Crankcase vent tube and open air element

[bash]

Hi everyone,

I just replaced the factory air cleaner assembly on my '87 R10 350 tbi with a new Spectre open element. The original air box was missing the fitting/filter piece that the crankcase vent tube was supposed to run into ("D" shaped hole in the box) so the vent tube was just crammed into it. The new filter has a place in the bottom plate that I can install Spectre's breather tube adapter, but I am not sure how I should deal with the existing hoses. The crankcase vent tube comes off of a plastic elbow that appears to be part of the egr system. This appears to be fed by a metal hose that is connected to the rear left of the block. I could run the tube straight into the filter assembly, but that would send unfiltered exhaust into the tbi, which I don't think would be a good idea. At the moment there I have a matching breather filter stuck into the end of that tube, but I don't think that is a good end solution. Should there be a breather filter attached to the block where that hose terminates with another going from it to the air filter assembly? I don't care to start an arguement over cold air vs. open element, but any help is appreciated.

 

[Georgeb]

Got any pics of what you have. Take a good one from over the passenger fender so we can see all the connections you have. A before and after would be good too. With that one of us can mark one up or describe a solution.

 

[bash]

Pics

So I was wrong about this venting from the crankcase. It is actually attached to the exhaust manifold. If you look at the pics you can see a metal hose come off of the manifold, run towards the firewall, then at about even with the rear spark plug it bends and connects to a hose that runs back to what I am guessing is the EGR. It may be worth noting that you can feel exhaust pulsing out of the vent tube that was connected to the air box assembly.

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[PrairieDrifter]

That pump is called the smog pump and the hoses and lines are for the emissions system which is what the smog pump is for. I don't know what emissions laws are in Alabama but if you don't have inspections or regulations I would just remove that whole system.

 

[Mattchu60]

Anyone ever removed the AIR system before? I want to remove it from my TBI to clean up the engine bay. Do you just unplug everything and its that simple? There is some electronic "stuff" up by the MAP sensor on the intake manifold that seems to feed into the AIR system - does this get removed or just leave it.

 

[Georgeb]

Anyone ever removed the AIR system before? I want to remove it from my TBI to clean up the engine bay. Do you just unplug everything and its that simple? There is some electronic "stuff" up by the MAP sensor on the intake manifold that seems to feed into the AIR system - does this get removed or just leave it.

I removed mine. Just plugged the holes in the manifolds and unplugged the electrical by the MAP. It all went in the scrap.

 

[bash]

We don't have emissions inspections here so that won't be an issue. On the note of the MAP sensor, mine was disconnected since I have had this truck. I tried connecting it and the engine went berzerk. It would barely run and started trying to backfire. I don't understand why the check engine light doesn't come on without it but it runs well without it. The only complaint that I have about it running is that when it warms up if I shift back into park it will sometimes idle at around 1000 instead of 550-650 which it does before driving and when in any other gear. Could this have to do with the MAP?

 

[Georgeb]

We don't have emissions inspections here so that won't be an issue. On the note of the MAP sensor, mine was disconnected since I have had this truck. I tried connecting it and the engine went berzerk. It would barely run and started trying to backfire. I don't understand why the check engine light doesn't come on without it but it runs well without it. The only complaint that I have about it running is that when it warms up if I shift back into park it will sometimes idle at around 1000 instead of 550-650 which it does before driving and when in any other gear. Could this have to do with the MAP?

Check to see if there are any stored codes in the ECM by jumping A and B on the connector. There should be...

 

[HotRodPC]

Yep, that does just appear to be the AIR (Air INJECTION Reactor) aka Smog PUMP though it INJECTS air. Guess it can be called a pump since it does pump ambient air first before it INJECTS it. Don't trash the stuff as you remove it. Some states DO require it, and you can pass it on to someone who NEEDS it in their state.

Here's my question and my " I wasn't aware of " It appears to be some kind of wires hooked up to the diverter valve of the system which tells me it's probably feeding back to the ECM. How will removing it affect the ECM if at all? Will it cause a thrown code? Cause a lean or rich AF mixture etc? Or am I seeing the pic wrong?

 

[HotRodPC]

Check to see if there are any stored codes in the ECM by jumping A and B on the connector. There should be...

Yeah, exactly. That would be my concern too. Didn't see this post before I posted. George is on the same page as I am.

 

[bucket]

The ECM doesn't know when the smog pump garbage is gone.

 

[HotRodPC]

The ECM doesn't know when the smog pump garbage is gone.

I certainly didn't think so. So then the wiring is for an ECM controlled diverter valve operation. I'm surprised I don't recall seeing that before. And I'm from Cali with a Cali Emissions Testing License. Guess they all passed and I didn't have to work on one of those. I'm sure Cali trucks had it before other 49 states did. Though TBI was so stable and reliable, never had to do a thing to them but run the test, PASS it and sign the state cert and test the next one. Believe it or not, Fords and Mazdas were the ones that didn't like to pass emissions. A year old 10-15,000 miles and wouldn't pass.

 

[bash]

I read another thread somewhere that claimed the ECM looked for a resistance and that was all. Maybe it is just looking to see if the valve's coil is in tact (I assume this is basically a solenoid). I need to check for some codes tomorrow anyway so I will run with it unplugged and see.

 

[smoothandlow84]

I removed the air pump, manifolds and all tubing to and from the manifolds/air filter housing. My square never threw any codes and runs fine. The only item I kept as far as emissions is concerned (even though it is emmission exempt) was the egr valve, pcv and cats. The cats will be ditched soon since I have long tube header installed. I just havent had the chance to get the truck up on a lift to remove them and install a new section of tailpipe. I have a box full of the emissions crapola collecting dust. It really cleans up the engine compartment having all of that useless equipment removed. It would be a different situation if it were my daily driver.

 

[Rusty Nail]

All of that stuff is from the same page as catalytic converters = a terrible idea that serves no real-world purpose. Somewhere, in someway, it makes a tree hugging, liberal, pot smoking, hippy FEEL better about allowing you to drive a "clunker".
In the real world....it is unsprung weight and it's slowing you down! Negatively affecting fuel mileage!
Throw it away, or recycle it, which ever makes you FEEL better and if you don't tell em, I won't either.

Of course that is unless the EPA shows up at your door with a polar bear they saved from a melting iceburg. In that case, I don't even know you, man!