THE Desmog Thread - Lots of Pictures!

[Jon Vander Ark]

So. My smog pump has seized. Subsequently, I've decided to do a desmog tutorial. Learn from my inevitable mistakes.

I jumped into this today, extremely excited. There was a thunderstorm rolling in and my other car is a convertible. Guess which I'd rather drive in the rain...

Here's a few shots before I started:

I took these pictures very early this morning. When the weather was great. I promptly removed the smog pump and devaned the thing. Took it for a drive, what a difference that made. I was so happy I parked it back in the driveway and decided the smog pump was only the first part of the smog equipment to go. Everything else needs to get out and leave too!

So, I jumped into it again. Should've thought it through just a tad more as it turns out.

I removed a piece on the drivers side that appeared to contain a lot of smog equipment. It appears to be a metal mount for everything smog related! As I was struggling with it, I undid the hose that comes from the air rail, and look what I found!

I dumped a little out on my hand from the hose:

Turns out the rubber hose was filled with this black crap. I carefully threw it away and continued removing the bracket.

As I said before, this was not well thought out. All you following in my footsteps, tag and label what vacuum lines you are actually going to keep and get rid of! I didn't, and now I have lots of pictures that I get to go through and figure a plan out. It's easier when it is (presumably) set up stock and the "JimC Diagrams" are in front of you. Instead, I am now in a land of uncertainty!

Nonetheless, I continued my crusade. I removed the Air Cleaner and housing from the Head/Carb. This will allow me to take off the Air Rail (That is the Rust-Colored tube running horizontal down the middle of this shot):

I took the Air Rail off utilizing a 17MM open wrench. If you have "Crows Foot" Sockets, use them! The cylinder to back of the engine is a bear. I ended up grabbing the jigsaw and cutting the Air Rail. This allowed me to get my socket onto the hex fitting and turn it out. I was very careful to keep the heater hoses safe when doing this, and if you go the same route, I highly recommend keeping a close eye on what you're cutting and take it SLOW!!

This is the result.

I took the smog pump out again because I had a question, but also to illustrate a point.

You DO NOT have to remove the Power Steering, at least, I have not encountered a point where that was needed. You are able to maneuver the Smog Pump out very easily. The trick is to loosen the bracket that holds the rubber hose coming out of the reservoir. In the following picture that bracket is at the very bottom, very center of the image. It is black, and in real life I am guessing approximately 3 inches long.

My question is this: On the following picture, there is a Rust-Colored item on the far right hand side around the middle. It is low on the engine block and appears to have cooling fins. There is a steel hose, almost looks like a flex hose that comes out the top and then curls right, towards the carb. What is this, and should I remove it? My very uneducated guess is that it's EGR related, but like I said.. uneducated.

On this image the object in question is in the very center:

Here I am holding the suggested bracket:

At this point the thunder storms rolled in and my tools and I were getting soaked. I decided to pack it up and get on with this project tomorrow. It's supposed to be nice in the morning. Until then, I'm stuck with the Fiat in the rain!

 

[Jon Vander Ark]

Pictures can be found at...

By the way, pictures of this desmog process can be found at:

Picasa Web Albums - Jon - '87 FJ60 (2F)...

There will be more pictures than what I post here.

Also, here are the diagrams I was mentioning:

And, one last note, I anticipate using this thread quite a bit in the process. So thanks in advance!

https://forum.ih8mud.com/60-series-wagons/188643-my-desmog-thread.html

Jon

 

[nodaksn3]

Looks like a '70's Fiat 124? They were neat cars. What state do you live in? Try not to destroy too much of your smog stuff, there are some guys here who will buy it from you.

 

[FJ60Cam]

...My question is this: On the following picture, there is a Rust-Colored item on the far right hand side around the middle. It is low on the engine block and appears to have cooling fins. There is a steel hose, almost looks like a flex hose that comes out the top and then curls right, towards the carb. What is this, and should I remove it? My very uneducated guess is that it's EGR related, but like I said.. uneducated...

It's the EGR cooler... To get rid of it, you will need to modify the part where it connects to your intake manifold (EGR removal - 83 2F desmog - Land Cruiser Tech from IH8MUD.com), and you will need to block off the exhaust manifold where it hooks up. Both are very easy to do.

