1987 Chevy Caprice Attempting DIY repairs on '87 Cev Capric

KRISWOOD

MEMBER
1987 CHEVROLET CAPRICE
V8
2WD
AUTOMATIC
472,861 MILES

Hi Everyone,

My car had been sitting in storage in my father's garage for 13 years before he sold it to me, and prior to that had been a taxi cab for 9 years. Considering I got it for just about free it runs and drives great but won't pass emissions testing required in my area for registration. Repairs of course cost more than the value of the vehicle. Here's the list the mechanic gave me:

Tsp, Egr Valve, O2 Sensors, Catalytic Converter, Multiple Vacuum Leaks And Hoses Capped Off.

My question for you is, are these repairs that can be made by a layman with minimal tools / funds provided I be willing to do the research to learn to do it right? Also what is a TSP anyway?

My DEQ test has me only slightly too high on hydrocarbons. Which of these repairs are the easiest to make for maximum improvement on hydrocarbon emissions?

Lastly I'm getting about 10 miles per gallon of regular unleaded gasoline, any suggestions for improving mileage would be greatly appreciated!

1 Reply

HMAC300

MECHANIC
48,601 POSTS

Ok here is what you will have to do. First is the catalytic convertere even on the car? If not you will have to replace it, there are universal ones available at summit or jegs for around $100. The egr if it's not there will need to be put back on, if it's there then remove it and clean the carbon from it, with a screwdriver or some small thing similar. What teh tsp is actually the tps, probably a mistake on someones'part. Clean your linkage by it, it's on the right side of the carb clean it with choke cleaner. Then when you get it running take your can of coke cleaner and spray by the vacuum(black rubber) hoses to find the leaks. You can get that at any auto parts store. They are pretty cheap. Lastly, drain teh oil out of the oil pan and change the oil filter. Then drive teh car at least 10 miles before getting the test. Make sure it is good and warmed up. It should pass then.