Deleting Emissions Components for More Power?

[zx beast]

The old 240 was the fastest Z untill the 280zxt, but not because the motor necessarilly... It was frickin weight and emisions. So, I have a 1981 280zx, and I can't get the P90 head, but I have the f54 block (p79 head) but if I get rid of emisions, I should pull some real good horses... I have a header, flowmasters, K&n Cold air, no Ac, gettin rid of heater, all interior, and everything else I could do to dump weight. How do I get rid of emisions, what can I spare, and what can I do for some more affordable horsepower?

[MadMaxDallas]

Dont know about where you live at, but here in Texas, my 27 yr old 1981zxt doesnt have to have the emissions checked. In fact, had to do a bit of cleaning on my cat converter today (cough cough), clearing out the cat made the turbo spool up quicker, and you can tell it breathes much better.

 

The old 240 was the fastest Z untill the 280zxt, but not because the motor necessarilly... It was frickin weight and emisions. So, I have a 1981 280zx, and I can't get the P90 head, but I have the f54 block (p79 head) but if I get rid of emisions, I should pull some real good horses... I have a header, flowmasters, K&n Cold air, no Ac, gettin rid of heater, all interior, and everything else I could do to dump weight. How do I get rid of emisions, what can I spare, and what can I do for some more affordable horsepower?

[zx beast]

Dont know about where you live at, but here in Texas, my 27 yr old 1981zxt doesnt have to have the emissions checked. In fact, had to do a bit of cleaning on my cat converter today (cough cough), clearing out the cat made the turbo spool up quicker, and you can tell it breathes much better.

 

Yeah, I deleted my cat as well, and so it breaths real well. But now I am looking at getting rid of all the other emisions stuff as well, all the crap in the engine. I heard the only tubes you need at one for brake booster, one for the distributer, and two for something else... I want to hear from someone else who has done all this though...

[RTz]

but if I get rid of emisions, I should pull some real good horses...

 

You're not going to find huge gains deleting emissions equipment. Most people do it for visual cleanliness, or to eliminate a failing component.

 

 

P.S. Please try to use descriptive subject titles.

[Drax240z]

Cat is generally the biggest offender, they tend to plug up and be restrictive if they are getting on in age. The rest... pretty minimal gains IMHO.

[Challenger]

Although removing the egr seems like it would be a great power adder, the egr is only on when you arent on the throttle so technically you really wouldnt notice it much. But still looking at some of the intakes Ive had the egr ports are just caked full of junk, I wouldnt want any of it even close to my intake.

[johnc]

A good tune-up and valve adjustment will get you more power then removing properly functioning emissions equipment.

[Challenger]

Very true. Most 30 year old cars wont be running at their peak as they were from the factory. (aka not 170hp for an l28) As John said its easier to get it back closer to stock power by proper maintenance than it is the modify it to have its original power.

[Niku-Sama]

i agree with the proper tune as i was one of those.

 

when i got my car the AFM was leaned out almost all the way the timing was off the BCDD was adjusted improperly and had all sorts of vaccum leaks, the guy acually used water pump lube and it make the coolant look as if the headgasket had blown but after some through cleaning of connectors and cooling system, replacment of some parts (filters, sparkplugs), tweaking things back to normal (legenthy process) it runs a whole lot better than when i bought it from Mr.STP.

 

as for the EGR circuit it would always start missing when it warmed up so i just took the BPT out and plugged the vaccum that would go to it.