So I took everyone's advice and pulled the carb so I could clean out the EGR passages. I took a 3/8" bit and drilled all the carbon out of the two bungs in the intake manifold, which I assume are the EGR passages. I still get knock at low RPM and moderate throttle. At WOT the knock goes away. Right now I'm at a base of 12 degrees timing. This is an Olds 307 BTW.
You have to make sure that you got all the way to the bottom, mine were so hard it took a little bit of pressure with the drill to get it to punch through. It will go down around 1/2 to 3/4" past the bottom of the EGR tubes length were you can see. Just judge that you did go to the bottom. You might even feel it hit the manifold floor (drill not running!)
Make sure the EGR is functional, when the EGR valve isn't hot (it is in the exhaust stream it gets HOT), start car and squeeze the valve, it should kill the engine or at least make it run VERY rough.
Did you blow out the passege from the EGR valve to the tube extensions? You don't want all those carbon chunks going through the combustion chamber when you drive it (not that it matters now....)
It is a positive backpressure EGR valve, so you can't test it with a vacuum pump with the engine off, it has to be running with enough backpressure (engine revved up to 1500 rpm or so) to close the orifice valve in the EGR valve to allow it to open.
I did find a std EGR valve that isn't a backpressure type from my old 1976 Olds Delta 88 350. All EGR's in 76 for Olds V8's were non backpressure type, the backpressure transducer was external and only for California cars. This provided proper EGR operation for my 85 Cutlass when I put on a cat back exhaust that reduced backpressure significantly.
No, most engines enjoy an initial timing of somewhere around 10 degrees, give or take. Perhaps you're thinking of either vacuum advance or mechanical advance.
I actually unscrewed one of the bungs in the manifold and cleaned it out while it was off of the motor with some carb cleaner and a toothbrush. The other, larger tube, I didn't have a socket for, so I did it while on the car. It wasn't too gunked up, so I just sprayed it with carb cleaner and ran the drill until I hit manifold bottom (or the lifter valley, not sure how these Olds motors work). It took out some gunk, but it really wasn't as bad as I was expecting.
I also cleaned out the whole carb and all vacuum runs on it with cleaner and put in a new gasket. What the hell is that Hard line that runs from the choke to the intake manifold on the passenger side? When I was screwing that back on it just kinda, came out of the manifold. I don't think it was too securely in there.
I ran the engine idle and squeezed the EGR, it definitely stalled. The EGR seemed a little crunky and took more force than I would have expected to open though. You know how many in. lbs it takes to actuate the EGR? I have a pump that'll grab up to 30 in. lbs, so I can hook it to the line and try. If the EGR wasn't opening correctly, I'd get knock?
Base timing on the Olds 307 is 20 degrees at 1100rpm per the VECI label under my hood. If I run 20 degrees right now, it's just knock city. At least at 12 degrees, I don't start to knock until I'm real easy on the throttle and I shift into 3rd gear.
I thought it was 10 also, but mine ran ok with 93 octane and higher, but I don't remember. The 350 wanted much more timing, the 307 was making good power with stock to stock + a couple degrees.
I later installed a 350 Olds and a later a larger cam. Stay with the factory Olds cam or the 85-87 442 cam at most (depends on what year your 307 is, roller or not), or something Moneydello has that is small like around 194/204 duration and around .440 lift. I had the 204/214 SSI cam (from PAW). It ran ok, but lacked some bottom end, wasn't bad, but I knew the Olds 350 had more with the factory 1977 cam, ECM was fine with 350 and larger cam. I only replaced the cam out of a distibutor gear failure due to timing chain being loose and cam walking in the block.
Man am I getting off topic or what????
Yes, I miss my Olds 350..... It ran good, very good....
I'm sticking with stock swirl heads and the stock roller cam because I really don't care. This thing is my beater, so it doesn't have to go fast, it just has to get me to work and keep me cold in the hot Florida sun. I just don't like it knocking, it's embarassing when people are trying to check out my cool ride and it sounds like a diesel
I've got the Chevy 383 running the 240/246 .575"/.599" cam for the fun car anyway
I actually unscrewed one of the bungs in the manifold and cleaned it out while it was off of the motor with some carb cleaner and a toothbrush. The other, larger tube, I didn't have a socket for, so I did it while on the car. It wasn't too gunked up, so I just sprayed it with carb cleaner and ran the drill until I hit manifold bottom (or the lifter valley, not sure how these Olds motors work). It took out some gunk, but it really wasn't as bad as I was expecting.
