Need help with Manta parts

[gsposse44]

Hi,
I am in need of some help identifying some parts of my 1974 Manta Luxus. The first picture is of a black plastic box sitting in behind the alternator. The second picture is of 2 wires coming up from the carpet under both front seats, they connect to wires attached to the seats. The third & forth pictures are of a broken covering underneath plastic/rubber housing. The last picture is off something that fell from above the fuse box while I was scraping off rust. I tugged on the large group of wire bundled together and this fell down from behind the dashboard above the fuse box. I need all the help I can get with identifying these items.
Thanks again!
chris

ps---on the gearhead scale of 1-10, I'm only a 3.

[sawdust]

item #5 is a fuse

[wrench459]

I'm fuzzy on this but I believe pic two is the seat switchs for the seatbelt
interlock system.

[Gordy]

#1- is an inline fuel filter.
#2- The wires from the seats activate the "Fasten Seat Belt" lights and buzzer.
#3 and #4- Just a very rusty heater box with typical loosening of the insulation padding that's around it to prevent heat loss.
Looks like you have your hans full with that Manta! Good luck!

[BQS4]

What Gordy has said is correct. The pieces hanging down from the heater box can be glued back in place. A tip about the heater, you can remover the cover on it, and below you'll find the heater fan. With a little work, you can remove the fan from over the heater core and you can take a vacuum and clean out the heater box area, and get more heat out of it. Oil the fan unit while it's out too.

[Rionart]

Rather than glueing the insulation back in place, I have a preference to remove it completely...it can hide a mass of sins as far as corrosion on the firewall is concerned....

[Aardvaark]

Like already pointed out. #2 is for the seat belt interlock. But you may
not know that the interlocks purpose, in 1974 only, was to prevent starting
of the engine until the driver had his seat belt fastened. And also the passenger in front if the interlock sensed anyone sitting in the passenger seat.
Once the engine was running the belts could be removed without the engine stalling.
There is a relay/logic box under the dash somewhere above the drivers knees.

There was such an outcry by the public once they got a taste of this no-start interlock that it was dropped for 1975 US sold cars.

Most 1974 cars had the system disabled fairly quickly but some may not have gotten done. Dealers were allowed to disconnect it if owners requested after somtime in 1975 or 1976 when the government notified them.


Not one of the NHTSA better ideas.

[timemachine]

Originally Posted by Rionart Rather than glueing the insulation back in place, I have a preference to remove it completely...it can hide a mass of sins as far as corrosion on the firewall is concerned....

Robbie is right about the firewall and especially the flat panel over the glove box. But if it's clean underneath or can be sanded and primed and you want to keep it like I did, buy a tube of Permatex window gasket sealer, apply a bead, let it tack and push it into place and it will stick forever. Even if you want to get rid of the deadener on the firewall, you won't hurt anything by keeping the sound deadening material around the plastic heater box, treat it the same way, and it does make a difference. Folks who have torn out the insulation or replaced it with bedliner have some pretty noisy cabins.

Depends on what you want.

Jim

[gsposse44]

Originally Posted by Aardvaark Like already pointed out. #2 is for the seat belt interlock. But you may not know that the interlocks purpose, in 1974 only, was to prevent starting of the engine until the driver had his seat belt fastened. And also the passenger in front if the interlock sensed anyone sitting in the passenger seat. Once the engine was running the belts could be removed without the engine stalling. There is a relay/logic box under the dash somewhere above the drivers knees. There was such an outcry by the public once they got a taste of this no-start interlock that it was dropped for 1975 US sold cars. Most 1974 cars had the system disabled fairly quickly but some may not have gotten done. Dealers were allowed to disconnect it if owners requested after somtime in 1975 or 1976 when the government notified them. Not one of the NHTSA better ideas.

