DaveT

After all these years, I finally had to get this figured out. I could never get the outer CJV apart to properly clean it out when a boot failed and dirt got in. So I set the ones that were too contaminated aside. Never had to worry too much for years, because used OEM axles were not hard to get. I always re grease and reboot them. The only [few] non OEM axles I have came on cars I bought. I always had extra axles, due to cars being retired due to rust. I save the entire drive line, scrap the rusted out shell. Came across a video on youtube - Take a piece of 2x6 a foot long, drill a 1-1/8" hole in the center. Slip it over the axle, after removing the inner DOJ. Clamped the axle in a bench vise, with the CVJ pointing down, with some padding under. One moderate hit with my bigger ball peen hammer on the wood block popped the CVJ right off! Also got a pack of the silicon universal CVJ boots, so far so good with those. Need those to rebuild my turbo axles.

Some variants of the distributor use a small screw to hold the rotor in place. If it is that kind, and the screw works loose and falls out, it won't run.

I'm not a pro mechanic. But I have been maintaining and repairing my EA82s since 1988. Electronics engineer. I was designing and building electric and electronics since before high school.

I'm in colchester, pretty much the center of the state

Trying to run one of these old cars, you have to know or learn how to fix everything or have a load of cash to pay one of the rare places that will work on them. I'm guessing you are nowhere near Connecticut

If there are currently active codes, the LED will blink them without any diagnostic connectors connected. The LED is viewable through a hole in the ECU. The plastic panel under the steering column must be removed to see the hole in the ECU. I meant to mention that the O2 sensor would likely be very stuck.

The CTS cannot be on the radiator, that is something else, probably the fan sensor. I can only look at the diagram in my FSM. The CTS looks like it is on a coolant duct - cast aluminum thing - behind the intake manifold. On the thermostat side of the engine.

That points to something at the fusible link box. Power has to go through the links to get to the fuse box. Careful inspection. All the connections need to be clean metal, no corrosion. The metal tabs can be removed. You want to check that the crimps are good also. I made a tool for removing the contacts from fuse blocks connectors, etc. From one of the stainless steel strips on the side of some windshield wiper blades. Depending on the particular connector, grind some width or thickness down so it fits - there is a plastic catch on the housing or a metal tab on the contact. Use the stainless steel strip to get into there and to release it.

The inside groove measures .288" The outer thickness is .510" The flange on one side is about double the thickness of the other. Does this sound like the part you are looking for?

I found a couple, and a broken one. I will make a model and drawing so you can check the dimensions. They look like the thicker one, at first glance.

If you can get them, do yourself a favor and get stainless steel nuts and bolts. Flatwashers and lockwashers also. Studs for the heads to the y pipe. NOT bolts. Anti seize helps with all of this also.

That short pipe on the y pipe cat is a port for a carburetor heat riser. Just ignore it. It is not open to the exhaust. It allows warmed air from around the cat to be sucked into the carburetor via a lightweight flexible duct. Helps with warm up and preventing icing. Not applicable to SPFI.

I can try to locate the ones I have tonight. I could also print those now.

Is this engine a SPFI? or Carburetor? Most of what I've read in the thread leads me toward SPFI. Just want to be sure. I've seen many people use seafoam on these cars / engines with no negative effects, so I'm not thinking it's likely the cause. I have nothing to go on regarding Chevy engines, something could be different.

Check for ecu codes. If the o2 sensor is that bad, it should show a code. The CTS is also a common cause of weird idle changing idle. Depending on how it fails. It can be bad and not cause a code. Testing is best, as parts cost money.

Those things drive me nuts. If I ever have one that new, it would be on the list of modifications.

The axel stub on the side of the transmission moves around? That does not sound normal. I once bought a 1990 4wd wagon. . On the drive home, it was making a rythmic noise. Discovered there was no gear lube on the dipstick. Just black. Threw a quart of motor oil in it, as it was all I had, and got home. Changed it out to synthetic gear lube. Drove it for 11 years. The noise slowly faded. Just mentioned that because maybe that's the sound you are hearing.

I know first hand that for 4wd wagons. Spfi, 3AT automatic. 86 gl through 1990 loyale very similar parts for almost everything. Exhaust should be swappable. Minor differences crop up swapping between auto and stick, 2WD vs 4wd, stuff like that.

There should be aftermarket parts for it still. Might have to try looking them up as a 1990 loyale. They won't last nearly as long as the oem, but way lower cost. I built an all stainless exhaust - there's a link on another similar thread, but your not going to be doing that project in a parking lot.

I broke one up through the o2 sensor hole and the output pipe once. If you are good at welding thin metal, cutting an access hole would be easier. If you buy a new y pipe, no need to remove the catalytic. It won't make a difference in power.

There probably should be a spacer. Older and newer cars had them. There should be an inner and outer seal.

Something mat be partially blocking the exhaust, but it could be either of the catalytic converters also. The bolts on the exhaust are very likely so rusted that they need to be cut off with an angle grinder or burned off with a welding torch. Unless they were replaced with stainless, and or recently assembled with ano seize compound. Best to test before buying parts - loosen the nuts tat hold the y pipe to the heads, to get a gap between the flanges and the heads. Quarter to half inch. Be sure the studs are not backed out. If it runs and drives normally but loud, the exhaust is blocked. If it still runs badly, then the exhaust is not the problem.

Hp is mostly limited by the heads. Also the original carb. Exhaust is minor.

So the power at the fuses listed in post #25 is gone, as well as nothing in post #28? Have to start testing back toward the battery. Starting to sound like a corroded or broken connection.

If it is just a Y, it won't have a big bulge like there is for a cat or a resonator. I can't be specific about 84, as I skipped from a 78 to an 86 back in 1988. Never touched anything in between those years. Just the way it happened. Changing the exhaust will make it sound different, not much else.