1976 Is it a 49 state or Cali car? Options

[technicalninja]

Wow!
Wonki is Sherlock Holmes...

I can give a couple of tips on emission control: The EGR system was developed solely for the reduction of NOX via introducing an inert gas (without oxygen-could have been anything) into the intake to dampen the temperatures achieved. A small amount of exhaust gas equaled a large combustion chamber temperature decrease. If you keep the combustion chamber below 2500F oxides of nitrogen are significantly reduced.

The air pump was utilized to add additional oxygen to the cat to allow the cat to burn the HC and CO out of an extremely rich mixture. (by today's standards). Without the supplementary oxygen the cat will stop functioning earlier.
Air pump keeps cat alive; it doesn't dilute the exhaust.

Damned interesting that cat cars got an automatic replacement at 30K.
Replacing a cat every 30k would get old quickly...

What I didn't know was why Nissan added EGR valves to the Z-car in 76 and then added nothing else (49 states cars) until 1979 when everyone went to cats across the board. The 75 Z FI manifold without EGR is a rarity.
Thanks Woki!

I've found getting into tangles with city and state officials is often more trouble than it is worth.

Good luck to you if you try. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

[L-Jet914]

The secondary air injection pump was added to help introduce O2 into the exhaust upstream of the catalytic converter to help it light off quicker and as stated help the catalytic converter start oxidizing the HC and CO being produced by the engine earlier. The Toyota Tacomas with the 2TR-FE and 1GR-FE engines still have secondary air injection pumps and diverter valves to this day. Grant it the 1GR 4.0L was phased out on the Tacomas which is now a 2GR-FKS 3.5L no EGR valve/EGR cooler or secondary air injection system. The current 4 cylinder Tacomas still utilize it. The 2UZ-FE 3UR-FE/FBE engines also utilized the system. All in the name of emissions control and getting the catalytic converters to light off earlier. It seems manufacturers have either decided to add them or remove them over the years depending. Hell even today the new Toyota A25A-FKS/FXS and M20A-FKS/FXS engines now have EGR valves and EGR coolers tacked back on to lower combustion temperatures again. Toyota used to use there VVT systems as EGR holding the exhaust valve open longer which acted like EGR. I guess it's not enough anymore haha.

[wonkipop]

A bit of recent-ish California smog history:

About 30 years ago, all cars back into the 60s had to pass smog--UNLESS they were in an area that was not designated for smog enforcement. People in some areas of the state (generally less-populous more-rural areas) didn't have to bring their cars in. It was a big pain to get a 49-state car to pass smog, and the rules were often applied inconsistently.

About 20-25 years ago, the law changed. A rolling exemption for cars older than 25 years was granted. Specifically, an exemption from testing. You were still supposed to be meeting all of the standards, they just weren't checking. And I believe it was extended to the whole state.

There were shennanigans and compromises. The exemption was frozen in place, then changed to 30 years, and then eventually the law was passed saying "1975 and older are exempt". Again, only from testing. (I'm sure they said that because they could later make you start testing again and still claim that they didn't change the actual requirements, so you don't get grandfathered in...)

At the time that last change was implemented, a very few 76 914 owners were able to go to CARB or the DMV (I forget which) and successfully argued that the 1975 build date on their car meant that it also qualified. After a good bit of wrangling, that was granted, but supposedly the powers that be said something like "You few are it, nobody else gets to do this." I am not sure how accurate the information in this paragraph is; I read it on one of the 914-oriented forums and I don't remember which one.

You can challenge the 76 914 smog checks, but it will likely take a good bit of time and be a big pain in the *ss.

The general rule for CA residents is to avoid the 76 cars. There aren't that many of them anyway, and it's a lot less hassle avoiding them than trying to smog them.

--DD

brilliant dave.

there must be something in the CARB files. (and the EPA).

that condition on the executive order which states explicitely the 31 dec 1975 cut off date is the pointer to whatever is hidden in the files.

i understand the wording of the definition of model year for the clean air act.
its to facilitate the commencement of production of the next calendar year models in the year before after summer..
the definition actually dates back to the 1930s.
president hoover signed it into law.
at the request of auto makers.

but i think porsche used it in reverse.
which is unusual and unique.
i think the lads who own 76 914s in california, and are caught with the cars so to speak, need to ask the question? esp those who can prove a long ownership record in california.
it seems to me this smog law business is discriminatory. oh no. there is that word.
discrimination. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) its a big word that one, i understand, in do gooder california?

i agree, all others would be well advised not to take on the hassle when it comes to a 76 in california.

