Carb Queston
Tech Contributor
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 14,370
Likes: 6,361
From: At my Bar drinking and wrenching in Lafayette Colorado
That's a 1-year-only carb with the computer-controlled systems. You have to have it rebuilt if you want the car to function correctly with the computer controls. Replacing it with something else will trigger a check engine light, which will fail you on emissions.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,114
From: Crossville TN
If the original engine management system is still working properly on your car, let it be. If the Check Engine Light (cel) is indicating a problem...or if the cel is non-functional, fix the system before dealing with the carb. The system needs to be operational before any one part of it can be repaired/restored and re-connected with the system. If the system is operational, the OBD-I diagnostics can help find where problems may be 'lurking'.
Last edited by 7T1vette; May 4, 2021 at 04:59 PM.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 14,370
Likes: 6,361
From: At my Bar drinking and wrenching in Lafayette Colorado
I'll bet he's gonna' have to look long and hard to find any techs that have any knowledge whatsoever about the 1-year-only ECM-controlled Q-Jet...
Racer
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 352
Likes: 42
@lars Lars? Do you rebuilt these 81 QJets? Or do you have some tips on doing so? I may have an 81 that needs this too. Hope to hookup the Monitor 85 tomorrow and check the codes.
Last edited by docohm; May 4, 2021 at 10:46 PM. Reason: add Lars tag
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Tech Contributor
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 14,370
Likes: 6,361
From: At my Bar drinking and wrenching in Lafayette Colorado
No, I don't, because I don't have an ECM on my test engine, so I can't test-run the '81 carbs to verify the setup and correct operation. I don't believe anybody can rebuild a carb and assure it's right if they don't test run it. Both Cliff and I run every carb we build to assure operation - no way to build a carb without testing.
Lars
Lars
Last edited by lars; May 5, 2021 at 12:09 PM.
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 789
Likes: 129
From: Los Banos CA
You might try calling Ole's Carbs in Burlingame, CA. I'm not sure if they accept mail-in jobs, but when Lars was taking a break from carb rebuilding several years ago, I had him rebuild the carb for my 79, and he did a great job. Mine wasn't the 81 electronic carb, but on their website, they do list computer-controlled q-jets. And similar to Lars, he won't mess with the commercial rebuilt carbs. I took him two carbs, but he wouldn't rebuild either one, but had a core in his stockpile that he rebuilt for me, as I wasn't interested in matching numbers at all. I'm not sure if he runs the carbs on a test engine, but you could ask.
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2019
Posts: 1,506
Likes: 495
In Ohio that carburetor was a 4 year deal on 5.0 and 5.7 GM engines, Buick , Pontiac, Chevy and anything with a Old 5.0 . Just switched over a 84 Trans Am 5.0 yesterday to a 80 carb and 75 HEI but out here we don’t have Emissions testing here so no one wants to fix them