[Gbarnes]

HELP! I have a 1983 Dodge B150 That I an trying to restore. I just bought the thing and had it smogged...It passed all except for the EGR. After I inspected the valve, it is working fine. The only thing is that it opens to soon. It stays closed when the engine is cool but after it comes up to operating temp it opens during idle condition and kills the motor. What tells the vacuum switch to stay closed until it is at a proper RPM???

Also. The plug containing the vacuum lines that connects to the climate control fell apart. I have put small rubber lines on the hard vacuum lines and attempted to plug them back into the controller. I cannot find the proper pattern without a diagram. I have found 2 diagrams on the internet and they are both incorrect.....Please! for the love of GOD....I can't spent another two or three hours trying a crazy amount of combinations!

 

[TWX]

Welcome to Allpar.

If I have time I'll see if my '80 Factory Service Manual has any information on the climate control vacuum routing diagram.

What, specifically, is this van equipped with for HVAC? There have been different but similar control panels throughout the years.

How many miles are on the van? I did have to replace the EGR valve on the '78 Cordoba, and it's a similar setup.

 

[ImperialCrown]

Welcome to Allpar. For the EGR, there is a vacuum thermovalve that only allows EGR after the engine is warmed. Then there is a vacuum amplifier that takes the ported EGR vacuum signal from the carb along with intake manifold vacuum and opens the EGR with that. It could be internally leaky if the valve is opening too soon.
The vacuum hose routing and correct carburetor are important and should be the first things checked.
This book could be your most treasured tool:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1983-DODGE-RAM-VAN-VANS-WAGON-WAGONS-Voyager-Service-Repair-Shop-Manual-1983-OEM-/400319389953

 

[TWX]

This book could be your most treasured tool:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1983-DODGE-RAM-VAN-VANS-WAGON-WAGONS-Voyager-Service-Repair-Shop-Manual-1983-OEM-/400319389953

BUY. THAT. BOOK.

Seriously, just buy it. Don't hesitate, don't heehaw over it, just buy it. I have factory books for just about everything I own, and they're invaluable in figuring out 95% of what's what. The other 5% are what the Internet and Chiltons/Haynes are for, for the few times when the authors of the factory book assume that the reader knows something that they may not in-real-life.

Buy that book!

 

[Bob Lincoln]

Any chance that these two problems are related? Could a vacuum hose have been misrouted to give vacuum to the EGR when it shouldn't, or withhold it when it should have it?

 

[ImperialCrown]

There may be an underhood vacuum hose routing diagram that would help with the correct EGR hose routing and component names. It wouldn't go into detail about the interior HVAC vacuum control switch like the service manual would.
Of course, after 30 years the underhood label may no longer be there.

 

[Gbarnes]

Welcome to Allpar.

If I have time I'll see if my '80 Factory Service Manual has any information on the climate control vacuum routing diagram.

What, specifically, is this van equipped with for HVAC? There have been different but similar control panels throughout the years.

How many miles are on the van? I did have to replace the EGR valve on the '78 Cordoba, and it's a similar setup.

Thank you very much for your response. The HVAC is equipped with heater and AC. It is the old standard push button type. It has an OFF, MAX, High Vent, Low Vent, Heater, and defrost. The Van has 118,000 miles

 

[Gbarnes]

Thanks Guys for all your posts. I have a Chilton book on this van and the vacuum lines seem to be ran correctly. Like I said The Van starts just fine and idles during warm up. When it gets up to operating temp is when the EGR opens and it dies out. I think there is supposed to be another mechanism That prevents the EGR from opening, even if the engine is warm, if it is not at a high RPM??

I have scoured my Chilton book and the detail for the proper plug configuration for the vacuum lines that go to the climate control is not in there. Perhaps because the lines were originally molded into a plug that just snapped on to the controller????