[wonkipop]

The secondary air injection pump was added to help introduce O2 into the exhaust upstream of the catalytic converter to help it light off quicker and as stated help the catalytic converter start oxidizing the HC and CO being produced by the engine earlier. The Toyota Tacomas with the 2TR-FE and 1GR-FE engines still have secondary air injection pumps and diverter valves to this day. Grant it the 1GR 4.0L was phased out on the Tacomas which is now a 2GR-FKS 3.5L no EGR valve/EGR cooler or secondary air injection system. The current 4 cylinder Tacomas still utilize it. The 2UZ-FE 3UR-FE/FBE engines also utilized the system. All in the name of emissions control and getting the catalytic converters to light off earlier. It seems manufacturers have either decided to add them or remove them over the years depending. Hell even today the new Toyota A25A-FKS/FXS and M20A-FKS/FXS engines now have EGR valves and EGR coolers tacked back on to lower combustion temperatures again. Toyota used to use there VVT systems as EGR holding the exhaust valve open longer which acted like EGR. I guess it's not enough anymore haha.

you are a little smog genius just hiding away there laughing at us all!
but for sure mate, your insight solved the mystery of the old L jets.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

[wonkipop]

Wow!
Wonki is Sherlock Holmes...

I can give a couple of tips on emission control: The EGR system was developed solely for the reduction of NOX via introducing an inert gas (without oxygen-could have been anything) into the intake to dampen the temperatures achieved. A small amount of exhaust gas equaled a large combustion chamber temperature decrease. If you keep the combustion chamber below 2500F oxides of nitrogen are significantly reduced.

The air pump was utilized to add additional oxygen to the cat to allow the cat to burn the HC and CO out of an extremely rich mixture. (by today's standards). Without the supplementary oxygen the cat will stop functioning earlier.
Air pump keeps cat alive; it doesn't dilute the exhaust.

Damned interesting that cat cars got an automatic replacement at 30K.
Replacing a cat every 30k would get old quickly...

What I didn't know was why Nissan added EGR valves to the Z-car in 76 and then added nothing else (49 states cars) until 1979 when everyone went to cats across the board. The 75 Z FI manifold without EGR is a rarity.
Thanks Woki!

I've found getting into tangles with city and state officials is often more trouble than it is worth.

Good luck to you if you try. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

not sherlock holmes mate.
just an architect.

this epa stuff is chickensh%t compared to negotiating your way through disabled access regulations in north antarctica. or regs that are about to come on line. like - public dunnies.
how many sexes are we dealing with again? 4? really? how many dunnies? who is paying for that? its not briefed. its not in the cost plan. how far is a deck allowed to be above the natural ground surface again? 1 meter. ok. make it 999mm and it doesn't need a handrail.

i'm used to looking at regulations real hard and trying to figure out where the slip up is that gives me negotiating space when i am dealing with a municipal building surveyor (inspector in amera-lish).

my motivation is never to solve a crime it is to "commit one". strictly white collar.
and not really crime just a manipulation of the rules and regs -----in my favour.

[cgnj]

This is my anecdotal evidence regarding non-cat MY 76 cars. Bought the black car in 2001. Drove to the NJ state inspection station and the inspector wheels a mirror under the car and tries to fail me for no cat. I explained to him that it was a 49 state car and it never had a cat. This part of my memory is hazy, but I believe that there was a 49-state emission sticker in the front trunk. He walked off the line and came back about 20 minutes later and said I was correct. He did miss the dual carbs. I went home and applied for historic plates.

[technicalninja]

All car still have the function of the secondary air injection. It was first handled by an actual belt driven pump. Many cars changed over to electrically driven pumps like the mentioned Toyotas and many more.

Modern cars just use the engine itself. One cylinder doesn't get fuel or fire for one cycle and 500cc of secondary air enters the airstream. You cannot feel this when it happens, and it happens far more often than you might imagine.

The EGR function is now handled by intentional cam profile overlap. Putting more duration into a cam requires a higher static compression ratio which further helps efficiencies. It's not just VVT stuff. It's everything now. The only new cars that currently have EGR valves are all diesels and those vehicles didn't get EGRs until 2007 when the diesel emission laws went ballistic.

New cars have tailpipe emissions so clean from the combustion chamber that the cats don't have to work nearly as hard as they did in the past. They "light off" faster and can live 200K miles now.

[L-Jet914]

All car still have the function of the secondary air injection. It was first handled by an actual belt driven pump. Many cars changed over to electrically driven pumps like the mentioned Toyotas and many more.

