No EGR = no idle?

[Element]

Hmmm,,,EGR system is worthless on a computer controlled system? ,,,,until the computer detects something is not right WITH the EGR system, and tries to make corrections through other electronic components to try to mke something work right that isn't there,,,then it just gets ALL screwy..

It WILL throw "other codes" as the computer is trying to correct an issue with a part you removed that it's tied into.

Honestly, if you don't think everything is tied together through that computer, and you think certain parts are worthless, you don't need TBI or any type of fuel injection,,,,

remove it and put on a carb setup, this is your most simple setup to use, and it seems you think this way too...

My other car is a '99 Trans Am making close to 400rwhp. I know how to work with fuel injection systems, and if I can pull the EGR off a much advanced system like the LS1 has, I'd think I could pull it off an archaic beast like a TBI.

The vacuum lines going to the EGR unit were plugged, and the EGR port was covered with a new gasket and a block-off plate. There are no vacuum leaks associated with the EGR removal, and based on my experience with pulling the brake booster line to Seafoam the engine, if there was a vacuum leak, it'd idle extremely high, not at around 300rpm. It's almost like it's not getting enough A/F at idle to run right, but runs fine once a bit of throttle is applied.

All the parts that have been replaced were maintenance items that needed replaced anyway. At this point, I HAVE NOT INSTALLED ANY PARTS TO TRY AND FIX THE LOW IDLE PROBLEM. Everything that has been taken off, save the spark plugs, were OEM parts from 1987 that needed to go anyway. I'm not randomly throwing **** at the truck to try and fix it. This truck was owned by some of the most incompetent rednecks I've ever met, and if I had any inkling it would need so much work to get straight, I'd have never bought it in the first place. But, since I have it and I have to get it running right, I'm replacing all the rigged **** they did to the truck and putting the right parts back on. Short of removing the air system (because the cat is coming off, and the air system IS just emissions junk) and the EGR system (again, because short of injecting burnt exhaust gases into the fresh mix to keep combustion chamber temps down when the engine is under 15%, or something around that, it doesn't do anything), every old rusted ragged busted part that is coming off the truck is being replaced by either a brand new OEM part, or an OEM-quality aftermarket part.

I'll be ordering a new EGR valve tomorrow, and if that doesn't fix the idle (again, it was an OEM part that needed replaced anyway, as the diaphragm was completely frozen up), I'll budget in a DTC reader and go from there. Even if the codes show I need to replace a part I haven't yet, everything I've already done would have been a maintenance necessity within 2-3 months, anyway.

As an interesting note, on later model year C5 Vettes, there was no EGR, due to a changed cam profile that didn't require exhaust gas recirculation to keep everything happy and pretty and under Federal spec.

I don't mean to come across as an incompetent moron with more wrenches than brains, and I probably should have elaborated more in my first post, but I'm used to working on newer vehicles, primarily LSx powered ones, and that's completely different than SBC stuff. I'm still learning, and seeing what knowledge I've attained through working on LSx engines can be applied, at least in general practice, to SBCs and older EFI systems.