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Scraping cal emissions package
#45398 March 24th 2006 7:46 pm
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shaggy Offline OP
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Hi, I am halfway through taking the heads off my van ('79 Chevy G30 1ton with 350 SBC).I am doing this with the engine still in the van. The van is a californian emmisions model and I am a whole heap of miles from cali.
What can I scrap without lowering my gas usage?
I have allready emptied the muffler of it's catylitic convertor pellets. I am also going to remove the AC unit(I know not to cut the pipes) as it's more heat I need most of the time and it saps MPG and power.
Can anyone tell me what I can scrap and what to replace it with (eg blanking plates/bolts, breathers etc). Basic descriptions would be appreciated as I'm not fluent in SBC speak yet!!
I rebuilt the top half of my ford essex V6 late last year (3 litre 70's british engine in my reliant scimitar) so I do know the basics.
I'm preety sure the van doesn't have a computer of any sort and I don't have to worry about it passing any government emmissions tests.

Also are torquemaster gaskets a good make?
Cheers Guys.

Re: Scraping cal emissions package
#45399 March 26th 2006 1:24 am
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you can remove the Smog pump and block off all of the ports comming off of the exaust manifolds.
While you are at it look into a set of headers and twin cats.If there are no emmisson test across the pond forget the cats and run a nice dual exuast system.scrap the factory air cleaner and install a nice after market one.The key to good gas milage on a small block chevy is to make it breath and exhale.A good carb and exaust will do the trick.....

I would keep the AC upgrade to a newer compressor.Its nice ot be cool when you are cool...............Wookee

Re: Scraping cal emissions package
#45400 March 25th 2006 2:44 pm
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shaggy Offline OP
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Cheers wookee thats great news about the smog pump as I snapped two of the tubes coming off the manifold when I was removing the manifolds.The van doesn't have to pass any test so I was gonna replace the cat with a glass pack , I'll switch to twin exhausts when I can find sidepipes at the right price. There no problem with staying cool here in Ireland but yeah I might get a price on upgrading it, not sure if thats even possible here as US vans are like hens teeth here.

Re: Scraping cal emissions package
#45401 March 26th 2006 1:14 am
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</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by shaggy:
<strong> The van doesn't have to pass any test so I was gonna replace the cat with a glass pack </strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Just go to a shop that does exaust work and have them make up a straight pipe the will go in place of the cat.Your stock muffler will work fine with out it.Give them the OD of the pipe and the lenth.A pair of heavt duty muffler clamps and you are in business.........Wookee

Re: Scraping cal emissions package
#45402 March 26th 2006 12:42 pm
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Hey Shaggy, got some info for you.

When you remove the smog pump and bracket, one of the 2 bracket mounting holes in the block is blind, the other goes into the fuel-pump pushrod tube. DO NOT put too long a bolt in this hole as it will lock the pushrod. use a short, I think half inch long, bolt with some sealer on it. I'll try to post a pic later.

I also will try to find the p/n's for factory blanking plates, gaskets,and screws for the EGR. A highrise manifold (Edelbrock PErformer style) is a good way to go. Stick with the Rochetser Quadrajet and the HEI distributor. Working properly, these cannot be beat. As underhood heat going into the carb is not a good thing, I personally would not run an open element aircleaner, unless it has isolators to keep only cool air going into it. I would try to fab a huge closed type with a snorkle going to the area above the grille (late G-Vans had these).

Huge dual exhaust (2-1/2" minimum per side), or a bus sized single with good headers. I have seen a set of Doug Thorley Tri-Y's that looked very clean. I have these on one of my other cars and like them very much. I would probably get these for my van if I go this route.

I'll try to get the pics and the part numbers for you. Good luck.

Best regards,
Tom

Re: Scraping cal emissions package
#45403 March 27th 2006 1:29 am
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</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by chevygod:
<strong>Stick with the Rochetser Quadrajet and the HEI distributor. Working properly, these cannot be beat. As underhood heat going into the carb is not a good thing, I personally would not run an open element aircleaner, unless it has isolators to keep only cool air going into it. I would try to fab a huge closed type with a snorkle going to the area above the grille (late G-Vans had these) </strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">finding a good Q jet can be a problem.If you are goung to run a Eledbrock Performer intake then go the extra bucks and run a matching Edelbrock carb.

