I would just connect a ported vacuum source to the distributor for vacuum advance all the time for peppier engine response and gas mileage, connect the BCDD wire to avoid backfiring and stinky exhaust when decelerating in gear, and trace out the wire to your water temp sender using the 1976 diagram. That should be all that you need to get back running well.

Edit - and the water temperature sensor of course, but I think its wire comes from the main FI harness.

Edited May 23, 201113 yr by Zed Head

Yeah i have a vacuum port going to the dizzy for advance, here is a very crude picture of what i think i'll be doing, i will connect the bcdd when i get back to the engine bay. Can i leave the "vacuum switching solenoid" disconnected?

Dark grey is disconnected / unused

I have no heat / ac so all those vac lines will be plugged up so dont mind those, also the valve cover hose will eventually goto the afm boot because i dont have a 3way connector

Edited May 23, 201113 yr by robftw

I can't remember if the vacuum switch solenoid is normally powered or not. Just make sure that the disconnected wire or plug doesn't have power to cause a short in the future. Always a good idea to test disconnected plugs for power and cap them off if they do.

I see that you found the BCDD. There should be a black wire coming out of it to connect the yellow wire to.

Edited May 23, 201113 yr by Zed Head

I'm trying to find info on what that vacuum switch solenoid does, when i get the car started ill check out what it does with a multi meter

I'm trying to find info on what that vacuum switch solenoid does, when i get the car started ill check out what it does with a multi meter

Here is a picture from the FSM. You can see that the wire to the transmission switch is powered when the key is On. Apparently the trans switch is normally closed, so the solenoid is powered in gears 1-3, blocking the vacuum passage to the distributor. In 4th gear, the switch opens, power is cut to the solenoid, and vacuum is applied to the vac advance. If the solenoid doesn't have power, you will have full time vacuum to the distributor advance. So if you don't have the wire to the solenoid, you really don't need to do anything except watch out for the other loose wire end from the trans, which will have power. Or take everything off and connect the vacuum hose directly to the vacuum advance (with one loose wire still to worry about).

Edited May 26, 201113 yr by Zed Head

Double post. Love the site, but it's still very slow...

Edited May 26, 201113 yr by Zed Head