You are correct. The damn car would not start after I had changed filters, clamps, wires, etc. Turn the key and nothing. I forgot that I had plugged the connectors under the seat back in. What a PITA this system is. Thanks for the heads up!
Chris

[gsposse44]

Hi again!
I have attached some more pics for you all to decipher. The first pic is of 2 hoses/lines that are capped off, right below the carb/air filter. The second pic again shows these 2 lines but also a black hose coming off the carb that is plugged. The third pic is a closer shot off all 3. The fourth pic is a black canister sitting on the right front wheel well? Need help to correctly identify these items.
thanks!
chris

[Aardvaark]

Originally Posted by gsposse44 Hi again! I have attached some more pics for you all to decipher. The first pic is of 2 hoses/lines that are capped off, right below the carb/air filter. The second pic again shows these 2 lines but also a black hose coming off the carb that is plugged. The third pic is a closer shot off all 3. The fourth pic is a black canister sitting on the right front wheel well? Need help to correctly identify these items. thanks! chris

#1,2, are where your missing EGR (Exhaust Gas Recirculation)
valve was. #3 is the vacuum line to that EGR valve operator diaphram, an intergral part of the EGR valve. As long as all three connections aree plugged
your fine, as if anything, you should have a smoother idle and better throttle
response with the valve rendered inoperative. Again, make sure all three lines are plugged.
If you want to put one in, I'm pretty sure one of the folks on here can probabley set you up.

#4 is you EVAP (evaporative vapor) charcoal canister to collects fumes from
the gas tank and stores them until the engine is started then they are sent into the air cleaner area above the carburetor to be burned off. And that's the LEFT front wheel well, btw.
Is it still connected up?

[gsposse44]

Originally Posted by Aardvaark #1,2, are where your missing EGR (Exhaust Gas Recirculation) valve was. #3 is the vacuum line to that EGR valve operator diaphram, an intergral part of the EGR valve. As long as all three connections aree plugged your fine, as if anything, you should have a smoother idle and better throttle response with the valve rendered inoperative. Again, make sure all three lines are plugged. If you want to put one in, I'm pretty sure one of the folks on here can probabley set you up. #4 is you EVAP (evaporative vapor) charcoal canister to collects fumes from the gas tank and stores them until the engine is started then they are sent into the air cleaner area above the carburetor to be burned off. And that's the LEFT front wheel well, btw. Is it still connected up?

38 years and I still can't tell left from right! LOL! The charcoal canister (EVAP) is still connected up. Is there any maintainence that I need to do the the canister?
thanks again!
chris

[wrench459]

Originally Posted by Aardvaark ... you should have a smoother idle and better throttle response with the valve rendered inoperative. Again, make sure all three lines are plugged. If you want to put one in, I'm pretty sure one of the folks on here can probabley set you up.

Granted the early egr systems flowed too much all because of the control.
With a properly operating egr valve the idle wont be effected one little bit.

One thing a egr does good is drop the tip-in cylinder temps. It displaces the charge with inert gas without disturbing the A/F ratio.

So as a tuning aid I love egr's on EFI cars. That is as long as the duty cycle can be controlled.

Yes I see its an carb. application.

[BQS4]

Originally Posted by gsposse44 38 years and I still can't tell left from right! LOL! The charcoal canister (EVAP) is still connected up. Is there any maintainence that I need to do the the canister? thanks again! chris

Chris;
Most of these cannisters are pretty much shot by now, and unless your state requires ALL emission devices be in place, I really wouldn't worry about it. The cannister itself is basically filled with charcoal pellets and a fine mesh/screen filter in it's base.

[Aardvaark]

Originally Posted by BQS4 Chris; Most of these cannisters are pretty much shot by now, and unless your state requires ALL emission devices be in place, I really wouldn't worry about it. The cannister itself is basically filled with charcoal pellets and a fine mesh/screen filter in it's base.

Gut the used up canister and loose a lb or so.

[Aardvaark]

Originally Posted by wrench459 Granted the early egr systems flowed too much all because of the control. With a properly operating egr valve the idle wont be effected one little bit. One thing a egr does good is drop the tip-in cylinder temps. It displaces the charge with inert gas without disturbing the A/F ratio. So as a tuning aid I love egr's on EFI cars. That is as long as the duty cycle can be controlled. Yes I see its an carb. application.

