Need help with '79 Nova

[disco79]

Hi,

I've got this old '79 nova 2 door. It has a v8 engine (I believe it's areconditioned 327) anyways, I've got some issues with exhaust leaks and a battery that doesn't hold charge. However, my main question is about a round black plastic sphere with some mounting ears that was laying on the back of the motor. It has 2 hoses (appear to be vaccum connections), the larger hose is still attached to some part of the intake/carb but the other hose (a smaller diameter one) broke off of separated from wherever it was attached. Will this cause problems with starting or running the car? Where does that little hose hook up to? And what exactly is this sphere? What does it do?

Thanks

[AlmostStock]

Maybe it's for cruise control? Is there any linkage connecting it to the throttle? (or look like there may have been)

As long as any carb or intake vacuum hoses are not open, allowing a leak, it shouldn't cause a problem. Just plug any open hoses until you figure out how to hook it up properly.

[disco79]

Thanks for the reply. Actually, I just got back from lunch and saw mechanic working on an early model Caprice. I asked him and he showed me one of those (a bigger sphere) in the engine bay of the car. He said it was a vacuum supply. As you say, I need to find the open hose and close it and I should be OK.
My next problem to tackle is gonna be the battery condition. The car will start and run if I charge the battery with a tricke charger but after I drive it around the block and stuff and stop, the battery has no charge. I wonder if the alternator is bad or what....

[dnice386]

It definitely sounds like an alternator problem. If you're able to charge it with an externa charger then I'd say it has to the alternator.

[disco79]

Yeah, it would seem to be the alternator... I want to check it, but I want to be sure to do it right. I think that I would just put the probes of my multimeter on the respective posts of the battery with the car running and take a DC voltage reading, right? I also think that it needs to be in the range of 14~15VDC, right?

Thanks

[bobss396]

If you want a quick test for a no-charge condition, remove the ground cable off the battery while the car is running. If it stalls out, its not charging. Don't try this with a computer equipped car, yours doesn't have one. As a slim possibility, you could have a shorted battery. If you pull the caps and it has water and doesn't smell burned it should be ok.

Bob

[disco79]

Originally Posted by bobss396

If you want a quick test for a no-charge condition, remove the ground cable off the battery while the car is running. If it stalls out, its not charging. Don't try this with a computer equipped car, yours doesn't have one. As a slim possibility, you could have a shorted battery. If you pull the caps and it has water and doesn't smell burned it should be ok.

Bob

Thanks, I'll try it next. I don't believe the car has any type of computer so that should be OK.