73-87chevytrucks.com
73-87 Chevy _ GMC Trucks => 73-87 Chevy & GMC Trucks => Topic started by: MyOldScottsdale23 on January 07, 2012, 07:21:11 pm
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I recently bought a 1985 SWB Scottsdale. The PO was let's just say not into detail. He pulled every hose and harness in the engine compartment. Most of it is completely gone and some plugged. Here are the problems I want to fix first I just don't know how to route the hoses or which plugs go where.
Problems: Hard to cold start.
Wants to die until warm.
Gas mileage is awful.
Gas fumes are really bad.
Oil is being pushed out holes in valve covers and out rear main seal.
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This is also my first post so I apologize if I have trouble explaining my problem. I would love some pics of some similar set-ups so I can just mimic the wiring and hose locations. Any help with these problems will be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!
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sounds like you have a choke issue and perhaps a vacuum leak or two and perhaps a PCV valve issue. Electric choke?? Some pics from you would be nice. The only thing i can offer are pics from my '79 showing the vacuum lines. Yoiu should have a vacuum schematic on your radiator support--a silver decal by hood latch.
www.delbridge.net/vacuum.html
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I do know that I have a vacuum for the brakes and I think it's the only one. The choke isn't hooked up. And there is no PCV valve.
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We need more info to help. Start by telling us which engine, if you do not have the diagram on your radiator, maybe someone can dig one up for you. Have you tried a chillton book or the likes for a diagram ?
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Sounds like the PO was a tweaker who went off his meds. Autozone has vacuum diagrams on their website under the "Repair Info" tab. I would use them.
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It's a 305 and yes the guy really treated the truck bad. She really needs some LOVE! The diagram on the rad support has been painted over. I am not good at reading wiring diagrams at all. So I'm kinda at a disadvantage. I also don't have Internet except on my phone so I can't post pics.
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If you have a auto zone nearby as dr_snooz said, go in and see if they will print you out a vacuum diagram for your truck. If you can not or don't have one close, wait until someone who can post one sees this.
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K thanks guys I'm workin on it I'll let you know how it goes.
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for one you shouldnt have any holes in the valve covers if you do it will leak oil. "T" off the vacuum line going to the booster and add a pvc valve and plug one hole then go to autozone and buy a breather cap for the other side the pvc valve sucks up fumes caused by blow-by then reburns them this is probably the gas smell your smelling is the blow-by coming out of the valve covers. as far as cold starts like sgt said choke problem. might not be hooked up or improperly hooked up.
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The PCV valve should have a hose routed to the air filter housing. You don't want to suck oil out of the engine, you also don't want it in your brake booster. Its a vent, nothing more.
There should be a vacuum hose running from the front of the carb to the vacuum advance on the distributor. Two ports off the front of the carb, it should be on the one that doesn't have vacuum at idle, but does off idle.
As far as the rear main seal probably needs to be replaced. Being an 85 it should have a one piece rear main seal. You have to pull the transmission to replace it but its pretty simple once the trans is out. I would put a new front seal in the trans too for good messure.
Oil coming out the vale covers could be blow by. In other words the rings are tired, and compression is getting into the crank case.
Sounds like your choke is not working. next time you cold start it take the air filter cover off. Check how the choke flap is positioned. Turn the key on and check again, it should be closed at this point. The electric choke runs through the oil pressure sender that's located at the back of the engine sort of beside where the distributor housing goes into the block. I have had several of this vintage trucks that didn't start well. The problem was usually right there.
This could be some of your gas fume issue. It could also be that the vent tube running to the charcol canister has been removed.
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Being an 85 it should have a one piece rear main seal.
Blazin, are you sure about an '85 being a one piece? i think they started in '86. An '85 should be a two piece, very easy to change without removing trans or starter.
(http://www.delbridge.net/seal3.JPG)
(http://www.delbridge.net/seal4.jpg)
(http://www.delbridge.net/seal5.JPG)
(http://www.delbridge.net/seal6.JPG)
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I have had to 85s I had to change the rear main in, they were both one piece rear main seals. It was alopng time ago. Posible they were late 85s so they were actually 86s?
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I'll check on the rear main seal this weekend. I found that my electric choke on edelbrock isn't hooked up at all. It was zip tied open. Also doesnt have an oil pressure switch at all. The hole in the block by the distributor has a plug in it. I found the one prong and two prong harness that plug into them. Also the blue wire had been cut between the oil pres. switch and the choke. The plug for the choke had been piggy backed into a red wire from the distributor but still wasn't plugged into anything.
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Woah, sounds like a real cave man owned it!!
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Yes poor truck is butchered up really bad. It's ok though I have around $900 in it so far. So I expected to have alot of work to do. I have four daughters so it's a great excuse to get out of the house and enjoy myself.
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I also am wondering. There is a male and female prong on the choke the light blue goes on the male. What goes on the other?
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I'll check on the rear main seal this weekend. I found that my electric choke on edelbrock isn't hooked up at all. It was zip tied open. Also doesnt have an oil pressure switch at all. The hole in the block by the distributor has a plug in it. I found the one prong and two prong harness that plug into them. Also the blue wire had been cut between the oil pres. switch and the choke. The plug for the choke had been piggy backed into a red wire from the distributor but still wasn't plugged into anything.
At this point I would almost want to replace the whole wiring harness with another one, just to miss all the headaches that are going to be in the future with the wiring. ( If you have found these, you know there has to be more ).
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I do plan on goin with a whole new painless wiring, but I have to spend a little at a time so I'm only trying to make do with what I can for now. I can only do that thanks to you guys and this forum. So I thank you all for the help.
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the choke light i wouldnt worry about it. but i would run a separate wire from the fuse box a accessory location on the box then run that to the choke. it will work like this when the engine is cold the choke will be closed then the coil in the electric choke warms up and will open.
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As far as after market wiring harnesses go there are other options besides Painless. A buddy of mine used Painless for one of his cars. He used Ron Francis Wiring for his next car. He said the quality of the Ron Francis was far superior to the Painless, and the price was better.
http://www.ronfrancis.com/
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I'll have to check on that, thanks!
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I dropped the oil pan today and unfortunately my '85 also has a one piece.