I agree. Was only refering to the carb version. I could never see any
change in my '75's with L-jet, or any other cars with FI, plugged or unplugged.

Btw. The over the counter Dyno-Tune kits sold for cars back then by Garretty (sp) and others instructed how to render the egr system inoperative. I posted instructions for the 1973 Opel Manta dyno kit in my album of reference material, a link in my sig. for anyone curious.

[gsposse44]

Originally Posted by Gordy #1- is an inline fuel filter. #2- The wires from the seats activate the "Fasten Seat Belt" lights and buzzer. #3 and #4- Just a very rusty heater box with typical loosening of the insulation padding that's around it to prevent heat loss. Looks like you have your hans full with that Manta! Good luck!

Hi,
thanks for the input. Where do I find a replacement inline fuel filter? Haven't found anything yet online that looks like a black plastic box.
thanks!
chris

[Phoenix]

I've never seen one like that myself. Most of them are either metal, clear plastic or glass and all the ones that I've seen are cylindrical. I'd go with the clear glass one with the replaceable filter sold in the custom section of most auto parts stores. It comes with 3 different inlet sizes and you'll be able to see if the fuel is getting to the fuel filter.

[gsposse44]

Hi,
I'm back again with 4 more parts that I need to have identified correctly. The first pic is of a white unit underneath the air filter by the carb. The second pic is of the ignition coil I think. It's located on the left wheel well and looks to be connected to the distributor. The third pic is of a silver box between the charcoal cannister and the washer fluid. Is this the voltage regulator? The last pic is an item located above the alternator and to the left of the radiator.
As always, help would be appreciated.
thanks!
chris

[BQS4]

Originally Posted by gsposse44 Hi, I'm back again with 4 more parts that I need to have identified correctly. The first pic is of a white unit underneath the air filter by the carb. The second pic is of the ignition coil I think. It's located on the left wheel well and looks to be connected to the distributor. The third pic is of a silver box between the charcoal cannister and the washer fluid. Is this the voltage regulator? The last pic is an item located above the alternator and to the left of the radiator. As always, help would be appreciated. thanks! chris

The first pic is of the vaccum "motor" that operates a flap to allow either warm/hot air or cold air to the carb. Working properly, the flap will let warm air off the exhaust manifold be sucked into the carb, hence the silver tube behind the vacuum motor, the other end is attached to a "stove" around the exhaust mainfold. As the car warms, the flap door is changed to allow cool air at normal operation. The second pic is the distributor, the third is the voltage regulator, and the fourth is your horn.

[guyopel]

The first part is the Hot air control valve ( lets hot air in to the air cleaner until eng. reaches operating temp. and stop carb. from icing up ).. other parts are correct and last part is horn .HTH
John

[gsposse44]

Unhooked the carb/air filter cover last nite and took some quick pics. Does anyone see anything amiss within these pictures? Let it rip, cause I'm all about repairing and replacing.
thanks!
chris

ps--Car started right up on the first try and went from fast idle to slow idle to stall in about 5 minutes. Each try thereafter resulted in even less and less idle time until the engine stalled out. Ordered some tools online (dwell/tach, compression tester, vacuum/fuel tester) which should be arriving mid/late next week. Hoping to get some help on using these items at a later time since it is crazy busy at work right now.

[Aardvaark]

The only thing I can see missing are the two anti-tampering plastic caps
that covered the idle speed screw and idle air/fuel mixture screw.
They came from the factory with those, and the dealer was supposed to replace them if they did any adjusting. Doubt if many 35 plus year old Opels with original type solexes still have them though. Maybe TimeMachines?

[guyopel]

You have a open vacuum port at the intake manifold .HTH

[Aardvaark]

Originally Posted by guyopel You have a open vacuum port at the intake manifold .HTH

I believe that's for the hose to the air cleaner air motor?
He probably removed the hose to take pictures when he removed the air cleaner assembly.