I personally have run an open element air cleaner on my van engines with no problems from the heat.

A cool snorkel, cool air set up would be a nice trick though........Wookee

<small>[ March 26, 2006, 12:30 PM: Message edited by: wookee ]</small>

Re: Scraping cal emissions package
#45404 March 26th 2006 2:37 pm
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shaggy Offline OP
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Thanks Guys,

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by wookee:
<strong>Just go to a shop that does exaust work and have them make up a straight pipe the will go in place of the cat.Your stock muffler will work fine with out it.Give them the OD of the pipe and the lenth.A pair of heavt duty muffler clamps and you are in business.........Wookee </strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I thought of doing this but the problem is my original muffler is a wide pancake thing with catalytic pellets in side (the cat and the muffler are one and the same) I prized off the cap on the bottom of the mufller and emptied out the catalytic convertor pellets.Only prob is the sealing cap is now loose and ratlley ....but I'm sure I can sort that.Switching to twin exhausts is the way to go though.

Chevy God thanks a lot for the good advice the photos and part numbers would be great thanks for your kind offer.I think I'll be stivking to the stock intake manifold and carb set up.The van is a camper conversion so I've no gig desire to upgrade the engine to a tire spinner!!! Besides the quadrajet seems to work fine.I am also converting the van to run on LPG / propane so I have to stick with an open air filter as part of that kit.BUT I do have a nice fibreglass bonnet vent that I'm gonna put on so I will duct the air straight into the filter and that should help the breathing a lot on the intake.Exhaust wise I guess I'm gonna have to find a second exhaust and a pair of glasspacks!!!

Re: Scraping cal emissions package
#45405 March 27th 2006 12:38 pm
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Hi Shaggy,

OK, spent all weekend working on my van, so I didn't get the pics taken. Will try tonight. But I did find the blockoff part numbers. These Chevy part numbers are for a Chevy manifold equipped with EGR and hot air choke (tubes coming up from the crossover in the manifold). You may be able to find similar parts from your Edelbrock supplier, I don't have those numbers.

EGR cover plate is 6269414
EGR gasket is 12554530
EGR cover plate bolt (2 req'd) is 9442184

If you are keeping the Quadrajet, you won't need the hot air choke cover, but for reference, in case you go to electric choke later, here are the numbers:

Choke cover plate is 14094792
Choke cover plate gasket is 14096848
I believe the bolts are the same.


I agree with Wookee, keep the AC. When it's cold, and your windows want to fog in the inside, run the AC with the temp on hot, and inside humidity goes down. The added weight in general use and loss of power from the system when it's running is not really all that bad. As you said, you're not building a race-van. It clutters the engine compartment horribly, but I'd leave it. If you do decide to remove the AC, I have removed the complete heater-only system from my 79 GMC. If you want it and can figure out how to get it over to the Isle, it's yours (wiring, ducting, control, inside and outside boxes, everything).

On your cat-cap, either weld it in, or figure out what locked it in place from the factory, reuse that method with lots of RTV silicone glue.

Good luck, I'll try to get pics of the mount this week.

Best regards,
Tom

Re: Scraping cal emissions package
#45406 March 27th 2006 6:49 pm
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</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by shaggy:
<strong>I thought of doing this but the problem is my original muffler is a wide pancake thing with catalytic pellets in side (the cat and the muffler are one and the same) I prized off the cap on the bottom of the mufller and emptied out the catalytic convertor pellets.Only prob is the sealing cap is now loose and ratlley ....but I'm sure I can sort that.Switching to twin exhausts is the way to go though. </strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Shaggy,what you are discribing is the catalitic converter.There should also be a muffler farther down the exaust system towards the rear of the van.Unless some where along the way some body eliminated that.

The system came fron the factory with 2 exaust manifolds ,a Y pipe a lenth of pipe ,a catalitic converter ,another lenth of pipe, a muffler and a tail pipe.

If all thats under there is the Cat just swap it out for a muffler.And call it done........Wookee

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