1986 Chevy Suburban

1986 Chevy Suburban questions and answers

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Q: 1986 Chevy Suburban?
1986 Chev. Sub. 454 3/4 ton that has never had catletic converters but tx vehicle inspection station will not pass inspection on it. Why would the manufactor not install them if they are needed? Is this a new requirement or what? They told me it was classified as a 1 ton towing vehicle and is not classified as a regular suburban. Do I need to install the coverters or is this just a bunch of bull?

A: Why not go to the horses mouth? Go to a Chevy Dealer and ask for the specifications/window sticker from Chevy on your specific truck. Additionally ask the service department for a copy of the pages of the manual that show the specifications of the Federalized Smog vehicles. This is the best information to get. If the dealer info confirms the fact that the vehicle never had cats, then take it back to the testing station and demand an umpire be dispatched from the state to settle the matter. If the vehicle was never equipped with cats, installing them could cause extensive damage to the engine by causing excessive back pressure.

Q: Help! 1987 chevy suburban 1/2 ton not charging battery. New alternator, Battery, checked grounnds.?
Hello everyone, I ve been plagued with the problem of my alternator giving only about 11.6 volts when truck is on. Its a new 105 amp alternator i changed my negative battery wire to ground. I repaired a bad wire to the starter and the car doesnt drain the battery when sitting. I think its not the original motor b/c its carbuerated, maybe a 1986 engine im guessing? do older sub. engines have voltage regulators? please help. Im looking for inlines fuses in the harness to the alternator. Ive tried almost everything i can think of. Your input will be greatly appreciated.

A: You should consider pulling the alternator and having the parts store test it. Even if it is new (assuming a reman) they don't always come out 100%. The voltage regulator setup is determined more by the vehicle, not the engine. Even swapping to an older engine (though it may not be an older motor, the previous owner may have just gutted the fuel injection system on it because they didn't understand it/had problems with it and it was easier for them to throw a carb on it...that would be the most likely scenario in my opinion). That vehicle will have an internally regulated alternator. At 11.6v, it sounds like to me it is not charging at all. It should be 14.5v at charge.

Q: need help today i am lost ?
I have a 1986 chevy suburban with a 350 four barrell that will start but runs rough with black smoke coming out the exhaust. After running a few minutes it dies. I have seen gas leaking out the sides of the carb, rebuilt that but still doing the same crap, any ideas on what I need to do or junk it.

A: Buy a rebuilt carb from the auto parts store and save yourself some time.

Q: need drum break removal instructions?
1986 chevy suburban 3/4 ton

A: if your talking about the drum listen to all above if your talking about the brakes then just do one side at a time so you can look at the other side for reference. or you can take digital pictures of the brakes before you disassemble them. remember its like a mirror image if you use one side for reference. if a blue spring if toward the front on one side its the same on the other, make sure you pay attention to the star wheel adjuster too. make sure you put that in the right way. or get a book

Q: passing emissions with rebuilt engine? ?
I was hoping someone knew something about passing emissions with a rebuilt engine. Vehicle - 1986 chevy suburban. We replaced the totally screwed 350 with what we thought was a profesionally re-built 350. Actually, it is a 305. Several years newer, we guess. Anyway, we are hoping to get it to pass. The old engine was throwing out horrific black smoke, which totally greased up the whole back of the truck. My boyfriend thinks that may have killed the catalytic converter. There are also several hoses and what not that are not hooked up - we were told that was the old emission control system. The truck hasn't been driven since February, except for maybe a total of 5 miles. The guy at the emissions place where I took my car said he could probably get it to pass for under $150 bucks. But to fix my car, $750. . . help! please! to mr. car guy : No, smarty pants, I'm not trying to have it free. No, I don't have an estimate. The guy has never seen the vehicle that's just what he's guessing. And yes he's a scam artist. I guarantee you if you met him and talked to him u would agree with me. so please, mellow out. My question is - is it possible for it to pass without all of this strange random stuff and hoses hooked up, which no one has any idea how to hook up. if the tailpipe emissions are clean enough to pass will it pass? Or will they make some noise about stuff not being hooked up, even if the emissions are technically passing quality? and would a newer, smaller engine (305 sted of 350) naturally burn a little cleaner b/c it is smaller therefore throws out less emissions? Do we need to drive it a while? Add emissions pass juices from auto zone? will the replacement/unmatched engine be such a problem that the best thing to do is sell it to somebody that won't have to worry about it?

A: You will need to hook up the hoses and stuff for it to pass. Most of the vac hoses on engine is for emission control. You can find the layout on the hoses by 1st finding year of engine then what it was installed in, then looking up the hose routing. To find year of engine and what it was installed in, find the codes on engine Sufix code is on front pass side of engine, in front of head on machined pad. #'s are stamped into pad. Clean grease/dirt off with carb cleaner, wd-40, etc and a rag before looking Casting # is on rear driver side of block, on flange that transmission bolts to. #'s are raised so alittle easier to see, but will still need to clean it good. Once you have the #'s go to www.mortec.com to look them up and see what you have Yes drive the truck for about 30 min before taking it to be tested Yes your right the 305 will produce less emissions than the 350 If the catalytic converter is bad or going bad it will smell like rotten eggs (sulfer smell)