Smogging a non-exempt 7 - HELP!

[Slartybartfast]

So, my 4 years is up. I had to have my first smog check (the SB100 thing wasn't around in 2000, and I didn't realise until now that I could get on it. Next year ...).

Anyway, despite the fact that I have a VIN, BAR sticker etc. etc. no smog station would touch it, so I went to the nice BAR referee at Evergreen College. My car failed. It's running a little rich (surprise, surprise - I have dual Weber DCOE's). However, here's the problem ....

I need to go to a certified smog repair station so that they can verify the "repairs" after they have done them - otherwise I'm going to be paying a lot of visits to Evergreen. Can I find a smog station that will touch my car ? No. In fact, I took it to a "Gold Shield" station this morning, and had no joy.

The really annoying part is that I rang the Bureau of Consumer "Assistance" today and all they said was that I had to keep trying 'til I found one. When I asked if was OK if it took me 6 months, they said that was a matter for the DMV. Grrrrr......

So my plea is this - Does anyone know of a smog check station that knows how to set up DCOE's so it will pass smog ?

[Roll a 7]

Some of the guys on this site have gotten 90 day exemptions from the DMV to get things resolved. When the 90 days are up they have been granted another 90 days---in one case this went on for a couple of years---as my dim wits recall. Anyone out there willing to come forward with a suggestion :?:

[slomove]

weber passing?

Hi,

My first question would be how did you pass the first time??? :shock:
AFAIK even with a passive cat there is no way in hell to pass recent CA emissions regulation with carbs :cry:

I have Webers on my Zetec-Seven and installed a wideband Lambda to get them setup somewhat close to stochiometric. But these Webers need to run quite rich at AFR 12 to 13 to be drivable. Even if you lean it out with different jets these settings are just not stable enough to meet specs. But it is not a problem for me because I bought it with existing title as a 1969 car.

Anyway, maybe there are wizards around that can help you but I suspect you are hosed until the next SB100 batch is up for grabs.

Sorry, Gert

[Slartybartfast]

I don't really care if it's not driveable on test day - I'll just swap out the jets afterwards ;)

I would swap the jets myself and have another go at tuning the idle mixture if it weren't for the fact that I have no means of measuring what's coming out of the tail pipe. Oh well .... I guess I shall have to throw myself on the mercy of the DMV.

[slomove]

Carb Tuning

I had the same problem and bought an Inovate wideband lambda instrument. Together with the carb synchronizer the best tool I got to set up the carbs. Without I really did not know what I was doing. With idle jets, idle mixture screws, transition holes, main jets and air correction there are just too many parameters to screw up when you fiddle blindly. All times 4, of course.

Are you on older smog regulations because of the age of the engine? IMO even with the best tuned Weber in the world you just can not pass recent CA smog regulation. The car manufacturers jump through a lot of hoops (air mass flow and MAP sensors, closed loop injection control and double lambda probes for cat control) to get their EFI systems pass, epecially in idle.

But maybe somebody out there knows a trick to do it or you can find a smog station with a broken sensor. Or you may survive on extesion as Brad has suggested until 2005.

Gert

[magnusfeuer]

Hmmm...

I have a local friend who will receive his SV shortly, and I am tempted to try to get it through as a regular kit car, outside the SB100, with a Zetec (possibly SVT) engine.

We will use a stock ECU. We will be able to setup all the sensors, including the tank pressure sender. The catalytic converter has two holes for pre/post catalytic stage O2 sensors, so that will not be a problem. The intake system will be completely stock apart from the air filter setup. We will use a standard mass air flow sensor to feed the ECU.

The only thing that can stop us, as far as I know, would be some stupid requirement that the donor car's header/exhaust system must be installed for the car to be compliant.

Can anyone shed some light on this?

/Magnus F.

[Slartybartfast]

Re: Carb Tuning

I had the same problem and bought an Inovate wideband lambda instrument.

Where can I get one and how much do they cost ?

Together with the carb synchronizer the best tool I got to set up the carbs. Without I really did not know what I was doing.

