EL CAMINO Let’s talk computer carbs and obd1

[79 USA 1]

Gremlinsteve,
For what it is worth I had an 86 El Camino that I swapped a 10:1 iron headed 355 into using all the computer controls and long tube headers. I had a version of the "L79 Chevy 151" cam but it was ground if I remember correct on a 112 degree lobe separation for a smooth idle with the CCC system.
I had the stock ECM in it but ran a 86 Monte Carlo SS factory prom chip that had a little different distributor advance that helped mid range in this engine. With a 200R4 and 3.08 rear gears it had tons of power and decent gas mileage.
It can be done.

 

[Gremlinsteve]

That’s good to hear. I’m not trying to set the world on fire. Just want a good running 350 in it
I build my heads and motors so I know it should run well

 

[CopperNick]

OTC makes a OBD scanner that has both I and II capability. If you do elect to go with a non CCC carb and decide to use your original HEI, be aware that you will have to swap out the existing vacuum advance pot for a non CCC version. The difference is the slot that governs the advance. CCC units have a square slot in their mounting plate which is very short. This means that the amount of advance available is limited which is okay if the "computer" is doing all the work. By contrast, the non CCC vacuum unit has a longer slot punched in its mounting plate that will allow a greater amount of advance and more flexibility in what your total advance should be. That would be useful with a non-stock cam. The whole CCC business was about CARB and the EPA and emissions. Dumbest part of the whole witch hunt is that for all their sturm und drang, until COVID and people staying home and not driving, smog levels had actually gotten worse instead of better. Asian Indians have commented that they can now see the mountains in their country where before they couldn't.

Nick

 

[Gremlinsteve]

What in my case would I use the otc scanner for

 

[kornball426]

OTC makes a OBD scanner that has both I and II capability. If you do elect to go with a non CCC carb and decide to use your original HEI, be aware that you will have to swap out the existing vacuum advance pot for a non CCC version. The difference is the slot that governs the advance. CCC units have a square slot in their mounting plate which is very short. This means that the amount of advance available is limited which is okay if the "computer" is doing all the work. By contrast, the non CCC vacuum unit has a longer slot punched in its mounting plate that will allow a greater amount of advance and more flexibility in what your total advance should be. That would be useful with a non-stock cam. The whole CCC business was about CARB and the EPA and emissions. Dumbest part of the whole witch hunt is that for all their sturm und drang, until COVID and people staying home and not driving, smog levels had actually gotten worse instead of better. Asian Indians have commented that they can now see the mountains in their country where before they couldn't.

Nick

No sh*t it got worse... In 1970 almost no one in China, Russia, or india owned a car. And the west became completely consumer driven, wants cheap products from wherever the hell with absolutely no regard for the environment. So of course factories in third world countries make the cheap sh*t for us in factories with the only emphasis being make money.

Blaming the EPA or California... Get the hell out of here with that.

 

[Clone TIE Pilot]

OTC makes a OBD scanner that has both I and II capability. If you do elect to go with a non CCC carb and decide to use your original HEI, be aware that you will have to swap out the existing vacuum advance pot for a non CCC version. The difference is the slot that governs the advance. CCC units have a square slot in their mounting plate which is very short. This means that the amount of advance available is limited which is okay if the "computer" is doing all the work. By contrast, the non CCC vacuum unit has a longer slot punched in its mounting plate that will allow a greater amount of advance and more flexibility in what your total advance should be. That would be useful with a non-stock cam. The whole CCC business was about CARB and the EPA and emissions. Dumbest part of the whole witch hunt is that for all their sturm und drang, until COVID and people staying home and not driving, smog levels had actually gotten worse instead of better. Asian Indians have commented that they can now see the mountains in their country where before they couldn't.

Nick

CCC HEI has no vacuum pot or mechanical advance at all. It is entirely electronic advance controlled by the computer. There is not even a provision for a vacuum pot or centrifuge advance.

There was a type of HEI before CCC that still had vacuum advance but also had an early version of ESC knock retard. Also GM trucks in the 80's did not use full CCC like the cars did and retained vacuum advance. However, 80's GM cars in the US were fully computer advance, 100% electronic, no mechanical parts.

 

[CopperNick]

RE: what on earth would I use the OTC scanner for? With respect to ODB I, not much. There is an onboard connect for the communications link that is located just above/right beside your right knee under the dash. Not sure what kind of codes or info/data you would obtain from the CCC. As for the matter of the distributors, I should have slightly clearer as I was referring specifically to the large cap HEI's, an example of which came in my 85 Monte when I bought it. I've been inside it for cap and rotor changes and the slot on the vacuum advance is almost non-existent. I do recognize the version of the distributor that was mentioned above and the description is accurate; it had no external advance at all-totally controlled by whatever electronics it was matched to. Seems they got the moniker "small cap" for some reason. I haven't seen any mention of what version of distributor you have so can't comment further.
All this aside, it is your build. The great thing about SBC's is that they've been around for 65 years and that amount of longevity offers a huge amount of raw material to draw on.

As for my personal opinion about the CARB and the EPA and all the rest of that bunch of pseudo-do-gooder alphabet soup-niks, obviously opinions are like belly-buttons; everybody has one. Remember the Muscle Car!!

 

[Clone TIE Pilot]

What in my case would I use the otc scanner for

You can buy old Alltest Brainmaster OBD1 scanners for cheap. As I said before, you can use the scanners to read trouble codes and live data from the ECM and sensors. This makes diagnostics of the CCC easy. Besides a scanner you will want a analog dwell meter to measure the fuel mixture dwell fof tuning.