1974 914 1.8, the mystery of the EC-A and EC-B Options

[wonkipop]

i'll be dropping the information we have gathered over Dec 2021 in with a set of posts.

the material was prompted by mr b ( @JeffBowlsby ) who observed that for the 74 MY there was an EC-A and an EC-B engine. mr b's thought was that the EC-A was a 49 states car and and EC-B was a californian car for emissions.

mr b's view was rational and reasoned. 73 EA engines are 49 states. 73 EB engines are california. 75 engines are documented in factory literature as EC-a (49 states) and EC-b (california). the logic should follow?

BUT

as per the mystery of the 914, the truth about 74 1.8s turns out stranger than fiction (or common sense?).

the material is not necessary to running a 1.8 or having fun with a 14. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

its for historical purposes and as information to 74 1.8 owners to assist with restoration if they want it.

[StarBear]

@wonkipop I’m planning on redoing a sheet of tune up stickers. Could you remind me which ones had the single vacuum hose sticker (EC-A Caalifornia?) and which the dual hoses (EC-B non California?).
I think I need to make a scorecard sheet to keep these variants straight. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif)

[wonkipop]

@wonkipop I’m planning on redoing a sheet of tune up stickers. Could you remind me which ones had the single vacuum hose sticker (EC-A Caalifornia?) and which the dual hoses (EC-B non California?).
I think I need to make a scorecard sheet to keep these variants straight. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif)

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

you got it right above steve. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

it was all a lot simpler 30 years ago living in ignorant bliss.

[StarBear]

@wonkipop I’m planning on redoing a sheet of tune up stickers. Could you remind me which ones had the single vacuum hose sticker (EC-A Caalifornia?) and which the dual hoses (EC-B non California?).
I think I need to make a scorecard sheet to keep these variants straight. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif)

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

you got it right above steve. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

it was all a lot simpler 30 years ago living in ignorant bliss.

Got it! Will let you and @Van B know when they're done so if you want you can sport a correct 2-hose tuneup sticker. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/piratenanner.gif)
Just revisited the 12/25/2021 entry above which indicates the reverse (EC-A are 49 states and EC-B are California). (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif)

[wonkipop]

@wonkipop I’m planning on redoing a sheet of tune up stickers. Could you remind me which ones had the single vacuum hose sticker (EC-A Caalifornia?) and which the dual hoses (EC-B non California?).
I think I need to make a scorecard sheet to keep these variants straight. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif)

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

you got it right above steve. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

it was all a lot simpler 30 years ago living in ignorant bliss.

Got it! Will let you and @Van B know when they're done so if you want you can sport a correct 2-hose tuneup sticker. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/piratenanner.gif)
Just revisited the 12/25/2021 entry above which indicates the reverse (EC-A are 49 states and EC-B are California). (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif)

not sure what entry you are referring to.
perhaps @JeffBowlsby at the start of it all suggesting EC-B was california and A was 49.
jeff was using the logic of the 1,7 engines and later 75 cars.
as we discovered it is german logic of a different order. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

EC-A = 74 california.
EC-B = 74 49 states.

its all there on page 1 of this thread with the photos to demonstrate.
and as we know our cars are EC-B and are 49 states from new.

in 75 it goes EC-a = 49 states. and EC-b = california.
not capital letters.
however that engine labelling only happens in a service introduction guide for dealers and mechanics to the 75 model. the engine emissions labels on all 75 cars is done in an updated manner that refers to engine families and engine type and no longer uses the EC format.

i do believe there is a reason that happens with the capital A and the small a but i won't go into it here. suffice to say that basically a 74 california engine is in fact a 75 49 states. hence A becomes a. and in a more complex way the EC-B of 49 states becomes the EC-b of california a year later. but i will save that up unless someone really wants to know. its just an observation rather than something you can document from any contemporary technical documents.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/beer3.gif)