I have a 1975 Avanti RXB2208. It has the 400 cu. inch Chevy V8. It also has
a DUAL ported EGR valve, the only one I have ever seen. There were several
GM applications about then. It probably was not successful and thus was not used again, everything going to the single port. The valve is bad thus making the car almost undriveable unless disconnected. I live in California and it will not pass smog unless the valve is replaced or repaired. I have tried everywhere to get this EGR valve: GM stores, speciality houses, restoration houses, Corvette specialists (someone I know has a big block 75 Vette and it apparently has one), Classic, Nostalgic, etc. The dual ported EGR valve is numbered 17051417, a Delco number. Underneath it in much smaller numbers is another row of numbers and that is 32543. A great old time parts guy here researched the number for me for a few days (he even has parts books for Avanti, seen that lately at the local chain store????) and he says it was not listed as discontinued but apparently superceeded by a single port one. This new one is CarQuest EGV328, again, a single port EGR valve. So now I can convert the car, but technically it would not pass 'visual' if I got a smog tech that actually knew something. Or I can go to a State Referee and get an exemption, but I'd rather correct it than deal with a bureaucrat
He told me to call the State Parts Locator. First I ever heard of such
a creature. Apparently it is a part of the Bureau of Automotive Repair.
So I found the sevice manager and got his last issue of the month Bureau
letter and found a number for the Sacramento field office; they referred
me to the EMISSION PARTS LOCATOR at 800-826-3566. I called Help and talked to Darin and he keyed in the parts number and bingo! instantly knew all about it. Used one year only in 1975 on some GM engines. Has them in stock!!!!!!
Cost is $231. If I return the core I get $100 back. Said sells about two a
month of them and this company only deals with hard to find emissions
equipement. Says the cores for these are REAL scare so don't ever throw one
away. Says they can rebuild any core with two new diaphrams and new pindle
and seat. Coes with 6 month warranty. Most are held in by two bolts but a
few are held by a clamp (mine is the bolt type). This company is located in
Visalia, California. This means I can bolt it in, go get a retest, and I am
street legal and now have a driveable car. After all the agony I have spent
trying to find this for months I cannot believe how it all fell together
today. I am also going to have to eat my words about bureaucrats - these
guys sent me in the right direction. Steve Fentress (fen@lodinet.com) December 2000 |