Why or why not desmog?

[Lurch26]

I'm still pretty much a newbie. I've had my 76 FJ40 for almost two months now but have been lurking on here for quite a while. I love my FJ40 and tinker on it as much as my job and family let me. "Mud" has been a great help even while I was waiting on delivery for few months.

I'm trying to keep my FJ as stock as possible as most everything is still there and it is overall in great shape. Most of my issues have been small; ie items needing to be hooked up properly, cleaned or mildly repaired. I don't think the PO was at all mechanically inclined. Over all -- no major issues.

My latest project is the ignition system and carb but as I've been reading on "Mud" most posts support desmogging. It seems the majority of those who post, support the desmogging/removal of the emmissions items. It's been difficult to find advice on a stock system.

Other than keeping my FJ as original as possible, which means keeping the emissions system, I'm also in the military and need to keep the emissions, as I never know how stringent inspections will be at my future assignments.

So . . . I'm pretty much set on keeping my system in place, but for the sake of seeing the whole picture: what are the overall benefits of desmogging?

Thanks for the insight,
Kris

 

[Pighead]

what are the overall benefits of desmogging?

1) Elbow room under the hood. It's a LOT easier to work on the engine with all that stuff out of the way. The air rail especially.
B) All those vacuum hoses and valves just HAD to contribute to vacuum leaks. Broken little plastic nipples and cracked diaphragms, yuk.
III) It looks and works more like a LandCruiser without all that federally mandated crap hung on it. Plus my exhaust manifold broke. And headers were an easier fix.

 

[1911]

The only reason not to IMO is if your Cruiser would have to pass a strict emission test, or you ever might want to sell it to someone who will need one.

Like Pighead said, all that stuff gets baked brittle and plugged-up with carbon after 30+ years, making it run worse (and less efficient, more polluting). At first I tried fixing my 1980 emissions stuff, but after several crumbling BVSV's and an EGR full of carbon, I completely de-smogged it by the Jim C. (FJ40Jim) plan and it has run much better and cooler since.

 

[mossman40]

In my case I just finished what a previous owner started. It appears as though the smog pump froze, so the PO went ahead and removed some of the smog goodies. I was getting confused with what was supposed to be there and with what was no longer there. I've removed what I think is supposed to be removed following many of the threads on here. Still don't feel 100% sure that I have it correct, but will get there eventually. It does clean up the area a good bit and you lose many vac lines. Can't say that mine runs any better than it did before, but the PO had already started the process. If I move to someplace that requires smog testing, well........guess I'll use some antique plates or something or maybe find a friendly mechanic who likes FJ40's.

 

[KY Longhunter]

Does a 2F with a Weber and HEI distributor run efficiently?

Is this a good option?

 

[Mach Schnell]

Its just that much more simple. Nothing will piss you off more then having to replace a smog part down the road and knowing that you could have eliminated that part all together. Ive been lucky so far in my military travels, havent had to even think of emissions for my 40.

 

[LAMBCRUSHER]

A functional smog system give your engine the ability to adapt to changing environmental conditions such as elevation, engine temp, and air pressure, w/o having to get out and twist dizzys and screw in mixture screws.....

 

[Lurch26]

Thanks for the replies. Both sides make sense to me. I guess it really depends on your starting point with each FJ40. Maybe I'll go the desmog route in the future if things start breaking, but so far I can't complain at all about how the truck runs.

Also, had no idea that a functioning smog system helps with elevation. Just fixed the last of my improperly hooked up vacuum hoses today and now all are routed properly and sealed well. All "should" be good now. As I said before, the truck runs well, so I hope to keep it that way with minimal changes.

Kris

 

[mossman40]

If it "runs well" then I have seen many a smarter cruiser head on this forum say " run it " and leave it alone.

 

[Lurch26]

mossman40 -- yep, that's what I'm thinking too. Just a tune up and no other changes.

 

[fjwagon]

You could desmog it, keep good notes and pics and save everything in case you want to put it back to original. Personally I like running mine they way it came from the factory so keeping original and functional is a big deal for me but that is just me. I have removed hoses and emissions crap from other cruisers at the salvage yard for spares. If you plan on keeping it original I would consider getting a factory service manual if you have not already done so. A "Hanes" will do but a FSM is so much better.

 

[subzali]

Some thoughts from my desmog thread:
https://forum.ih8mud.com/40-55-series-tech/440852-77-fj40-federal-2f-desmog.html#post6150064
https://forum.ih8mud.com/40-55-series-tech/440852-77-fj40-federal-2f-desmog.html#post6150084
https://forum.ih8mud.com/40-55-series-tech/440852-77-fj40-federal-2f-desmog.html#post6150603

 

[Sea Knight]

If it "runs well" then I have seen many a smarter cruiser head on this forum say " run it " and leave it alone.

