Hello, New to the forum. I a 84 Custom Cruiser 307 that i am slowly getting all the issues fixed on it. I just replaced the valve cover gaskets. Did the driver side first and even though is a pain, i don't see any leaks yet and runs fine. Now a week later I did the passenger side valve cover gasket and that was very time consuming taking all the emission's stuff of etc. I also changed all the spark plugs why i was at it. Ended up leaking worse than before, so i redid everything with a new gasket. Anyways the issue i have now is it hesitates even after warming up for 15-20 minutes. If your light at the pedal in park and rev it lightly it wants to stall out. Also the check engine light is on now. I gapped the plugs at 60 though the ones I took out are at 80 gap. Will that cause the issue I am having? I have swapped out the plugs one at time with the old ones to see if i had a defective spark plug, but still the same. I really think its a vacuum line somewhere, but have checked more times than i can remember and everything is hooked up. Does the computer have to relearn for the new lower gapped plugs or and I missing something?? Or does anyone have a clear vacuum line diagram? The one the fans shroud is worn and everything i found online doesn't seem to show all the lines?? Any help will be appreciated. Thanks!

 

With the engine not running take the air cleaner off and look down in the carburetor. Move the throttle slowly. The accelerator pump should squirt some fuel with even the slightest movement. If the carburetor is original and has not been rebuilt the accelerator pump is probably dried up and not working.

I have the vacuum diagram for my Wife's 84 Riviera I can post tomorrow if nobody else comes up with one before then. It should be the same or very similar.

 

You didn't remove that "emissions stuff" did you (i.e., EGR valve, smog pump, catalytic converter, etc.)?

 

Thank you. I know the carb has seen better days and should get rebuilt. Picked the car up 2 months ago. It sat in a garage for 5 years before they put it up for sale as the last owner cant drive anymore. Anyways it had a half a tank of old fuel that i topped off and added sea foam to it, to get it home 2 and half hours away. I have since, replaced the fuel filter twice and its gone through 3 tanks full of fresh fuel with chevron fuel cleaner each time. Was hoping that would clean it all out as it runs overall pretty good. But it has hesitated before, just not as bad as it does now. I also have a check engine light on now that i remembered. I was able to finally take it out for a drive around the neighborhood today to see if it will stay running. Had to feather the pedal and anytime i left a stop sign to keep it from stalling out. Then it runs fine. If you could post a pic of the vacuum diagram from the riv, that would be be great!

 

I did have to remove the smog pump and hoses etc to get to the valve cover. But i put everything back on as much as i hated to do so lol.

 

It would help tremendously if you can get the trouble code stored in the ECM.

Don't adjust that carb without a manual., they run really well only when properly adjusted.

 

I don't have a scanner for it to get a code...What is a good scanner to get for that era car? I have seen some online, but never hear any good reviews on them.so i don't know what i should get.

 

On the RF fenderwell look for a black plastic piece about the size of an ignition module with wires and a vacuum hose on the underside it's the MAP sensor. You might have knocked the vacuum hose off while working on the valve cover.

 

Just checked it and it looks good. vacuum line is hooked up and harness is plugged in.

 

That should be an OBD1 system, the codes can be read with a paper clip. Locate the ALDL connector under the steering column, jumper the two terminals on the top right of the connector, turn the key to the run position and watch the check engine light. It should flash a code 12 (blink then blink blink) three times which means it isn't running/no distributor reference signal. The next code will be flashed after the code 12 flashes three times, count the blinks there will be a pause and count the next blinks e.g., blink, blink = 2 pause blink, blink, blink = 3 = code 23. When you reach code 12 again it just repeats on a loop.

 

I thought I had a better picture of the emissions tag from years ago but it must be lost somewhere I just took this one but it is not that great. I have an 83 service manual which should be very similar if you need anything else.

 

The only "scanner" you need is a bent paper clip. With the key on, short the A and B terminals in the ALDL together. The Check Engine light will start to flash. If the computer is working correctly, it will flash 12 three times. That's light on for "1", followed by a long pause, then two flashes with a short pause between them for "2", then another long pause. This repeats three times. If there are additional codes stored, they will flash in numerical order, each three times. A "24" for example will be two flashes, long pause, then four flashes, repeated three times, etc.

 

You posted a YouTube video?

Has the world come to an end?

 

I'll bet more than a few of those 1984 vacuum hoses are cracked, And your issue is a vacuum leak(s)
If you plan on keeping this car get a few rolls of vacuum hose and replace them all.
My '86 engine top looks like a bowl of pasta with all the hoses.

 

Sorry for the delay in a response. I work on it on my free time and have been real busy with work. I forgot that that i had issues with 2 vacuum hoses after assembly of the pass. side valve cover. There is so much emission stuff everywhere. I took a ton of pics before i disassembled to make sure i didn't miss anything too. Anyways. there is a vacuum hose i couldn't find were is went to, so plugged it meanwhile. And there was a connection for a vacuum line by one of the emissions controls on the pass. side i couldn't figure out either, so i plugged it up too. Well been searching online and pic posted here too, for any info on vacuum line setup as the label on the car doesn't show the connections i needed. I found a great video on youtube on a 84 cutlass 307. Its showed where every single vacuum line started and ended. So i found the issue i had. Had one vacuum hose connected to the wrong line. I hooked it up to where is was on the video and hooked up the other one one to where that one was. It runs smooth again and no check engine light! Thank you everyone for your help. I really appreciate it! I am sure i will be asking more questions as this will be a long slow process of getting things done on it.

 

Here's one that's a bit clearer. It's an 85 but should be very similar.

 

The only scanners I know of are basically obsolete. You can get a scan tool that can tell you what stuff you might need to know while the engine is running like TPS position, etc., and that's the GM scan tool called Tech 1, made by Vetronix. Also Brainmaster II by Alltest can be found and they do some crude monitoring as well. Not as good as the Tech 1, but you have to have the right cartrige for the Tech 1. The Brainscan is all built in (the higher the model number on the Brainmasters, the "newer" it is). Makes things MUCH easier with one of these tools, but if you find a working one, they're quite pricey.

The paper clip deal will get you the trouble codes you need though.