Will I pass emissions?

[ArizonaZ]

Okay so when i got my late 260Z the EGR and all of the other emissions stuff was taken off of my car, and now that it might see the street again sometime in the following year, do you guys think that i can lean out my engine and put on a 3 way catalytic converter and still pass? im in Tucson AZ

by the way the car has 4 screw SUs

[PresaMax]

Not sure how the smog laws are in Arizona. But in California, aside from the diagnostic test of the vehicle's emissions, there is also a visual inspection to insure all the factory emissions devices are present. Good luck.

[BRAAP]

Some states only require cars manufactured in ‘75 and later to test for emissions. The 260-Z is a ’74, and in those states, the 260-Z is exempt from emission testing.

 

Not knowing AZ testing requirements and limitations, and assuming your car “is” required to go through emission testing, the technical long answer is;

Any tampering, alteration or removal of any part of the emission control system is technically a federal crime, though it seems to be very rare when someone is charged with doing such. Whether or not you think you can “sneak” the car through without a “visual” inspection is a crap shoot and is dependant on the state, facility, county, city testing requirements, and to some degree, even the individual administering the emission test.

 

Short answer is… Good luck, and let us know how you do…

[Austin240Z]

Here in Texas, if your car is over 25 years old, it is emissions exempt.

 

I personally run a smog pump. No, not an air pump, but a pump that actually creates MORE emissions. God I love my state!

 

JK

 

 

Seriously though, a lot of states have rules similar to that, your car may be exempt. You may want to do a little searching at the Local DPS website.

 

Texas doesnt really care what we do with old cars, so long as they are not smoking all over the place. Though in the last few months, they have stepped up emissions requirements for newer cars, and I have actually seen Emissions sniffer vans setting up "Check points" with cameras at certain Highway on ramps.

[JIM73240Z]

i just got my 76 2+2 road worthy and by passed all of the emissions crap by saying that it is a "pleasure vehicle" only to be driven on occation. i have the hagerty collector car inssurance to back me up. no emissions needed. i even payed a little extra for the historic plates. if i remember right, if the car has emmisions equipment, it will have to pass emissions. with the new tuned header im getting and new exhaust, the cat will somehow disapear off of my car.

 

check with the dmv down there to be sure.

 

jimbo

[woldson]

Short answer is… Good luck, and let us know how you do…

 

Heehee..

 

Make sure that cat is nice a HOT!

[Tony D]

Don't put a catalyst on it, it will be the wrong way to go about it---the carburettors are not set up for that, and you will make more headaches than you will solve.

A standard 1971 SU setup with AIR injection will test clean out the tailpipe (the Arizona Standard) to 1983 CALIFORNIA standards.

So there is no reason under the sun, with a properly running set of SU's on an engine in decent tune that simple carburettor adjustment/tweaking and standard maintenance procedures wouldn't get you a passing grade.

 

No borken spark plug wires, no misfires, and not too lean or your HC will go through the roof!

 

But run them at 'lean best' and fully warmed up with fresh oil change (no offgassing of HC from the oil as it gets hot...) and you should pass no problem. If you don't, it's a matter of putting AIR back into the exhaust system through a Toyota Gulp-Valve system instead of a pump and belt system (good luck finding one!) like the 74 had originally.

 

NOx, if they even test for it, would be a spark timing and EGR situation, but pass that bridge when you have to, find out what the test criteria will be for your vehicle from the State Testing Governing Board---its' not a secret standard. Simply take your car to a place with a CO and HC meter and adjust your carbs accordingly.

 

It's no real big deal at all. It's a tailpipe functional test. It's easily passed by a car in good tune. Even relatively modified ones!

[SHO-Z]

Get Collector car insurance on the Z. That is what I did on my 260, no emissions test required in AZ with it, but I do have a yearly milage limit. My 260 would not pass at idle, from my research a multi spark box would cure it.

[m4xwellmurd3r]

arizona requires ALL vehicles from 67 and newer to go through emissions. this is stupid and they need to change it.

anyways my Z wouldn't pass the idle test due to a very leaky exhaust valve (i probably could've disconnected the number 3 injector plug and pass) as far as emissions go, they only check for your PCV valve, gas cap, and Carbon Canister. you don't need the egr as far as I know but you DO NEED the carbon canister and the PCV valve.

also Arizona doesn't test for NOx levels.

[X64v]

s far as emissions go, they only check for your PCV valve, gas cap, and Carbon Canister. you don't need the egr as far as I know but you DO NEED the carbon canister and the PCV valve.

 

It depends on the year. They will not pop the hood on my '73. I've run through with my l28et and they were none the wiser, the only thing they check for on mine is the gas cap.

 

Find out if you will need to pass a visual, I don't know what the year cut-off is. If all you need is to pass the tailpipe test (like it should be) then you shouldn't have any problems, even with just SU's and no air pump, as long as it's tuned correctly.

