SCREW COMPUTERS!!!!!!!!

[L695speed]

Ok now that I have your attention. I'm thinking of saying the hell with the computer as I'll probably not get it working right with all the emissions stuff failing or broken on me. So, since the engine is not the original one in the first place...I was thinking of going old school and use a pre computer carb, with a HEI vac advance distributor. Now, I was thinking of going with a Rochester Q jet of 78 vintage (would like to get a pontiac one if I can, if it fits on the 305) Dennis can you help me there?. The problem I have is finding them cheap. I'm willing to rebuild it so that opens alot of doors. I don't know where I can find an HEI distributor that is not controlled by the computer. If anyone sees anything let me know. I'm told I should be able to get my hands on both for way less than 200 bucks combined especially if they are used or from a junkyard. Thanks.


Don't worry I'm keeping all the L69 equipment for the numbers matching rebuild. Just that I don't think I can get this running right without half the emissions stuff on there.

[TAdan]

I recently replaced my distributor and was surprised to see how hard it was to find an elec. advance replacement. Most of the available replacements are vacuum advance.

Check ebay, you can find them all day long for $45

You will probably be better of getting a Q-jet from another SBC. I do not know if one off of a Poncho would fit on an SBC. I doubt it.

[L695speed]

Will they fit the LG4 block? Also the other question I had was would it be possible to use my distributor or would I need to ditch both?

[L695speed]

You will probably be better of getting a Q-jet from another SBC. I do not know if one off of a Poncho would fit on an SBC. I doubt it.

Hence Why I would love the info from Dennis. I know most carb bolt patterns are pretty generic maybe I'll get lucky. But I thought it would be appropriate considering the car is a Pontiac not a chevy.

[L695speed]

You will probably be better of getting a Q-jet from another SBC. I do not know if one off of a Poncho would fit on an SBC. I doubt it.

Hence Why I would love the info from Dennis. I know most carb bolt patterns are pretty generic maybe I'll get lucky. But I thought it would be appropriate considering the car is a Pontiac not a chevy.

I just asked my professor if a Poncho Q jet will work and he said it should if its a spreadbore intake, which the SBC in either L69 or LG4 form has. Also I read somewhere (Carb Dr. maybe?) all Rochester Q jets use the same basic casting. So I think its safe to say I don't have to limit my choices to SBC carbs. I think its the distributor that I'll have to be careful of. I'd love to just keep the Electric Advance HEI that I have in the car now but I don't think it will work with a pre CCC Q jet.

[blg0720]

I'm going to chime in here. I didn't have a Q-jet carb, but I had a new Edelbrock 600 carb (direct replacement for Q-jet) with no computer and it still used the stock-style dizzy. So, with the right replacement, you should be able to use your stock dizzy.

[L695speed]

I'm going to chime in here. I didn't have a Q-jet carb, but I had a new Edelbrock 600 carb (direct replacement for Q-jet) with no computer and it still used the stock-style dizzy. So, with the right replacement, you should be able to use your stock dizzy.

Five7Kid on TGO brought up a good point. If the problem is not with the carb, then switching carbs is not going to fix anything, he advised that I keep the cc Qjet. So before I do anything I'm going to see if I can hunt down the vac leak by starting at the intake manifold. Make sure that is sealed to the block good then go from there.

[brother al]

Yeah, a Poncho style Q-jet would bolt up, but they are not really the same exact castings. They're venturi designs vary to suit the needs of a heavy breathing Ponch & you'll be running very, very rich unless you change out the rods and hangers. Another issue will be that you'll find that the fuel inlet sticks out straight towards the front of the car, not out to the pass side like a Chevy's. If it doesn't interfere with the thermostat housing, you'll need to make a new carb inlet line with a lot of bends... Again, I say keep it as original as possible. I really wish you lived closer to me. I'm sure we could sort it out in a day or two.

[L695speed]

I really wish you lived closer to me. I'm sure we could sort it out in a day or two.

I'm sure we would have. Part of the problem is not many people I know around here know how to deal with carbs. Those who do have their own lives and so on, so its not the best thing to go to them all the time for help. So short of taking it to the mechanic I'm working on this thing on my own, with help from the boards naturally. Don't worry I'm not ditching the carb due to what 57kid on TGO mentioned that switching the carb won't fix an outside problem. So I'm going to stick with it for now. I know enough but my diagnostic skills suck, sometimes I'm dead on, sometimes I'm throwing random darts at the board. Its just annoying that I'm so close, yet so far. Maybe when either one of us is in town, whether I'm up in Mass, or you are down here. Its not that far of a ride you know, and I'm sure if we wanted to I could take the carb meet with you and we could diagnose it with your car, not the best way to do it. At least that would eliminate the carb as the problem.

[brother al]

No not terribly far, but still about a 4 hour one way trip & that's with minimal traffic in the NYC Metro.

[L695speed]

No not terribly far, but still about a 4 hour one way trip & that's with minimal traffic in the NYC Metro.

Ah and therein lies the rub. I don't go through NYC metro to get to most places in the northeast. I skirt around them. Believe me if we were serious about meeting up for the hell of it then there are plenty of ways to miss NYC completely. I use I-84, and I-287 and the Thruway to get to most places in CT and beyond. I am in the NW corner of NJ so its only like 30 minutes to the NY border and then you get on 84 and you are in CT in less than two hours. Depending on your location I could be there somewhere in the 3 hour range, but still you are right. Unless there is a early third gen meeting consisting of a bunch of us here its probably not worth it to meet up just once. I'd see if we can't get TADan, me, you, and a couple of others who are in the Northeast (maybe Bethany and Kizz can drive up too) and meet up with the cars. Once I get mine running right ofc.

edit**** Just confirmed. I could get to Agawam in roughly three hours give or take 15 min. (Google says 3 1/2, but usually we do it quicker than google says it should take)

[Dens71TA]

Bring it to Wisconsin. Thats only a 1000 mile trip! I'll get it figured out in a few minutes.

The CCC distributor has no vacuum or mechanical advance. It will operate at full ignition retard with no computer functioning. If you decide to go with an open-loop carburetor you need a vacuum advance distributor.

[82 T/A WS7]

A great thing about these cars is the computer/emmissions harness is completly separate from the engine harness. Even different sides of the car. I did what you want to do in 1987, and a friends Camaro (Berlinetta) too. It's really easy, truth be told. The only electronic thing you'll need to do is remove the choke and check engine bulbs. '

Your carb will work, but it will run full rich. My friend with the Camaro did'nt have his carb when we did his, and he ended up running the original carb for a while. Ran great, but you could'nt stand anywhere near it without tears in your eyes.

Any q-jet will work. Some will dump more fuel than others so you would want to stay with a smaller ci engine if you can. Olds 307, Chevy 305/350, Pontiac 301/350. But don't pass on an Olds/Pontiac 455 q-jet. Chances are your not going to find one like that anyway. Lots of places sell re-built q-jets. If you buy one from lets say NAPA, get one old, like one from a 1970 350 CI. There is beauty in simplicity. Thay will want a core however. Does'nt nessesarily mean it has to be the same exact one though.

Any Chevy 1974-1981 HEI distributor will work. It will plug right in too.

You'll need plugs for the exaust manifolds where the AIR tubes go in.

You'll need to gut the EFE, or un-hook the acuator, and tie it open.

You'll need to lose the cat and have the an exaust piece made.

Sounds hard and costly in print, but is was way easier/cheaper than dealing with that early emission system. And, it's nice to see the engine, and it wakes them up alot.

One more thing, with an auto, i think you'll need a lock-up kit, but not sure.