Minimalist Truck/Engine bay

[87_Rado]

How yah doing fellas I haven't posted in a long time but I've been doing a lot of work on my truck and came up with a few questions, ive read many related post on the forum and all over the Internet but no body seems to have a straight answer for my style/year, what I have is an 87 silverado, 350 TBI, everything runs fairly good now but I've been going over it and doing tune ups on anything I can recently before putting it on the road and I've been focusing on cleaning up the engine bay to go very minimalist. So basically what I'm here to ask is, If I'm going for a minimalist/very simple and easy to access engine bay what stuff can be removed and what needs to stay? I've read alot about the AIR or smog pump deletes and AC deletes, every post i could find, and I would honestly like to do both im just wondering if any of this would effect the way the truck runs, beings it is TBI. I want as little wires and sensors as possible in my whole truck. Most of the threads I've read about this have been on carburated motors, so any input or opinions on what to "delete" and what to keep would be greatly appreciated. I'm sure things like the EGR, ECS, o2 sensors and stuff like that would have to stay, I'm just looking to remove as much as I can out of the engine bay to give me a simple/minimal, yet good running 350 tbi. Thanks a bunch guys any responses/constructive criticism is greatly appreciated, I know many people don't agree with removing things you don't have to but I want as little as possible in my engine bay, period. Anything I don't "NEED" I would like removed. I'm here to learn everything and anything you guys have to teach . Thank you 

[Irish_Alley]

lets start with this. hows your state inspection?

[frotosride]

If you don't have to worry about emissions then the smog pump isn't necessary! Unlike later cars with smog pumps this one doesn't connect to the ECM in anyway that will effect the engine or trouble codes. I've had mine disconnected for years with no issue and for yours it should be a separate v-belt so when you lose the pump you do not affect the accessory system. You can remove the Electronic spark knock function but if you do not know how to detect knock and read plugs then it isn't recommend, this one can be a disaster for you and your engine. The heat eiser on the passenger side isn't absolutely necessary. Some will debate the need for it and its relivence on warm up but I personally have had no problems without it at all even with a 180* thermostat. But besure to block the port and either co pletly remove the operator inside the intake or wedge irt open permanently. Char oal canister isn't an absolute but without it you may smell fuel vapor. Mine is still in but the recirculation line that sends it back to the intake has been broke and capped off for years with no evidence of fuel vapor around or inside the truck. Bottle Jack and lever... Your call.  A/C your call as well just terminate the clutch wires properly to prevent grounds especially since it sends a signal to your ECU and a ground can fry it easily. All the piping associated with the smog pump can be removed as well but you will have to either cap the exhaust or install headers without smog capabilities. Don't install simple painted headers. They won't last long and will rust like no other!!!! By the way it is against the law to alter your vehicle in any way that effects any smog laws in the US even if your state doesn't require emissions testing... Federal law. That was the disclaimer its all your call.

[87_Rado]

Wow alot of useful information and thanks for the fast reply guys it's very appreciated. I live in NY state but getting a sticker isn't a problem for me luckily  so that being said anything that I can get rid of without affecting the engine or setting off the ecm, I'd like to ditch it. If the smog pump isn't connected to the ecm in anyway like frotosride said then I will deffintly be ditching that first thing, I already checked it out and there is a separate v belt so no other modifications should be necessary, just plug the ports on the manifolds if I did my research right? I'd also deffintly like to ditch the AC since it's not complete or charged anyways but this is the first time I heard about "terminating the clutch wires properly"?  As frotosride said, Can anybody explain this? Any other suggestions would be helpfu as welll and much appreciated thanks for the replys fellas! This is my first square body I'm looking foread to any insite you guys may have to share

[Captkaos]

You don't want the AC lines just laying there where they could short.

[enaberif]

Minimalist... Nothing in here that simply is not needed... Ok except maybe the drill LOL.

[87_Rado]

You don't want the AC lines just laying there where they could short.

Okay so what would be the best way to terminate those wired to avoid a short and which wires are they exactly? Thanks capt. And enaberif that's exactly what I'm going for!! Anything I don't need i wanna ditch it, your engine bay is so simple and spacious thats exactly what I'd like to do with mine.

[frotosride]

Not the worst place to keep a drill...its certainly more useful than half the stuff you took out!

[enaberif]

Not the worst place to keep a drill...its certainly more useful than half the stuff you took out!

LOL honestly the only thing I took out of there was the charcoal canister which really wasn't useful anyways.

[LTZ C20]

I hate to be the pointer of the obvious here but other than the emissions stuff like canister and smog pump and maybe the air conditioning parts if you don't want working ac, everything under the hood is there because it's needed. These didn't have much to begin with anyway, how much can you really take out and have everything work right.

Wiring for lights, need that.
Wiring for engine, need that too.
Simple vacuum system with no emissions, also needed.
Blower motor for heat, that stays.
Wipers and squirters, that stays too. Ever tried to clean a big bug off with no washer fluid=failed bug gut mess.
Jack and tire iron, ok that could go but I only have my jack but I wish I had the rest of the set. Gonna wish you had it if you plan on being able to change a flat by yourself with the right tools.

I'm just saying it seems kinda silly to remove all the stuff GM spent millions to design that were ment to be there.

[87_Rado]

I deffinitly agree with you LTZ. I'm not gonna just start ripping things out that gm designed to make the truck run better. I was just interested in what can be removed that is un needed like you stated, I'm going to remove the Ac components since there not working or complete, but I need to know how to properly terminate those wires like frotosride said earlier in the post. Also the smog pump is going I already did my research on that and I'm definitely ditching that. And a simple vacuum set up like LTZ said with as little as possible, I'm assuming I only need vacuum to the break booster, pcv, I have mine going to the canister filter as well since I'm not removing that, vacuum advance at the dist. anywhere else vacuum is needed? As the title said I'm just looking for a minimalist and simple design on the whole truck when I'm done. Thanks for all the help and input guys!

[Captkaos]

If you are removing the AC, just remove the associated wiring from the truck.

[Stewart G Griffin]

You don't want the AC lines just laying there where they could short.

Okay so what would be the best way to terminate those wired to avoid a short and which wires are they exactly? Thanks capt. And enaberif that's exactly what I'm going for!! Anything I don't need i wanna ditch it, your engine bay is so simple and spacious thats exactly what I'd like to do with mine.

i've kept mine just in case i want to go back to having A/C;  i put lots of duct tape around the ends of the wires.

[Captkaos]

It should be a separate harness you can remove and replace.

[LTZ C20]

The AC harness also has a plug that seperates the harness into 2 sections, "over the engine" and "along the firewall". Why not just unplug the harness, put the over engine section in a box in your garage and tuck the other end into a wire loom on the firewall. That's what I did when my ac stuff was out. My ac is back in and working now so that's why I kept all the wiring. There isn't any reason to cut wires when unplugging it works, plus the connectors are in plastic, they are not gonna short together or anything else unless the plastic connector body is cracked or damaged or missing. Was never an issue when mine was disco'd.