Trying to find out what a part is...
 

Hey y'all. A few months ago I bought my first Chevy truck. I have a 1983 Chevy Silverado C10 1/2 ton pickup with the original 305ci in it. About a month ago I replace the valve cover gaskets as they had dried out and were leaking a good bit. While I was removing the passenger side valve cover, it got jammed between the rockers and another part that is bolted to the top of the block. It is located next to the carburetor and is towards the back edge. It is not very big and I had to remove it to get the valve cover off. Anyone here know what that part is? If needed I can take a pic of it and post it. Thanks for any help with this.

Sounds like the EGR valve to me. Was it round bolted to the intake manafold with two bolts and have a vacuum line running to it from the carb?

Thanks! That's exactly what it is. I did a search on what an EGR valve looks like and that is exactly what it is. On a related note, if the gasket between the EGR valve and the intake manifold is less than perfect would it matter a whole lot? I'm sure that a new gasket doesn't cost much but if it isn't that crucial then I am not going to worry about it right now.

If the gasket is leaking then you will get an exhaust smell comin in from the engine compartment. They are just a few bucks and pretty easy to replace. If you take it off, get some brake cleaner and spray the inside of the EGR valve real well. It will clean it out and allow it to keep workin. The carbon buildup will always be there but it will sometimes get so bad that the valve will get stuck either open or closed.

Yeah I knew they were cheap and I know it is easy to replace as I had to take it off when I replaced the valve cover gaskets about 2 months ago. I will take your advice on the brake cleaner.