Modern cars just use the engine itself. One cylinder doesn't get fuel or fire for one cycle and 500cc of secondary air enters the airstream. You cannot feel this when it happens, and it happens far more often than you might imagine.

The EGR function is now handled by intentional cam profile overlap. Putting more duration into a cam requires a higher static compression ratio which further helps efficiencies. It's not just VVT stuff. It's everything now. The only new cars that currently have EGR valves are all diesels and those vehicles didn't get EGRs until 2007 when the diesel emission laws went ballistic.

New cars have tailpipe emissions so clean from the combustion chamber that the cats don't have to work nearly as hard as they did in the past. They "light off" faster and can live 200K miles now.

I will say the new M20A-FKS/FXS 2.0L and A25A-FKS/FXS 2.5L 4 cylinder Toyota gasoline/hybrid engines now have EGR valves and EGR coolers now as of 2018 to current model year equipped vehicles. As it's not just diesels these days.

[wonkipop]

@gnomefabtech

a very tidy 76 is up on BAT at moment.
calif spec. with emissions equipment removed and no california smog cert.

the removed emissions equipment is going with the car in a box.
if it sells you might be able to get the buyer to sell it if they are taking the car out of calif?

looks like its got everything except the long pipe that connected the EGR to one of the rear mufflers.

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1976-porsche-914-51/

[gnomefabtech]

Good tip. Thanks

[type47fan]

@gnomefabtech

a very tidy 76 is up on BAT at moment.
calif spec. with emissions equipment removed and no california smog cert.

the removed emissions equipment is going with the car in a box.
if it sells you might be able to get the buyer to sell it if they are taking the car out of calif?

looks like its got everything except the long pipe that connected the EGR to one of the rear mufflers.

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1976-porsche-914-51/

He'll also need this assembly . . .

[914werke]

Oh but there is more....
There is a specific airbox top, special trip counter, special speedo cable, special footwell foam, Dash gauge bezel with indicators, multi-chamber muffler with CAT, CAT mounted sensor & relay....as well as the defacto charcoal evap components & plumbing. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

[Chris914n6]

The air pump was utilized to add additional oxygen to the cat to allow the cat to burn the HC and CO out of an extremely rich mixture. (by today's standards). Without the supplementary oxygen the cat will stop functioning earlier.
Air pump keeps cat alive; it doesn't dilute the exhaust.

Not exactly. The air pump was added to trucks before cats were mandated. 1973 Chevy C10 for example. It was to finish burning the gas since carbs tended to run a bit rich.
Interesting side note. An air pump and EGR was used in the 2001 Chevy S10, but not used in the 2004 Blazer.

What I didn't know was why Nissan added EGR valves to the Z-car in 76 and then added nothing else (49 states cars) until 1979 when everyone went to cats across the board. The 75 Z FI manifold without EGR is a rarity.
Thanks Woki!

EGR isn't a mandate, it's a way to reduce emissions to pass regulations that year. For example the 2001 and 2002 Nissan Maxima didn't have EGR, but the <2000 and >2003 did. The new engine (VQ35de) introduced for those years was clean enough with just ECU tuning and design. On the other hand a 2005 VW Beetle has air injection but only runs from startup to warmed up.

[wonkipop]

Oh but there is more....
There is a specific airbox top, special trip counter, special speedo cable, special footwell foam, Dash gauge bezel with indicators, multi-chamber muffler with CAT, CAT mounted sensor & relay....as well as the defacto charcoal evap components & plumbing. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

yeah

but our friend is just bringing a 49 state car in.

and even in the case of a calif. car.

none of that is on the CARB certification that dickhead down at the DMV uses to do his/her/they's check.
they are just looking for the bits on the CARB certification.
which i posted above earlier. thats the documentation they are using.

in the case of a actual car.

pump.
egr.
cat.

these pricks are just going through the motions.
they are signing off on a visual.
and then an insert up the tail pipe.
correct me if i am wrong?
there is nothing about counters etc in the CARB documentation.
its all lost in the mists of time.
and besides its irrelevant, its tied into the manufacturer's warranty.
50,000 mi or 5 years. long since expired. that is why the counter is there.
thats all over when the initial emissions warranty ends.

they just want to tick boxes? yep the cat is there. etc. tick.
or alternatively find reasons to put you off the road.
electric man......thats where its at?

its gonna happen here so i shouldn't joke too much. i can see it coming! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/headbang.gif)
except it will be far more blunt and authoritarian in australia. pure morals. no ethical logic. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)

you are right about the airbox. egr hookup.
complex.

evap is universal. calif and 49 states. no difference.

