[Amc-list] 77 Gremlin It's ALIVE (Long)

[JOE FULTON <piper_pa20@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

I just got back from my first couple of drives around
the block in my 77 Gremlin.  I'll put some pics om my
photobucket site tonight.

I had tuned the engine (258/2bbl) which came from a 76
Hornet I parted out last year.  The replacement engine
had idled good with the factory rebuilt carb I put on
it, but it didn't seem to have any power.  I put a new
EGR valve but could not match the part number of the
old valve because it evidently was a replacement. I
just tried to match the orifice size of the old valve.
The valve I replaced had a hokey diaphragm which was
separate from the valve (forget what it's called) and
I wanted a factory type unitized valve so I could
route the vacuum hoses IAW the factory diagram.  I
worked with John Elle by email (thanks John for your
assistance) and I thought I had the hoses correct.  

After getting it running, I put the car in the garage
for the winter without correcting the low power
problem and began buffing the paint and replacing the
interior and generally sprucing it up.  The paint on
the roof and rear quarters buffed out pretty good. 
The car had the Gremlin X stripes which I sanded off,
starting with 220 grit and working to finer grades. 
The paint held up and there are virtually no shadows
from the stripes where I buffed.  I left the front
fenders and will repaint them and the valance in a few
weeks.  I sanded and repainted the hood with PPG
DP90LF black primer.  I also worked on the brakes and
the grille.

Today was rollout day.  I started the car and the old
symptoms, not much power when the motor is raced, came
back.  They don't heal themselves it seems.  I took it
for a trip around the block (no license plates so I
kept it brief) and the motor was sputtering with no
power.  I brought it back and did some diagnosis.  I
had good vacuum to the distributor vacuum advance and
the centrifugal advance was working.  The accelerator
pump was putting out a healthy shot of gas.  I put in
fresh gas before the drive.  I then confirmed that I
had good vacuum (off idle and higher) to the new EGR
valve with the engine warmed up.  I disconnected the
vacuum hose to the EGR and plugged it and the engine
smoothed out and had power upon acceleration.  Another
trip around the block with a smile on my face
confirmed that the EGR is at fault.  I'm gonna replace
it and see what happens.

Later,
Joe Fulton
Salinas, CA

  

 
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