[blue72]

In Maricopa County, and a few other parts of the state, every motor vehicle produced after '66 has to be smog inspected. I took my '72 to be smogged twice, and failed twice, even after leaning the carbs all the way. I didn't feel like readjusting the needle seats at the time. I eventually got collector car insurance through Haggerty. Around $110 for a whole year I think @ $4000 declared value. As long as you own an insured "daily driver" they usually will accept your application. Once I got my insurance papers from them in the mail it was a brisk journey to the DMV to pay my $21 registration and collect my Historical Vehicle plates (I get asked about them all the time.) Now I can legally drive my pig rich 240 wherever I want and reek of fuel all over the place. Oh, and they do pop the hood to check that at least all the hoses look like they are connected (doubt they know what half of them do), and do a pressure test thing with your gas filler. Its a state law that properly insured (collector vehicle insurance) older vehicles are emmisions exempt because they are not going to be used as daily drivers on the street, and don't contribute significantly to emissions and particulate matter. Hope that helps.

[ArizonaZ]

Well I found that the visual inspection cut-off is at 1975 so barely slide by on that one. I also found that they don't test for NoX, theres some more good news. I figure i'll pass since I have the carbs tuned pretty well and I still have the original air injection set up installed.

[Gollum]

Yea, in most cases where you're only worried about HC and CO you have to be running pretty rich or lean to fail. As long as the engine is running strong, doesn't have insane mileage resulting in carbon build up, you should be ok.

[blue72]

I believe that they will retest within 60 days for free if you fail. Lets you tinker some more to find the right tune and mixture. They give you a printout with all the HC and CO levels on it.

[GOTAZ]

My '73 has a L28, no smog, small 4bbl. I managed to pass (2nd try) last month in Maricopa County (Arizona). They checked the gas cap the first time and had me pull the hood release both times. But they never went near the hood. Never looked under the car. They checked HC and CO @ idle and loaded. On the first try I just missed CO idle. Passed the 2nd time after further retarding timing to 2-3 degrees btdc, slowing idle speed to 1K and opening the idle mixture screws another 1/8 turn. I'm aware these details are unique to my situation; just fyi. The State website is fairly informative. You can even search recent-past emissions test history using your VIN. http://www.azdeq.gov/environ/air/vei/

p.s. I did a 1st class thrash preping my Z so I could test on those few "cool" days we had in late May.

Good Luck!

[Clifton]

As Jim said. In Az you don't have to test if it's collectable w/ the insurance. I haven't been in two years. When I did go they never even noticed that the engine was swapped and it lacked any emissions equipment (charcoal, eger, air pump, ect). I wouldn't worry, if you fail you get one free restes.

 

To the quesion of can you just lean it. If you mean leaner than stoich, no. You will get incomplete combustion and it will fail worse. Setting round top SU's correctly isn't that hard and will pass. Make sure tthe timing is what it should be too.

[speedgato]

.............I wouldn't worry, if you fail you get one free restes.

 

To the quesion of can you just lean it. If you mean leaner than stoich, no. You will get incomplete combustion and it will fail worse. Setting round top SU's correctly isn't that hard and will pass. Make sure tthe timing is what it should be too.

 

Tucson is has less strict emission requirments (for now). As Clifton said, just make sure your car is tuned correctly. SU's are a piece of cake. They will only do an Idle test for your year car, I believe. If you think you are close, you can increase idle a touch, don't go above 1200 or they will fail you for that. That should get you through in Tucson.

[speedgato]

Tucson is has less strict emission requirments (for now). As Clifton said, just make sure your car is tuned correctly. SU's are a piece of cake. They will only do an Idle test for your year car, I believe. If you think you are close, you can increase idle a touch, don't go above 1200 or they will fail you for that. That should get you through in Tucson.

 

Well, did you pass?

[Tony D]

This isn't that hard. As far as you can go lean is what I mentioned "Lean Best"---turn your properly balanced and float adjusted non-spark misfiring SU's Mixture Nuts upwards till you see on the tachometer a 25rpm drop in steady idle speed. Then back them out 1/2 turn.

 

That is ALL I did on a 1971 to pass to CALIFORNIA 1983 Standards. My allowable emissions were 1/10th what a 1973 was allowed to put out, and the car ran well, got 27mpg, and was happy during the cool times. When it got hotter, it liked it a bit richer, and the mileage fell off a bit, but there is a WIDE lattitude on these setups for where the engine 'runs'.

 

If the car can't pass a simple tailpipe test....something is wrong and you need to fix it---no iff's and's or buts about it. ESPECIALLY with a stock cam or even fairly warmed over cam and higher compression.

 

Don't be slothful, make the car run correctly. You are doing yourself no performance favors running 'pig rich', you ARE loosing horsepower running that way!