Hello, new to the board and i would like to know what is needed to remove the computer controll system on my 81.It's a 4 speed car.
Want to do some engine mods like cam,intake,carb,headers and full duals. Do i need a different distributor? Anything else?
Thanks....Stu

 

With Summit Racing selling brand new complete HEI Distributors for $89 I'd just go that route regardless as a pretty cheap upgrade to the old worn out 30 year old one.

After that you can pretty much plop on whatever carb you can find a deal on, don't sweat the details too much. The Edelbrock 1400 is emissions legal if you want that, but the 1406 is cheaper but has no provisions for EVAP system.

 

Its easy to do and will be the best thing you'll ever do! I just did it on my '81 auto trans.
Since you have four speed it real simple. First remove battery,then computer comes out mounted in by battery. Second remove connectors from carb and four pin plug on distributor(that small harness can get removed). Then replace carb. with earlier Q-jet or one of your liking. Lastly remove distributor and replace with one that has vacuum and mech advance. Just a word of advise don't use and ebay special or any other cheap distributors they are pure JUNK. Get a oem one or go for msd or a quality one.I found out the hard way. I have a few oem hei distributors I can sell you one for $25 plus shipping.

 

I bought one of those....Junk the mech advance wobbled,the shaft was drill very close to oil pump tab with .030 of material left at bottom of the hole. I bought 5 eom units and built my own up using the summit electronics. Aslo the summit as for many others have too thin of a mounting flange and it won't clamp down tight. Thats what got me looking at it closer and found the other problems.

 

Probably a good call. Worth noting that Summit sells an overhaul kit for OEM HEI's for $69 which is a route I'd go if I had a pre-81 unit.

 

I have a very similar project...so can we get back to the original question:

Do you have to remove the computer or just unplug everything. I have already unplugged everything but will the tach and speedometer still work?

Also, I know the check engine light will no longer function but will the other gauges work? Thanks!
PS-Im installing a TH350 with a manual detent cable and vacuum canister to avoid the electronic transmission

 

some people on here will grill you for removing the computer and i have been bashed on here plenty of times for doing it but i would rather take a paintball between the eyes then go back to the computer .....i got rid of it 3 years ago. the wiring harness comes out in one big hunk. its huge. disconnect it from your computer. computer then comes out no problem. disconnect it all from the dizzy and carb and drag it back through the fire wall and the centre consol. then get rid of all those polution controls and sensors to clean up the engine bay.


-put in the new carb or distributor of your choice and job done if you have a manual.
-if you have an auto and keep that original loc up converter tansmission then search the tv cable method on here to take advantage of that loc-up.
- me myself i didnt want a loc-up converter so i replaced the whole transmission .
-nothing will change as far as dash lites, cruise control, tach,speedo will work fine.

the AC wire you can see that i circled in pink is the only wire that i had to unclip from the computer harness that went into the main wiring harness to remove it.
( yes the wiring in the floor in the pic is the computer harness)



go from this to this....

 

Thanks for all the great replies. Exactly what i needed to know.

I will disconnect the harness,but try to leave it in place in case in the future some purist wants it back and working.

Want to pep up the existing engine for now while i decide what new engine i want to build up.

 

I've done this swap also. Best mod I've ever done. When I removed the ccc I also did long tube headers and dual exhaust. Just these add ons and being able to advance the timing as far as the engine would allow made a big differance. Heads and cam swap this winter and that will wake this car up a bit

 

I was just saying,the overhaul kit should be fine the main problem area is the main housing and shaft.
I also forgot to mention earlier I bought 5 pre 81 distributors. If anyone needs one or one less electronics I'm willing to let some go. I will get pictures of the weak spots I mentioned. It applies to the $49 ebay special and the summit $89 (blueprinted dist) both made in china.

 

If anyone needs a pre 81 Q-jet I have a spare from a 1977 Vette carb number 17057202

 

thats how i would do it .every week on here some one wants to repair or replace something the owner before him changed or took out .what ever you do to your car can affect resell .but it is your car do what you like .

 

Do you have to pass emissions testing in your state? You will probably need the computer for that.

 

No emissions testing on cars 1995 and below,plus i am registering it as a hobiest car,one time fee of $200 for plates.

 

I had a 81 with 4spd no computer 4 bbl double pumper holley, dual exhaust, headers,high performance engine cam higher compression etc.... passed emissions with flying colors. It did have a pair of catalytic converters. So no computer can pass too!

 

If anyone is interested in selling any '81 parts they remove to faciliate getting away from the computer, I would be interested in buying them. I am trying to get my car back on the computer for originality purchases.

Out of curiosity, if you have a catalytic converter on a car that you've removed the computer from, how do you keep it from burning up since the smog pump no longer works?

 

i have a 81 l81. it had a flat cam when i got it . i found a funnel made from a quart of goldenwest motor oil so that probably explains the flat cam and scuffed skirts on the pistons. anyway im going back non computerized since no emission testing here. i have the computer,carb,distributor and smog pump. im planning on putting them on ebay to fund a few more parts i need to get. i wanna replace control arm bushings top and bottom before i put the motor back in. my budget is tight so im testing my options. car ran ok considering the fuel pump lobe was bigger than about 5 lobes on the cam. if your interested shoot me a email and an offer on what you want. i have a ebay account if you wanna look at it and check me feedback. i don't want you to think im trying to scam you since i just registered my account here. my ebay id is cliffandkellyssales . heres a link. http://myworld.ebay.com/ebaymotors/cliffandkellyssales and i do take paypal . if i don't here back from you today i will goahead and list them and pay ebays outrageous fees. i also have the lower heat shields for the plug wires. heres some pics but no pics of the items i listed. http://www.facebook.com/album.php?id...42&aid=2024778 as soon as these items were pulled off the car they were shrink wrapped and shelved in my shop about 3 weeks ago. jamespolk@peoplepc.com

 

Remove tha Cat.

 

The catalytic converter won't burn up with out air pump. New cars don't have air pumps anymore but use more than one converter.
I'm keeping the cat with my 2-1/2 exhaust and no computer.
The exhaust smells better...not that I'm an exhaust sniffer..lol..

 

Speaking of cats...

I recently sold an old crappy Saturn to Pick-N-Pull junkyard. They paid $150 for a non-running car.
I asked the guy what was the most valuable thing on the car and he said:
The cats!!!!

Guy said he would give me $50 without the cats.
I was bummed because I recently took 4 cats off my Mustang to the city dump.

I'm taking my 1981 and 1976 cats to the recycler for cash......unless anyone wants to buy them here.