DEQ and studded tire questions (1 Viewer)

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cheeese

cheeese

Joined
Jul 18, 2017
Threads
19
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640
Location
Portland, OR
I'm coming up short on two items for winter- I need to have my 60's OE carb tuned to pass DEQ, and buy studded tires for it. Any N Portland or Hillsboro area recommendations to detune for DEQ and retune after?

On the tires, thinking 235/75/15 is the right size based on some old threads here. I have the stock 84 chrome wheels. Research suggests the studded Nokian Hakkapeliitta SUV are the best but I can only find the Nordmans or the studless Hakkas locally-- which is my backup plan.

Anyone have any bright ideas?
 
Try Willamette Blvd. Auto in N. Portland near Univ. of Portland for your carb tune-up. Josh and Larry are landcruiser specialists and work on only Landcruisers now.
 
Good call. I spoke with Josh recently and he mentioned he was booked through November, but I'll try them again.
 
The guys at Landcruiser NW did a quick deq tune and re-tune for me. My truck is de-smogged. Pretty quick process to dial back the carb, but they have sensors that analyze the exhaust so it takes the guesswork out of it. A good tip is to go out to the Scappoose DEQ. They are only open on Friday and Saturday, but the drive out gets your truck nice and hot, and when I went on a Saturday morning there was nobody in line, which is key (you want to stay away from idling the engine prior to the test).
 
Are you sure you need your carb tuned to pass DEQ? There is no charge if you fail the test and it might turn out that your emissions are fine.
 
Try this at DEQ. Run your tank of gas down low and then add a bottle of Heet to the tank. Drive around and get the engine nice and hot and head through DEQ. If it still fails, turn your idle mixture screw on the carb and lean the mixture out. I tried these steps about a year ago on a 1976 FJ40 with a full desmog and passed on my second try.
 
wait... you can pass DEQ with a desmogged engine?? I thought the whole missing components would be a an auto fail...?
 
When I did this, there was no visual inspection. They put the sniffer in the tailpipe and had me rev to different rpm range. This was a little over a year ago at the testing station on 33rd, north of Columbia Blvd. it was near closing time and there was no wait time. I drove through once and failed, went around the corner and leaned the carb down with the mixture screw. Drove back in and passed.

I’m on the Washington side so I don’t know all the DEQ ins and outs for Oregon. I was selling the 40 to a friend of mine and wanted to be sure he could register it once he had it.
 
jmcclusk said:
wait... you can pass DEQ with a desmogged engine?? I thought the whole missing components would be a an auto fail...?
Click to expand...

If your vehicle is '95 or older, the DEQ test consists of a visual check for the muffler and catalytic converter, and a tailpipe sniffer test.

Many of us in the Portland metro have desmogged and successfully passed DEQ without too much trouble. For the 3FE, the 27+ year old EGR and smog pump systems do not really contribute much toward improved emissions.
 
Good call. I requested SP (25+ years old) plates from the DMV since the truck isn't my daily driver, and spoke with Matt at LC NW about some carb tuning. If I can get it to run clean I may go back to regular plates - advice welcome on that also.

FYI - Sniffer machine at Willamette Service isn't working and they're booked out for general shop time for a while.
 
I didn't know SP plates were a thing in Oregon. Fascinating!

To get SP plates, it sounds like you have to agree to exclusively use your vehicle "for exhibitions, parades, club activities and similar functions" or else "operation of this vehicle outside of the limitations of the registration provisions as specified in ORS 805.030 is a Class D traffic infraction and may result in this registration being canceled."

I'm no lawyer, but I wonder what would stop someone from creating a sanctioned club where the official "club activities" allow for "grocery shopping, camping trips, dropping the kids off to soccer practice," etc...

FWIW, you don't need to use a sniffer machine at a private outfit. You can just drive to one of the DEQ check stations at any time and get the test done without any paper work required. You don't even have to pay anything unless you pass the test.
 
20170421_181324.jpg

No smog testin :hillbilly::hillbilly:
 
I have a weber on mine so its super easy to tune, plus I put on a A/F ratio gauge so easy to tune back. If they look under the hood its very clear its "special" though. thanks for the info
 
I went through the Portland DEQ today and failed twice. The first reading was high then Larry and I leaned it out with the idle mixture and little bit of the fuel mixture. Went back and it was half the original but still too high for the DEQ. Such a scam btw. It was closing so couldn't go back but I know if you lean out the mixture with the screw it can pass. I will prob lean it a bit more when they reopen and think that will do it. Its crazy because the crappier the LC runs the better the DEQ readings are. Then you just have to re-adjust the screws. Another tip I've heard through Josh at Willamette srvc is to add Bars to the oil before going in and make sure to get the vehicle nice and warmed up. Try not to get there when theres a line because you'll be idling which is not good for the test.
 
Both the idle and the second idle. I think the first was 5.9 and the second was 2.94. I got them reduced to half that though. Just a tiny bit more.
 
As I mentioned, the guys at LCNW can dial back the carb and test real time to ensure you are where you need to be. The Scappoose deq is a good bet for no line, and your rig will get nice and hot on the drive out.
 
TMW said:
As I mentioned, the guys at LCNW can dial back the carb and test real time to ensure you are where you need to be. The Scappoose deq is a good bet for no line, and your rig will get nice and hot on the drive out.
Click to expand...

Thanks TMW. I will definitely keep that in mind
 
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