1980 with idle problem

[king80vette]

I have an 80 Vette mostly stock. Someone removed the pollution stuff. I have most of the parts but the EGR valve and accessories. It also has an Edelbrock intake manifold with Quadra-jet carb. The carb has been re-built. The car will not idle. Could the lack of pollution parts be the problem? Should I replace the Q-jet with a Holley?
Steve

 

[Eric]

Steve,

There are several posts about EGR related issues and they almost always have to do with lines that weren't plugged, hence a vacuum leak is the culprit. Check for vac leaks first.

As for the lack of pollution equipment, I can't help you on this part but I do speak from the experience of screwing up one of my old cars royally by removing the smog equipment and not knowing what I was doing.

Good luck!

 

[DDLS3]

Steve,

What you have there should work fine. I have an 81 with all the smog crap removed and an Edelbrock carb. What it really sounds like is that your carb needs some tuning or you possibly have a major vacuum leak. Look around with the air cleaner off for cracked, disconnected, or missing vacuum lines. If all is well there, look around the head light door area for the same problem. If all else fails check your timing and have your carb tuned, like I said what you have will run just fine.

 

[king80vette]

Thanks for the info.

 

[mmvette80]

I had a vac leak. The easy way to find it is take starter fliud and spray it in very short bursts all around the intake, vac hoses and around the carb. If the engine gets a sudden surge you found the leak. The prevoius owner took out the smog on mine also.

 

[8T8T2]

Buy yourself a hand vac. pump and gauge. You will be able to check the vac. lines and equip. there hooked up to. I found many leaks on mine using this. Just take one circuit at a time. Be careful using starter fluid or propane to check for gasket leaks. Don't want no scinged hair. Also you said the EGR valve was removed, is it blocked off so no exchust gas is getting back in the intake?

 

[BLACKDOG]

king80vette - if it turns out to be that your q-jet needs to be gone thru, there is a moderator here (Stingray6974) that rebuilt mine in early summer of '02 ... after a local shop in the Sacramento area had declared it to be dead and had me fork out alot of $$$ for a remanufactured Holley (GARBAGE). I sent the original q-jet down to Mike, in Texas, and he did one helluva great job at a real good price. So, if it turns out to be the carb, check out Mike before anything else !!


is where it's at !!