Removing the carb spacer

[MadMax_636]

Has anyone done it and if so, How hard was it? Since I was trying to loosen the hex bolts on mine and they wont budge. Id like to replace that gasket as well but I cant seem to even get the bolt to budge. I tried to rotate one and it made a cracking sound and "turned" but couldnt get it to move anymore than that.

Im thinking that might be a vacuum leak.

 

[Shran]

It's there for a reason, keeping the carb raised up even that 1" or so really helps prevent fuel from boiling in the float bowl. I would not just simply remove it.

Probably a likely place for a vacuum leak though. You may have to try some heat on those bolts or an impact wrench on the lowest setting...just barely rattle them... sometimes going back and forth between forward and reverse will help break them loose. Someone may have used loctite too...heat will usually solve that problem.

 

[MadMax_636]

It's there for a reason, keeping the carb raised up even that 1" or so really helps prevent fuel from boiling in the float bowl. I would not just simply remove it.

Probably a likely place for a vacuum leak though. You may have to try some heat on those bolts or an impact wrench on the lowest setting...just barely rattle them... sometimes going back and forth between forward and reverse will help break them loose. Someone may have used loctite too...heat will usually solve that problem.

Yeah, Thats what I was thinking. I was gonna replace the gasket and maybe do something to completely kill off the EGR ports.

I sadly dont own or really have the money to get air or electric tools to use in regard to an impact. I sprayed around it with starter fluid and I couldnt find any leaks but Im sure there is a change there could be leaks on the inside.

 

[MadMax_636]

It's there for a reason, keeping the carb raised up even that 1" or so really helps prevent fuel from boiling in the float bowl. I would not just simply remove it.

After you said the 1 inch or so helps to prevent the fuel from boiling. What if I replaced the stock spacer with a newer and solid (Metal or plastic) spacer? Since I could remove the EGR system 100% and just have it RAW.

 

[19Walt93]

Tap firmly on the heads of the bolts with a small hammer and punch, it may help loosen them.

 

[MadMax_636]

Tap firmly on the heads of the bolts with a small hammer and punch, it may help loosen them.

Thanks! Should I get hex sockets or use the hex I have? They have plastic handles.

 

[19Walt93]

Thanks! Should I get hex sockets or use the hex I have? They have plastic handles.

What kind of socket had a plastic handle? Are you talking about Allen wrenches?

 

[MadMax_636]

What kind of socket had a plastic handle? Are you talking about Allen wrenches?

https://www.harborfreight.com/sae-metric-t-handle-ball-end-hex-key-set-18-pc-63167.html these are the ones with the plastic handles. I guess hex keys. I dont have HEX sockets.

 

[19Walt93]

Those might work, I'd rather see an actual socket you can put on a 3/8 breaker bar and gently work it back and forth.

 

[MadMax_636]

Those might work, I'd rather see an actual socket you can put on a 3/8 breaker bar and gently work it back and forth.

Thats what I was gonna do. They are 14mm so the sockets I found are 1/2 inch.

 

[19Walt93]

Go slow and easy, adding torque slowly. It's easier and quicker to finesse bolts out than it is to drill and tap them.

 

[MadMax_636]

Go slow and easy, adding torque slowly. It's easier and quicker to finesse bolts out than it is to drill and tap them.

Thanks! Ive got a 1/2 breaker bar.

 

[Shran]

Go ahead and remove it if you're going to delete the EGR but replace it with something else - I'm with you there, just as long as something is there. You may, however, run into a situation where there is a funky gasket or something connecting the EGR passages with the spacer... in that case you will have to use the factory spacer, no if ands or buts, because nothing else will seal correctly. If it looks like a standard 2bbl gasket under the spacer, then you can use whatever. IIRC the 2.8 is one of the engines that has that weird deal going on.

You might try one of these, they work fairly well in place of power tools. I actually use one fairly often for small fasteners that I'm afraid of stripping...philips heads in particular:

 

[MadMax_636]

Go ahead and remove it if you're going to delete the EGR but replace it with something else - I'm with you there, just as long as something is there.

You might try one of these, they work fairly well in place of power tools. I actually use one fairly often for small fasteners that I'm afraid of stripping...philips heads in particular:

What are they? Are they a impact/hammer tool?

 

[Shran]

Yep, you hit the end of it with a hammer while applying rotational pressure with your hand. Old school tech but it works.