Distributor '76 car

[VWScott]

I recently bought a '76 '02 that was a California car though purchased in Ky. Anyway my plan is to remove all the smog related equipment and noticed the distributor has a vacuum can with advance and retard I believe. Can I use this dizzy and cap off the the retard nipple when removing the smog equipment? or am I required to purchase another distributor? If I need to purchase another which one? Engine bay is kind of a mess and am a little unsure what stays and what goes,a lot of dead ended wires and such,dash pots,relays on the firewall etc...thks in advance.

[visionaut]

You didn't say if you're Manual or Auto so here's both (I guess you have manual):

 

Manual '76 CA-only would be a 0 231 176 059  JFU4 .  It has vac advance and retard.

Auto '76 CA-only would be a 0 231 170 164 also a JFU4.

 

There's folks with both running fine after ditching the emissions.  There's actually some advantages to the retard, don't discard it without testing at stock compression ratios....

 

[visionaut]

As far as how to toss the emissions equipment there's got to be over a hundred posts on the topic here. With very specific info showing wiring, hardware, locations, etc. Try reaching "emissions removal" or the like here on this entire 2002 forum by setting the search location to "This Forum"...

 

Edited December 8, 2023 by visionaut

[Mike Self]

Almost all the emissions-related wiring is on a wiring harness that unplugs (at several locations) from the car's main wiring harness.  That was to allow the factory to have a single main harness for "all world" cars, with specific plug in harnesses for specific countries (Sweden, Japan and the US come to mind). 

 

So once you've determined the smog harness, you can unplug it without having to cut any wires.  Presuming, of course that a PO didn't booger things up with his wire cutters!

 

mike

['76mintgrün'02]

The fuel diverter valve is often removed with the emissions stuff, but it is a useful piece of equipment.  It will allow the fuel pressure to bleed back to the tank when the engine is shut off.

 

A previous owner removed it from my car, so I use a two-outlet Jeep fuel filter in its place.  There are a lot of posts about that option in the archives.  A search of {jeep filter} will bring them up.

[John76]

17 hours ago, VWScott said:

Engine bay is kind of a mess and am a little unsure what stays and what goes

 

You can ditch everything in my diagram ... but  keep the distributor with the vac advance connected. Also, as @'76mintgrün'02 recommended, keep the fuel return valve connected to manifold vacuum. Really helps with re-start and vapor lock issues.

Look for the blue wiring harnesses. You will find all the emission control wire colors per my sketch.

 

[VWScott]

thks so much however I dont see  fuel return valve in your picture?

[visionaut]

2 hours ago, VWScott said:

thks so much however I dont see  fuel return valve in your picture?

Here’s Waldo..

[Buckeye]

Keep that fuel return valve if still present. Not only provide extra HP it also provide you with headache free  vapor luck.

 

Edited December 11, 2023 by Buckeye
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