70's Olds. Same with the carb. A non-CCC Q-jet would do just fine on the 307.
The vacuum ball by the passenger side headlight is used for the HVAC system. You'll want to keep that.
The ball on the driver's side fender by the windshield washer pump is for the cruise control system. Obviously you'll want to keep that if you have a functioning cruise control.
The 307 has neither a manual choke or electric choke. It has what's called a hot air choke. That's what the two small metal tubes going into the intake on the passenger side of the carb are. It uses the exhaust gasses passing through the exhaust crossover in the intake to heat the air inside the tube. Your replacement Q-jet should have a hot air choke that you can hook back up like it is now.
But to answer your question, a manual choke is just that, manual. You have to run a cable to the inside of your car and when you start it, you pull on the choke cable to manually choke the carb. In my opinion, its a total waste for any car unless it originally came that way. And if it did come that way from the factory, I'd be switching over to an electric choke.
An electric choke uses a switched 12v source that heats the bimetal spring inside the choke housing. This HAS to be hooked to a switched 12v source, not the battery 12v. It would also be a good idea to wire it using a relay and tie it into the alternator so that the choke will only be active when the engine is running. Otherwise if you were just sitting with the key in the run position but the engine off, it would be heating the coil in the choke. Go to start the engine and the choke plate wouldn't be in the correct position to start as it would think the engine is warmed up, even if it wasn't.
All you need is an HEI distributor with vacuum advance out of a late '70's Olds. Same with the carb. A non-CCC Q-jet would do just fine on the 307.
The vacuum ball by the passenger side headlight is used for the HVAC system. You'll want to keep that.
The ball on the driver's side fender by the windshield washer pump is for the cruise control system. Obviously you'll want to keep that if you have a functioning cruise control.
The 307 has neither a manual choke or electric choke. It has what's called a hot air choke. That's what the two small metal tubes going into the intake on the passenger side of the carb are. It uses the exhaust gasses passing through the exhaust crossover in the intake to heat the air inside the tube. Your replacement Q-jet should have a hot air choke that you can hook back up like it is now.
But to answer your question, a manual choke is just that, manual. You have to run a cable to the inside of your car and when you start it, you pull on the choke cable to manually choke the carb. In my opinion, its a total waste for any car unless it originally came that way. And if it did come that way from the factory, I'd be switching over to an electric choke.
An electric choke uses a switched 12v source that heats the bimetal spring inside the choke housing. This HAS to be hooked to a switched 12v source, not the battery 12v. It would also be a good idea to wire it using a relay and tie it into the alternator so that the choke will only be active when the engine is running. Otherwise if you were just sitting with the key in the run position but the engine off, it would be heating the coil in the choke. Go to start the engine and the choke plate wouldn't be in the correct position to start as it would think the engine is warmed up, even if it wasn't.
my car is running no ac compressor or AIR pump. why cant i just toss the vacuum balls and charcoal can and the carb and get an eddy and 75 hei? also i want to take out or bypass the computer. im just runnin a mild street machine thats gonna be replaced with a no cpu olds 350. just buildin up parts for the swap.
pimplogic said:
Because you still need the vacuum ball to operate the heat and defrost not just the AC. But why toss them anyway? It's not like their in the way of anything. Do you have cruise control?
What's an "eddy"? If your talking about an Edelbrock carb, I wouldn't use one. A Q-jet will be plenty of carb and is really the best all around street/performance carb for most engines. You'll still get decent mileage with the small primarys but really nice WOT performance when the HUGE secondary's kick in.
Just unplug all of your sensors from the engine an tie them up. On my '87 I just left the complete wiring harness in the engine bay but tied it up over behind the charcoal canister. If you want to remove everything completely you'll need to remove the passenger side kick panel under the dash and unplug the computer. Then you can fish the wiring harness out into the engine bay but you'll more than likely need to remove the plasitc wheel well to do that.
CLONE thank you for explaining that to me. also the thing is i have an edelbrock 1406 lying around the house, thats why i didnt wanna cough up the extra cheese for a 70's quadra if i didnt have too also would you recommend using this distributor? http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/OLDS...ptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories also so i can remove all of the wires on the pass. side that are hooked up to various hoses and modules and crap.? i can take pics if nessesary i just want a clean engine bay. and my car does not have cruise, nor do i like using it. so the drivers side cajone can be removed?
I've never used the cheap Ebay HEI distributor but there are tons of threads I've read through saying to stay away from them. Their cheap made in China pieces of junk that fail prematurely.
You'd be better off finding a used distributor from a '75-'80 Olds and just replacing the rotor and cap.
If you already have the Edelbrock carb then I'd use it. I thought you were looking at buying a new one, in which case I would waste the money.
Yes, the majority of the wires on the passenger side of the engine compartment can be removed/unplugged. There should be a large (1" or so) convoluted plastic tubing with all of the computer wiring coming up from the firewall and running over the passenger side valve cover. The wires coming out of that should be all computer related.
The wires on the drivers side are all wires you want to keep. They are for your headlights, wipers, high speed blower motor, starter, alternator, etc.
Really, the majority of your vacuum hoses will get tossed as well. You'll only need a vacuum line running to the distributor as well as to the vacuum ball by the healight for the HVAC and the heater control valve. Plus you'll need one for your PCV valve and one for your vacuum booster for the brakes.
You'd be better off finding a used distributor from a '75-'80 Olds and just replacing the rotor and cap.
If you already have the Edelbrock carb then I'd use it. I thought you were looking at buying a new one, in which case I would waste the money.
Yes, the majority of the wires on the passenger side of the engine compartment can be removed/unplugged. There should be a large (1" or so) convoluted plastic tubing with all of the computer wiring coming up from the firewall and running over the passenger side valve cover. The wires coming out of that should be all computer related.
The wires on the drivers side are all wires you want to keep. They are for your headlights, wipers, high speed blower motor, starter, alternator, etc.
Really, the majority of your vacuum hoses will get tossed as well. You'll only need a vacuum line running to the distributor as well as to the vacuum ball by the healight for the HVAC and the heater control valve. Plus you'll need one for your PCV valve and one for your vacuum booster for the brakes.
thanks im gonna start removing these things as soon as i get the car back from the brake shop, gettin new lines run to the back as well as new calipers for the front shoes pads the works,... so there is an odd black rectangle about an in wide and two long connected to aforementioned tube of wires, any idea what it is? also on the charcoal canister is it really neccesarry? it looks like its slowing the car down with its large black tubeyness. :shock:
pimplogic said:
On the passenger wheel well? That's the MAP sensor, its part of the CCC system. Should be able to remove it.
It's not really slowing it down but you can remove it. You might get a bit more of a fuel smell from underhood but I never noticed anything terrible with mine.
I hooked it up when I first installed the 455 and then tried it unhooked. Didn't notice a difference in how the engine ran so I just left it unhooked.
the 307 has a nice coating of "road grime" gonna clean it up when im doin my intake manif gasket and paint it "oldsmobile blue" what do you think? my uncle's 70 delta has a 455 painted this color and its awesome!! (the engine is painted the blue, the car is a horrible fading peeling and other words with an ing pea green soup. but its a convertible!! :lol: )
- Status
Similar threads
