1981 Carb and electronic ignition

[Mylo]

I have a great question. I need advice on this one bad. The fromer owner replaced the electronic ignition with an after market MSD that does not have vacume advance, he then replace the carb with an aftermarket one and cut all wires leading to it. When he sold it to me he put back on the factory carb....As I have been told this is a big messy problem. I am no expert so here I go. If I want the carb to run right I will need a new wiring harness to the carb and the distributor will need to go back to original, then it will need to be all hook into the ecm. Or i could put an after market carb and have it tuned for the altitude at which I am at. The guy also cut the cats off and disconnected the smog pump so none of the emmission componets are hooked up. It does not need to pass emmissions but to put it back to the way it is supposed to be would be about 2500 bucks ( don't have the money ) What is the best way to go? I will want to sell the car one day so I was leaning to restoring it to the orig, but if it is going to cost as much as an engine then the other way maybe better.....I have no idea and it cost money to find out, every mech I talk to says bring her in and we will look....

 

[spikebot 81]

Mylo, I'm working towards removing all the emc and smog on my 81. The engine was not original when I bought the car. I,m not sure there is a great gob of money difference in these cars from factor original to non stock. Everyone has their own opinion on how to repair,replace and restore. Make the car what you really want out of it. As for the carb and distributor, the car will hardly run with factory carb and dist. unpluged. I'm sure you have found that out. My opinion is buy a pre 80 carb and dist. with vacuum advance and unplug the check engine light.

 

[6880 Mike]

Is your '81 otherwise original now? Matching numbers? If so I would keep her that way and purchase a new engine harness to undo the previous owner's handiwork. 81 assembly instruction manual will show installation of the harness and the various connections.

 

[Mylo]

Mind made up my mind

I called a buddy of mine who has a Chevelle he turned me on to his Mechanic. The guy used to have an 1981 and understood what I was pondering. He will put a new carb on it and make sure the distributor is working + shorten the plug wire and put boots on them for heat protection. I will get all of the parts that are taken off to pass on to the next owner one day. The engine is # matching the od reads 40000 miles but I don't know how to tell if it is 140000. It will cost about 400 for the total work and I will be done with the top side for awhile. Then I can try and fiqure out why the signals go so slow, if the rear defroster works, replacing the head light actuator and fixing a problem I have with the front staybalizer bar. Thanks for the advice and I will post how it turned out.

 

[gmjunkie]

Then I can try and fiqure out why the signals go so slow, if the rear defroster works, replacing the head light actuator and fixing a problem I have with the front staybalizer bar. Thanks for the advice and I will post how it turned out.

I'd start with the flasher!! Somebody probly put in a Heavy Duty Flasher for towing a small trailer!! They will flash slow unless it has a couple extra lights!!

 

[Mylo]

Flasher

I will pick one up this weekend and see if that works. I am really hoping that it works because if it doesn't I will be searching for a bad ground. Oh yea the don't blink on one side when I am stopped and the it starts up slow when I give her the gas, the other side goes slow but the light does not work on the dash and there is no sound so I dork out and leave it on.

 

[gmjunkie]

I will pick one up this weekend and see if that works. I am really hoping that it works because if it doesn't I will be searching for a bad ground. Oh yea the don't blink on one side when I am stopped and the it starts up slow when I give her the gas, the other side goes slow but the light does not work on the dash and there is no sound so I dork out and leave it on.

Well now in light of that, that sounds Like Grounds to me!!!