82Camaro Berl

I have a 305 Computer Controlled Carburator. If I rip out the CPU, what will change? What will I need to change to keep the car running? I'm not exactly sure what the CPUs function is and what I need to do to not use it. I intend to rewire the car soon, and that'd be less I have to mess with I think.

Thanks in advance!

88TPI406GTA

I had an 84 bird with the Lg4 and T-5...and the ECM and the distributor and the carb all work together...so if you want to get rid of the crappy computer...just change the carb to a standard HEI type and put a regular 600 cfm carb on...

HTH,

bb92RS350

You can unplug the computer from the carb. and it will run but it will run rich. To fix this there is alway Nitrous but the computer also controls your timing advance. Replace with a standard HEI distributor from any car from the 70's or maybe a truck from the early 80's The way you can tell is by a vacuum port on the distributor body. Your distributor has an electrical connetor on it. Other than that your car should run fine.

redbird_400

keep your computer unless you want a load of work. If you really want to rip it out, buy the parts you needs first, build onto and then rip it out.

I know you will have to change like said above, the distributor, you will also need to change your TBI or TPI (fuel injection) To a regular Caborator, You will have to replace gauges if they are electronically controlled. I belive after 87 of firebirds they used electric speedos. In my car, taking out the computer would disable the speedo, tac, most likly every thing except the battery, water temp and probably oil. But no tac no speedo thats for sure. I'm not completly sure about the trans but there are some cars out there with computer controlled trasmissions, OH and if you use cruise controll, kiss that goodbye.

Bacically your ECM (CPU) is wired to a whole bunch of sensors that monitors how your car is running. Under changing conditions it will make slight changes to your timing and air to fuel mixture. It reajusts these things under the correct conditions. It also helps that if there is something wrong with your car, burning to much or to less gas, it will pop up a check engine light. There are two wire contacts that you can connect under your dash and turn the key to on position and it will tell you the error code so that you can properly look into it and fix the problem. Also a dealer ship can wire a computer diagonstic system to your car to check error codes and engine performance.

This may be a bigger project then you would think. Quite expencive... if you just want more power with different type of mods then.. you might be wasting alot of money just setting it up and getting it ready to run carborated, and not computer controlled. but... why would you really want to ditch the computer?

88TPI406GTA

Redbird...you are way off on this...

He has a 1982 camaro with a slightly comp controlled quadrajet...and the CCC distributor...and a mechanical fuel pump...not TBI or TPI...

It is as simple as swapping carbs and an HEI distributor...I know because I DID it...

Took me a couple of hours because I replaced some vacuum lines and tuned it up at the same time...

Apeiron

According to the wiring diagrams, the computer has nothing to do with controlling the speedo and tach.

82Camaro Berl

The reason I would want to ditch my CPU is because it's 1 less faulty thing to worry about, and I think I have to replace it if I keep it. I intend to rewire the car because that car's wiring has been "rigged" too many times and I just need to start fresh. If I don't have to worry w/ the CPU, I don't have to worry about the CPU in my rewiring experiment.

As far as guages and check engine light, the only thing I know for sure is that my speedo is mechanical. everything else seems to be electronic. It's not a digital dash, it's the kind that has mph on 1 side and kph on the other and 1 needle operates both sides. I need to get my guages working as well. I think my fuel guage is correct, tach is off, oil press off, temp was disconnected. The "Check Engine" light BULB was removed, so I gotta see what all the car's gonna tell me when I put the guages back.

This car is a learning experience. I wont get heavy w/ it until it's 25 years old (emissions no longer an issue), but I want to have everything else on the car ready when it turns 25 so I can put in basically a new drive train and crank it and run. That's why I'm doing the electrical work now, and i have plenty of time and access to whatever wire I need. Any ideas about my guages are welcome to. The problem - they don't work, accurately or otherwise.

junkyarddog

there is one wire which connects to the ignition module and controls the timing advance in the HEI distributer. the carb has a MC solenoid (mixture control) which is controled by pulses from the ecu, this is only functional in the primaries i.e. cruising,slow speeds ect. It is the thing you hear 'clicking' when power is applied,right before you crank the motor. It's funtion is to maintain a 14.7:1 fuel to air mixture. That's about all the computer does to control the engine, there are some vaccume valves and other emissions stuff. The sensors are knock sensors, speed sensor, tach, coolant temp etc..

Unless there are serious problems with the engine, there is no need to interfere with this setup. It gets you decent milage for daily driving and decent WOT performance (secondaries controled by rods and hangers)

it's an all or nothing deal, you gain more flexible timing advance and absolutly no emmisions stuff if you go with good stuff. Don't just use old HEI crap, at least put together an advance kit and get some performance out of that non-electronic carb.