 

[Bob Lincoln]

EGR should not open at idle, warm or cold. I suspect that the EGR is controlled by vacuum and since you have a carbed vehicle, it's possible that the vacuum line to the EGR comes off a thermal switch screwed into the head, which doesn't allow any vacuum when cold, and also has as its vacuum source, a port ABOVE the throttle plate, so that it never gets vacuum at idle. Check to see if you have this switch (should have vacuum lines running to and from a small cylinder screwed into the head, or somewhere where there is a coolant passage), and if the lines are connected correctly. One will be from carb to the switch, to supply vacuum. One will be from switch to EGR valve. There may be a third vacuum line at the switch, but I can't quite recall if it's a feedback line from EGR or where. These lines may be misrouted at the switch, at the valve, or very possibly, someone plugged the vacuum supply into a port on the carb that always has vacuum (below the throttle plate) instead of above the throttle plate.


This might help - do you have a 318, or what engine?

http://www.factorychryslerparts.com/showAssembly.aspx?ukey_assembly=612308&ukey_product=4261176

 

[Gbarnes]

Welcome to Allpar. For the EGR, there is a vacuum thermovalve that only allows EGR after the engine is warmed. Then there is a vacuum amplifier that takes the ported EGR vacuum signal from the carb along with intake manifold vacuum and opens the EGR with that. It could be internally leaky if the valve is opening too soon.
The vacuum hose routing and correct carburetor are important and should be the first things checked.
This book could be your most treasured tool:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1983-DODGE-RAM-VAN-VANS-WAGON-WAGONS-Voyager-Service-Repair-Shop-Manual-1983-OEM-/400319389953

Thank you very much. I just ordered a factory service manual. The Chilton book was more useful to wipe my [I should have my mouth washed out with soap for using such terms] with than to help with repairs!

EGR should not open at idle, warm or cold. I suspect that the EGR is controlled by vacuum and since you have a carbed vehicle, it's possible that the vacuum line to the EGR comes off a thermal switch screwed into the head, which doesn't allow any vacuum when cold, and also has as its vacuum source, a port ABOVE the throttle plate, so that it never gets vacuum at idle. Check to see if you have this switch (should have vacuum lines running to and from a small cylinder screwed into the head, or somewhere where there is a coolant passage), and if the lines are connected correctly. One will be from carb to the switch, to supply vacuum. One will be from switch to EGR valve. There may be a third vacuum line at the switch, but I can't quite recall if it's a feedback line from EGR or where. These lines may be misrouted at the switch, at the valve, or very possibly, someone plugged the vacuum supply into a port on the carb that always has vacuum (below the throttle plate) instead of above the throttle plate.


This might help - do you have a 318, or what engine?

http://www.factorychryslerparts.com/showAssembly.aspx?ukey_assembly=612308&ukey_product=4261176

Thank you VERY much. I will investigate this when I get home. The engine is a 318

Any chance that these two problems are related? Could a vacuum hose have been misrouted to give vacuum to the EGR when it shouldn't, or withhold it when it should have it?

Thanks for your post. I don't think the problems are related since I was the one who broke the plug that all the vacuum lines were connected to. I just grabbed it to see if it was tight and it fell apart. When it disintegrated, all the vacuum lines fell out and were loose. I have put small rubber lines on the end of the hard vacuum lines that connect to the back of the ac controller just fine..but I do not know the proper order to put them in????

 

[Gbarnes]

BUY. THAT. BOOK.

Seriously, just buy it. Don't hesitate, don't heehaw over it, just buy it. I have factory books for just about everything I own, and they're invaluable in figuring out 95% of what's what. The other 5% are what the Internet and Chiltons/Haynes are for, for the few times when the authors of the factory book assume that the reader knows something that they may not in-real-life.

Buy that book!

Thank you VERY much! I ordered the book a few minuets ago. The HVAC is equipped with heater and AC. It is the old standard push button type. It has an OFF, MAX, High Vent, Low Vent, Heater, and defrost. The Van has 118,000 miles