I already have one of these - and yes, they are invaluable :)

With idle jets, idle mixture screws, transition holes, main jets and air correction there are just too many parameters to screw up when you fiddle blindly. All times 4, of course.

No kidding !! ;)

Are you on older smog regulations because of the age of the engine? IMO even with the best tuned Weber in the world you just can not pass recent CA smog regulation. The car manufacturers jump through a lot of hoops (air mass flow and MAP sensors, closed loop injection control and double lambda probes for cat control) to get their EFI systems pass, epecially in idle.

Yes - it's smogged under very lax regulations. I didn't fail by much - but I'm still over. I have changed the spark plugs and cleaned the air-filter in the hope that that might help a little. The air filter was fairly clogged on the "windward" side.

But maybe somebody out there knows a trick to do it or you can find a smog station with a broken sensor. Or you may survive on extesion as Brad has suggested until 2005.

Gert

At the rate I'm going, getting SB100 exemption may be my only hope. Thanks for all the tips and encouragement.

[slomove]

Innovate Lambda

I purchased the Innovate thingy here:

http://www.innovatemotorsports.com/

it is $350, which is very cheap compared with other wideband systems out there and it comes as a complete product (no assembly required). The company is here in CA, i.e. you must pay sales tax.

I also invested in the aux input cable with rpm converter ($99). You don't need it if you only want to set up your carbs/engine but the instrument contains a good data logger with 5 inputs, including one that can be hooked up with the tach signal. I have the other ones connected to throttle position, water temp, oil pressure and brake light switch. If you want to see an example of an AFR data log with different idle jets please see here:

http://home.earthlink.net/~slomove/id7.html

Another gadget I bought from them is an analog gauge. I installed the lambda probe and instrument permanently and can now see the AFR while driving on the dash instrument. That means I know that the exhaust is popping and banging at light throttle as soon as the AFR goes above 16. I will probably have to open the transition holes a little to improve that.

Anyway, I hope that helps... If you are only failing by a slim margin the instrument may give you some clues.

Gert

[Slartybartfast]

DONE !! :)

Hi all

I finally found a place that would smog my car. It was the "Quality Tune-Up" shop at 3146 S. Bascom Avenue in San Jose. This is a "Gold Shield" smog station.

Thanks again for all those who replied.

Wayne

[Slartybartfast]

By the way ..... if you take your car to this place, check your carbs afterward !! The next day, my engine was running very rough - I popped the hood to discover that they hadn't tightened the air-bleed screws (the ones with the little white plastic caps) and one of them was GONE! The were very good about it and replaced it the same day - but be warned.

[jeffareid]

If you end up going for a SB100 sequence number for 2005, do it early January. They started running out of sequence number mid 2003, which created a pent up demand causing the 2004 sequence numbers to run out much quicker. My guess is that the 2005 numbers will go very quickly. Note that you don't have to register a car to get a sequence number. Just go to the DMV and get the sequence number, they'll also want to see a VIN since the year/sequence number is permanent for the car.

[Roll a 7]

DMV handed out sequence # 500 on Feb 27 this year. It is very curious that the #s were claimed so quickly. Perhaps some kit Cobra types re-registered?? Dust covered car projects must have come from out of their garages all around the state in 2004!

In 2002 only about 2/3 of the #s were claimed.

[Rich J]

SB 100

Regarding the 500 available numbers running out fquickly. My guess would be the large number of people with plastic '32 Fords, and the like registering as '32's.
Are the SB100's issued in '04 good thru '05? I'm sure hoping to get mine registered this year, but I'm still fighting my SBD TPS problem.

[magnusfeuer]

Rich,

What happens if you disconnect the TPS? If you have manifold air pressure (MAP) or manifold airflow (MAF) channels, TPS will only be needed for transient fueling (think acceleration pumps on an old-school carb).
You may get hesitation when you floor it, but it shouldn't be anything worse than that.

Before you do this, you need to check that the ignition and fuel maps do not use TPS in their setup. If that is the case and you unplug TPS, you will get a really, really bad running engine.

Just my $0.02.

/Magnus F.

[Roll a 7]

Rich, I'd give DMV a call to see if there is a time limit on the sequence #. 8)