I faced the de-smog dilemma several years ago. My mostly stock '82 has all the California smog crap. The advice I got here, from MUD people I know and trust, was to leave it alone as long as everything works.

 

[Fast Eddy]

I'm trying to keep my FJ as stock as possible as most everything is still there and it is overall in great shape. Most of my issues have been small; ie items needing to be hooked up properly, cleaned or mildly repaired. Over all -- no major issues.

Other than keeping my FJ as original as possible, which means keeping the emissions system, I'm also in the military and need to keep the emissions, as I never know how stringent inspections will be at my future assignments.

So . . . I'm pretty much set on keeping my system in place

It will come up to operating temperature quicker, smell better and not pollute the earth. One of my rigs was desmogged with a Holley. It ran pretty well on the street, but it smelled like an old dragster and took half-an-hour to come up to temp. The Holley wasn't up for off-camber operation and would tend to stall at the worst times.

Once desmogged it rocks off-road, runs better in general, idles better, gets better mileage, smells clean...

The only reason not to IMO is if your Cruiser would have to pass a strict emission test, or you ever might want to sell it to someone who will need one.

What about if you just want it to run cleaner and not smell like an old refinery? Lots of populous states have smog tests now, not just CA. If you're ever going to sell, a desmogged rig has a much smaller market and is therefore worth less money.

Like Pighead said, all that stuff gets baked brittle and plugged-up with carbon after 30+ years, making it run worse (and less efficient, more polluting). At first I tried fixing my 1980 emissions stuff, but after several crumbling BVSV's and an EGR full of carbon, I completely de-smogged it by the Jim C. (FJ40Jim) plan and it has run much better and cooler since.

I've restored two smog systems so far and neither was harder than fixing anything else. You need to find parts. They're available. Smog parts are cheap.

 

[SuperFish]

If you are certain the emissions system is operational then by all means leave it. I'm currently in the process of finishing the removal of my system. The computer/EGR were long gone when I purchased my truck. It makes no sense to keep the rest, at least for me. If you are worried about pollution buy a Prius.

 

[1911]

What about if you just want it to run cleaner and not smell like an old refinery?

As has been said, if the various bits are broken and clogged with carbon, it is not running cleaner. Mine (de-smogged) does not smell like an old refinery; the charcoal canister is still intact and functioning. As a matter of fact it smells better than it did before, since the miles of old brittle leaky vacuum hoses are gone.

Lots of populous states have smog tests now, not just CA. If you're ever going to sell, a desmogged rig has a much smaller market and is therefore worth less money.

No problem; I'm not ever going to sell, and I can live anywhere I choose to, and I choose to live in places that don't have emissions testing.

I've restored two smog systems so far and neither was harder than fixing anything else. You need to find parts. They're available. Smog parts are cheap.

If it makes you feel any better, I gave all my smog parts to a fellow mudder in CO who is re-smogging his.

 

[coloradowhaler]

Thanks, that sounds level headed for someone who lives at 5000 feet, in an emission testing state and who does not like to fiddle with the thing every time I take it somewhere different.

 

[40zen]

1) Elbow room under the hood. It's a LOT easier to work on the engine with all that stuff out of the way. The air rail especially.
B) All those vacuum hoses and valves just HAD to contribute to vacuum leaks. Broken little plastic nipples and cracked diaphragms, yuk.
III) It looks and works more like a LandCruiser without all that federally mandated crap hung on it. Plus my exhaust manifold broke. And headers were an easier fix.

Agree with this. Air rail had a leak on mine. As someone who is refining their mechanical abilities, I like to narrow down the variables by removing what isn't necessary. K.I.S.S. is what these trucks are all about, right?

Plus, mine is a '73 so the decision was easy...

 

[Lurch26]

Everyone -- I've made some great progress over the last two weekends. I've got all my vacuum lines hooked up and tested all my diaphragms on the multiple items (carb and dizzy essentially). Am I missing any more?

I've set the points, new rotor, new cap, new wires, new plugs, checked valves, set the time, adjusted the idle mixture, adjusted the idle, reset the time and now I think I'm pretty much done. Runs well by the way finally at a 650 RPM idle!

The only thing I'd still like to do is check all the lines for proper vacuum at the proper time. I'd like to know if my VSV is doing anything. Is there any way to check this? I don't have the FSM (yet).

Also, does anyone have an old but working VSV for a 1976 stock 2F that they might want to sell?

Thanks,
Kris

 

[subzali]

Great work! You can also check your TP diaphragm on the side of your carb. Hook it up to manifold vacuum while the engine is running and make sure it pulls the rod in. There are multiple procedures for checking if things are working the way they are designed, the Emissions FSM lays that out in detail; I'm not sure there's a good way to explain it with text. As long as your engine seems happy I'd say you're good to go!