On Tue, 3 Jan 1995 STAFFORD@zenith.dnet.hac.com wrote:

<clip>

> The EGR filter is rusted/blown out causing some leaks in the
> manifolds.  Dealer wants $188 for the replacement filter part.
> 

Jack, when I got my '78 the EGR was blown straight thru.  I got the same 
price story you did and not having the bux, cut the ends off the rusty 
old one and bolted the ends back on with a bit of aluminum can 
sandwitched between.  This had served me well for 60K+ miles and 2 
emissions inspections.  No one has noticed its non-presence yet.  If it 
isn't in too bad shape, but loud, you might try the aluminum trick 
leaving the filter in place (great appearance, no noise), also if I was 
redoing the job I would use copper roof flashing for better temp 
resistance and seal. 

> There were some metal tubes on the '78 that ran under the wheel
> wells in the rear. These were cut to allow the swing arms their
> full range of motion.

When new there were flexible tubes running from the heater switch boxes 
to these.  Again by the time I got my van the tubes were threaded so I 
removed both cardboard and metal tubes (attached by a 10mm bolt, as I 
remember {what did you cut?}) with no ill effects.

<snip>

> 
> Cheers,
> Jack  stafford@zenith.dnet.hac.com
> 
> p.s. The EGR and OXY lights on the dash of the '78 bus were NOT
> wired to the engine.  It seems that these lights are connected
> to the odometer cable so they light up at specific mileage
> intervals.   
> 

Correct!  the box is in the front well in about the middle of the speedo
cable. Never did learn the non-brute force way to turn the lights off. 
BTW, (non-CA) '78s didn't have an oxy sensor on the engine.  Don't know
about CA cars.

					Good luck!
					H Steven Dolan
					dworkin@netcom.com