 

[Trapper50cal]

ThaNK YOU

I need to do this SOOOO bad. I will be checking in to this thread, all the previous threads seem to require a electrcians eye for reading schematics, something I just don't have. This project has always seemed like a 5 banana job for a half banana mechanic like me

 

[Jon Vander Ark]

Sanity Check - Day 2

As I highlighted in the original post, plan a bit ahead before you dive into this. That's my biggest headache now.

Cameron, thanks for the updated on that EGR cooler. It looks like some welding skills are needed to do this fix. I lack them! So I've decided to leave some of the EGR plumbing on while I put aside some money to fix this the right way. I don't see a problem removing it.. it's making the car drivable again which poses a challenge! Those with the knowledge, will it be ok for me to leave a lot of the EGR plumbing in place?

nodaksn3, you're right on the money, it's a 79 Fiat 124. Complete with headers, perf carb, electric water pump, and of course.. desmogged. I remember from desmogging that car how valuable these systems are to people in unfortunate areas. Sadly, I don't think my smog system has worked for a while. The black junk you see in my hand a few pictures down fills every hose/line that was connected to the Smog Pump. I wish I could pass it on to someone but I think they'd be wasting their time. At this point I think I'm going to just recycle it all.

I'm trying to read diagrams with parts of the system out of my car and I am somewhat confused! Using the first diagram on my second post I have come up with the following:

I have a question about the HAC (High Altitude Compensator) hook-ups. I regularly travel from sea level up to 6000 ft. Should I do anything special with the tubes and how I hook it up? It appears from the diagram that parts of the HAC system are left out and parts are kept.

I haven't gotten much done this morning due to early rain systems moving through, but I did quick plug up the air rail system. I went to the local Ace Hardware and was going to get 1/4" NPT Male Fittings to plug the system up, but they only had two in stock.. I figured rather than drive around, I'll use a Female Cap and be done with it for the time being. This did the trick.

I just used the original plugs that the Air Rail sat on top of and capped them. I think that most people should be able to break the plugs loose from the Rail pretty easily, but just in case, I'm going to keep my eye out for the 1/4" NPT fittings to test out.


Trapper, no worries, this is as much for me as it is for everyone else. If I didn't take all these pictures I'd be lost! It's tough for me to understand diagrams and drawings. They just don't click for me.

 

[Spoony Love]

Im also in the process of desmoging my 60, as the previous owner only devained the smog pump and left me with a mess...

i have a questions though, when you put those females on the air rail, did you use any kind of adhesive or Teflon tape?

thanks!

Luka

 

[FJ60Cam]

No biggie if you can't weld...

I actually JB welded the appropriately sized bolt in the hole and then cut it flush after it cured.

 

[Jon Vander Ark]

Sweet Beans

Spoony, good question. I actually didn't think about it at the time. So the answer is no, didn't use anything. I don't think there's much pressure there (could be wrong!) so I'm not too worried. If I had thought of it though, I would have. What's Teflon tape, 50c at the store? It can't hurt right?

Cameron, that's a good suggestion I hadn't thought of either. The rain keeps coming down hard with sweet lightening storms that are so mesmerizing! I'll take a look at it tonight and may just tackle that too..

I went ahead and following the first diagram started disconnecting hoses that I know are getting tossed. Here's some pictures. In the diagram, the hoses were labeled 1-12. Everything that I determined was crossed out (it's hard to read in the rain....) I have removed or put blue painters tape on.

 

[Jon Vander Ark]

Oh yeah, pictures

Here's two pictures of hoses that are gone/marked for extraction:

Bonus points to whoever can tell me what the part is that I have kept on, on the far right, middle of the picture. It has two vacuum tubes going into it, and was attached to the headlight washer (before I remove it temporarily for this picture). I don't know what it is, but have noticed a few other desmoggers kept it. Curious little bugger.

And here are two culprits removed. On the left is the HAC and to the right is something to do with the EGR.

 

[FJ40Jim]

So. My smog pump has seized. Subsequently, I've decided to do a desmog tutorial.

So you don't have the complete FSM set, don't understand the diagram & schematic, and don't have the desmog parts?

And you're offering a tutorial?

In the words of the Guinness guys: Brilliant!

 

[BlueCruiser84]

That is the Air Conditioner idle up switch. When you turn on the AC it takes power from your engine which lowers your idle speed. The switch in question raises your idle speed to compensate. If you have AC I'd keep it.

