Smog Success (1 Viewer)

[Cruiserdrew]

There is nowhere else to post this, but I had some major success today and have to tell someone. It's made me like my 40 again, which I was thinking of selling but now it's a keeper.

I have a '76 FJ40 which squeeked through smog two years ago. This year the NOX was high by just 150 points. I set the timing from 11 BTDC(4 degress over stock), to 6 BTDC(just under stock) and the NOX came down 500 points! Yeehaw. Everything else was low. HC was 46 (max 161), CO was .12 (max 1.39) Nox was 687 (max 1367). These numbers are off the rolling dyno at 25mph.

This could be my last smog test. The '75's become exempt in January and the '76's a year later. Since I wasn't labled as a gross polluter, I have 2 years on the current smog test, which will carry me past the roll over date. Once that is confirmed, there could be a diesel in my future!!!!!

I don't mean to waste bandwidth, but I had to share this with people who would understand. CalARB

 

[eelson]

You're from CA, right? It took me a full YEAR to go through the DMV process after I got my '76 Cruiser -- not fun. I finally found an obscure loophole to get it smogged and now I'm good until 2005. How did you find out for sure the '76 will be exempt in 2005? I heard something about that, and when I asked the DMV they gave me no info.

Thanks.

 

[petescoffee]

What was your obscure loop hole?

 

[eelson]

Not all CA counties require smog checks. A PO box in one of them might help.

 

[Cruiserdrew]

My area requires the full bore rolling dyno test at 15 and 25 mph. This really sucks. Certain counties just have to have the 2 speed idle test, but then they have a formal check of the EGR system. I wasn't aware any counties were exempt, though it would make sense to exempt those counties out in the desert since the population density is so low.

Don't get me wrong-overall I support the smog testing rules generally, but after 10 or 15 years cars should become exempt since they probably are not driven much, and the stock emission parts become hard to get. Smogging my 40 seems silly. I drove it less than 3000 miles this year and last, and I never drive in rush hour traffic. Usually I'm on my way to a trail run. Maybe there should be a blanket exemption for Hobbiest cars or something similar. One of my key issues is the lack of the '76 Nuclear reactor exhaust manifold which is/was unique to California models. My truck did not come with one and they seem impossible to get. So I have a smog legal header. Once my year rolls over, I'll ditch the EGR and the header and go to a regular exhaust manifold from that year.

 

[eelson]

I totally agree. I'm all for smog regulations, especially in high density regions, but there needs to be more thought put in to the exemption rules. Perhaps usage and rarity of the car can be other factors. The '76 40 itself is a funny one because it was changed mid year and there are the CA and federal versions. That was just one other reason to go with the 350.

 

[Godhead]

I just went through hell and back to get my 1987 FJ60 to pass. Dead stock and it wasn't going through.. Even with a freshly rebuilt carb & smog pump, we had to put swap out the jets to get it lean enough to pass (but, still hold speed for the test).

I am all for emissions standards and lowering the amount of garbage I'm breathing in here in LA county but, OUCH! What a pain...