I also cleaned out the whole carb and all vacuum runs on it with cleaner and put in a new gasket. What the hell is that Hard line that runs from the choke to the intake manifold on the passenger side? When I was screwing that back on it just kinda, came out of the manifold. I don't think it was too securely in there.
I ran the engine idle and squeezed the EGR, it definitely stalled. The EGR seemed a little crunky and took more force than I would have expected to open though. You know how many in. lbs it takes to actuate the EGR? I have a pump that'll grab up to 30 in. lbs, so I can hook it to the line and try. If the EGR wasn't opening correctly, I'd get knock?
Base timing on the Olds 307 is 20 degrees at 1100rpm per the VECI label under my hood. If I run 20 degrees right now, it's just knock city. At least at 12 degrees, I don't start to knock until I'm real easy on the throttle and I shift into 3rd gear.
Becareful removing them. 1. They can fall in the engine, that sucks. 2. They can rip the threads out of the intake if it is old and getting soft there. I did mine, but the intake was off the car first. I put brass plugs in and drilled a 3/8" hole in each. Ran fine.
Make sure you are setting it with the jumper in the ALDL to put it in timing set mode. Else it will be wayyyyy off.
The EGR might be a little stiff, but not hard.
That tube is the choke tube, without it the choke will not open properly, likely much slower than it should open. There is a calibrated vacuum leak in the choke housing and it draws air from the air cleaner through those tubes in the intake to warm the air and that air passes across the choke element warming it and opening it up faster. Just press the tubes back in the intake, no big deal. They seal up enough. If you have to bend them a little that is fine.
I tried to convert my E4MC carb to an E4ME (electric choke), but it always opened too fast and caused cold weather drivablility problems. Stay with the hot air choke, it does work best...
Make sure the EFE valve isn't stuck closed, it will ping like mad then. It will superheat the intake's exhaust crossover.
After around 2-3 minutes ensure the valve moved to the open position (it is on the driver's side exhaust manifold). Often with old age the return spring breaks or fatigues and it eventually rusts up enough to start sticking. The 307 likes it when it is bitter cold out, but it will be fine no matter what. You can plug the vacuum line and then if needed, hardwire the valve open.
Becareful removing them. 1. They can fall in the engine, that sucks. 2. They can rip the threads out of the intake if it is old and getting soft there. I did mine, but the intake was off the car first. I put brass plugs in and drilled a 3/8" hole in each. Ran fine.
Make sure you are setting it with the jumper in the ALDL to put it in timing set mode. Else it will be wayyyyy off.
The EGR might be a little stiff, but not hard.
That tube is the choke tube, without it the choke will not open properly, likely much slower than it should open. There is a calibrated vacuum leak in the choke housing and it draws air from the air cleaner through those tubes in the intake to warm the air and that air passes across the choke element warming it and opening it up faster. Just press the tubes back in the intake, no big deal. They seal up enough. If you have to bend them a little that is fine.
I tried to convert my E4MC carb to an E4ME (electric choke), but it always opened too fast and caused cold weather drivablility problems. Stay with the hot air choke, it does work best...
Seems like I did okay. They one I took out went back in without taking any threads hostage.
I had my Actron GM diag tool plugged in (someone gave it to me, I didn't buy it), which if I'm not mistaken, grounds out the correct pin. Right?
The EGR actually felt crusty and didn't push evenly. Kinda like a door hinge that needs oil. I bet it's wasted, but I'll run a vacuum pump on it tomorrow to see if it moves at all.
Good, cause when it popped out in my hand I said all sorts of expletives. I just shoved it back into the intake and hoped for the best. Actually, now that I think about it, it was the one that ran to the back of the carb and joined with that little flimsy 1" piece of hose. It runs into the same plate on the intake as the choke one. Are we still okay?
I don't plan on doing any conversions to this car whatsoever. It does its intended purpose, which is to cruise low, long, and comfortable, just fine. If anything, I'd replace that Q-Jet with an Edelbrock replica, but that's only if that Q-Jet totally blows up on me.
