Question about swapping carbs

[El Corvino]

So I don't like parking my Escalade in the Hospital garage because it gets hit at least 12 times during my shift... so I usually drive my Cutlass. I recently do what I normally do, and bought out someones entire inventory. Something they had that I believe is commonly swapped was a stand alone carb in place of my 1987 307 V8 carb that sends minimal info to the computer. Long story short, I have this....



My question is, what do I do about the following? Just cap them off? **No, it is not a performance car. All stock, just a vehicle I use to work mostly** My other G-Body's are fuel injected swaps, so I am not familiar with carb'd vehicles.


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[lilbowtie]

Run the stock air cleaner.

 

[grizwald]

I agree with bowtie. Stock 307....you don't need to replace the air cleaner. Then it's pretty much plug n' play. If you want to get fancy, throw a K&N air filter in the stock air cleaner....maybe a quick coat of paint too.

 

[1982 SS]

I think you should consider changing the distributor if that is a computer controlled carb. The computer establishes timing based on throttle position, rpm and vacuum. By losing one of those inputs, the computer could default to a lesser timing, like a limp mode, and hurt performance.

 

[El Corvino]

So essentially putting on the Holley and deleting the computer, The distributor would thus become irrelevant as it is no longer relaying info to the computer that was once there?

 

[1982 SS]

The only way to delete the computer and render it irrelevant is to change everything it controls for engine management. If you change the carb without changing the distributor, the computer will default the timing curve to a safe curve that won't hurt anything. The computer relies on the inputs from the throttle position sensor, O2, vacuum sensor, and I'm sure I'm missing some other sensor. Without one of those inputs, it will default to a safe tune. I had a Monte Carlo that had the computer controlled carb, I swapped it to a non computer controlled carb without changing the distributor and it idled and ran fine at less than 1500 rpm, but it had no timing to speak of, the computer dialed the timing back because it was missing the TPS input. that problem was fixed with a non computer controlled HEI, 12° of initial timing and a sensible timing curve.

So, change the distributor to a non computer controlled HEI and you will be in good shape. Changing one without the other will make for a poor performing engine.