[Dave_Darling]

The air pump was added to trucks before cats were mandated.

I dated a gal who had a 68 912. Every other year, it was a huge pain to try to get it smogged because it was supposed to have a smog pump. She couldn't find one, but the official sources that CARB used said they had one in stock. (I think she found out who was supposed to have it, and they listed it in inventory but you couldn't actually order it.)

Eventually she had the car converted to a 912-6, and apparently didn't have to worry about it after that due to having different requirements.

--DD

[wonkipop]

The air pump was added to trucks before cats were mandated.

I dated a gal who had a 68 912. Every other year, it was a huge pain to try to get it smogged because it was supposed to have a smog pump. She couldn't find one, but the official sources that CARB used said they had one in stock. (I think she found out who was supposed to have it, and they listed it in inventory but you couldn't actually order it.)

Eventually she had the car converted to a 912-6, and apparently didn't have to worry about it after that due to having different requirements.

--DD

68 912 is pre smog mate!
or pre serious smog. most it would have had would have been closed crankcase vent system. its even pre vapor emissions in 69.

you must mean a 76 912 E?
loaded with the same gear as 76 914 more or less.
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)
its probably pretty farked trying to own one of those in california just like the 914.
theoretically i suppose you can find a cat for a 76?
but i bet you can't find those thermal reactor log exhaust manifolds that were on a 912E instead of a cat! ? with a bit of luck the smog inspector probably wouldn't have a clue what to look for since that bit of tech died out pretty quick. i hear the reactors used to cook the engines in BMWs. Merc liked using them too. i remember my old USA girlfriend's grandmother had a 70s merc with a reactor manifold. first time i looked in that engine bay to check the oil for her i spotted it. thought to myself what the hell is that thing.

[Chris914n6]

68 912 is pre smog mate!

Sniffer test started with 1968 models in Nevada and most other states. CA has to claim leadership so they stared a year earlier. Not all Counties required a smog check -- usually just the highly populated urban ones.

[wonkipop]

68 912 is pre smog mate!

Sniffer test started with 1968 models in Nevada and most other states. CA has to claim leadership so they stared a year earlier. Not all Counties required a smog check -- usually just the highly populated urban ones.

you guys had it hard.
there i was thinking it started with the USEPA in 69/70.

wrong again. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/pray.gif)
i guess thats why they stepped in with the EPA as a body.
otherwise it might have been all over the shop with emissions standards?
that would have been tricky for the big 3.

[Dave_Darling]

68 912 is pre smog mate!

Nope, not at the time. She had to have her car tested every other year, like most of us.

Short wheelbase long-hood 912, not a 912E.

--DD

[wonkipop]

68 912 is pre smog mate!

Nope, not at the time. She had to have her car tested every other year, like most of us.

Short wheelbase long-hood 912, not a 912E.

--DD

yeah i just got schooled in that. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/pray.gif)
i had not realised the CARB was in existence and empowered under legislation prior to the formation of the USEPA.

its interesting how influential it all was.

australia started about 5 years after the US in 1974.
basically copied US emissions standards and program beginning with the same initial moves that the EPA did in 69.
the aim was to get to USEPA 1975 standards by 1980. but it ended up stretched to 1985. problem was getting enough infrastructure in to do the shift to unleaded fuel.
can remember there were cars capable of running on unleaded from about 1980 but the shift was not done to unleaded only cars until that 85 date, thats when the cats came in as well on all cars here.

my 74 914 is pretty much the equal of any 1984 vehicle sold in aus. we remained 10 years behind all the way to the end of the century. used US 90 to implement AUS standards in 99. switched over to EURO standards in 2004. currently at EURO6.

no smog tests but. never been a program here where you have to take your car in and have it sniffed. which is pretty strange when you think about it given how much australians love bending over to rules and regulations and the pollies love inflicting it on folks. but it did get mandated in the USA, land of the free.

i guess i got to be thankful for some things.

also the 25 year rule on cars has never been overturned here. keeps on rolling forward.
after that time you can switch to historic vehicle plates and pay registration that is only 10% of full registration. log books and restrictions on use and you have to be a member of a historic car club.

in extreme cases the cops can stop you for a grossly polluting vehicle under smoke laws.
and give the car a canary (yellow unroadworthy sticker). but as far as i know no actual emissions check using any kind of real equipment.