Look at the diagrams in the "My desmog thread" you can see it in there. It just has one hose run to a vacuum source and one hose run to this diaphragm on the side of the carb. It is wired to the AC switch was well.

 

[Heartworm]

I Agree with Jim, get your S**t together before you preach. One needs to KNOW with the EGR cooler is. A lot of people are thirsty for the knowledge here.

 

[Jon Vander Ark]

Ah, thanks BlueCruiser. I was just pulling up your thread because I knew I had seen on that one. I knew those with it kept it, and those without well, they're without. I just didn't see it on Jim's Diagram and it threw me off a bit.

Jim, Guinness is my favorite beer. I don't know why a tutorial isn't possible without prior experience with Toyota's. It just takes a bit of reading and willingness to admit mistakes. I'm sorry you feel it's more pertinent to mock the average mechanics good intentions than to offer up your expertise, which I know you have lots of. These threads usually refer people your way for the dizzy and carb rebuilds, and those recommendations are typically bolstered by your quick help. Your response here is curious and disappointing.

 

[Cruiserdrew]

Just be careful here. There is more to a desmog than simply tearing out the smog equiptment and calling it good.

Done right, though, it does result ins a simplified and good running motor. FJ40Jim here was very helpful to me getting it right, and dialing in the details like recurving the distributor and desmogging the carb.

Looking forward to seeing how this ends up. You may need an idler pully in place of your smog pump, so be planning for that.

Good luck.

 

[GLTHFJ60]

Ah, thanks BlueCruiser. I was just pulling up your thread because I knew I had seen on that one. I knew those with it kept it, and those without well, they're without. I just didn't see it on Jim's Diagram and it threw me off a bit.

Jim, Guinness is my favorite beer. I don't know why a tutorial isn't possible without prior experience with Toyota's. It just takes a bit of reading and willingness to admit mistakes. I'm sorry you feel it's more pertinent to mock the average mechanics good intentions than to offer up your expertise, which I know you have lots of. These threads usually refer people your way for the dizzy and carb rebuilds, and those recommendations are typically bolstered by your quick help. Your response here is curious and disappointing.

I'm with Jon on this one. Making a tutorial is difficult, but not impossible at all. With my first rig, I attempted to make a tutorial out of the manifold gasket change and I felt it went pretty well. I didn't have the FSM or much experience at all, but when all was said and done, it ran like it was new!!

Ironically enough, I started this exact process myself two days ago, but I have an emissions manual!!

 

[Matt60]

did i miss the part where you send the carb and dizzy off to Jim C and have it rebuilt ?

the desmog is nice but.....

this isn't a get it done "correctly" in a weekend deal good luck id like to see more

 

[80jay]

Sorry to hijack, but Speaking of Jim.... Were are ya? Checked your email lately?

 

[Joe_E]

Ha, been there done that. Now 15 years later i'm putting it all back. NJ motor vehicle inspection is near impossible to pass.
I would suggest packing all those little EXPENSIVE parts away in labeled boxes. Luckily I did .

Good luck.

 

[Jon Vander Ark]

No Progress Today

CruiserDrew, you make a good point, I think a lot of people think they can just remove everything that looks like a tube and call it good. From my experience with the Fiats, any big modification like this will require a very good tuneup when I'm finished. This also means refreshing the carb, dizzy (although, I'm used to points, so I'll probably take this one in) putting new spark plugs in and checking them for engine performance. I'm a big fan of 'reading' spark plugs.

I'm also going into this with the attitude that previous owners/mechanics may have done engine work and hooked any smog equipment they removed back up incorrectly. That's one reason for taking the parts out and showing what they look like (see post 10).

Joe - Tough break on having to put it all in! I'm not sure yet if I'm going to get rid of the few functioning bits or not at this point. I'm leaning towards not, but we'll see. Up here in Montana our plates our permanent ($90 for lifetime plates!), so I just don't see myself running into that problem...

Matt - I think I'm going to be taking it in to a mechanic I've come to trust around these parts. But I haven't made my mind up yet. I'm not sure I can afford the costs of sending them to Jim, and I'm extremely confident of my mechanic over here. As a side note, I do think it's important that whenever the average guy, like me, works on their car, they should always have a garage in mind if they run into problems or get in over their head. So far, this has been much easier than I anticipated!

On that, I don't think I'll be getting any work in today, it's beautiful out, so I'm taking the Fiat for a drive touring the countryside.