just a shot in the dark... soon i will have to take my car in for emissions. i have no idea if it will pass. i want to put a mild cam, Dutra Duals, 2bbl. carb. and manifold, and freeflow exhaust. my problem is this is my daily driver and i don't think hardly any of my emissions even works anymore and no one seems to know if or where i can replace it if i need to. also, i have always heard that if you put a "cam" in the car will not pass emissions. i think i will start with taking the car in and having it tested to see if i will pass (there are garages that will do this). i need help with what i can do and what i can't.any help will be appreciated! thanks!

Do they test both Co and Hc?

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Lasse

Signet -66 225
Holley 600 Offy-5270 Dutra Dual,regrind. cam 272 0,420 110, head shaved 0.100 slight.ported
MSD6A
A904
7 1/4 3.23

first off, they check for a catalytic converter and check it to see if it passes. i don't even know if my car came with one because my exhaust system has been modified (welded on a muffler). they do check for hydrocarbons (hc) and carbon monoxide (co). thanks!

They check for the factory installed components for that year.
They check that it's all hooked up right (many times folks change around vaccumn hoses to pass).
Then it's to the Hydrocarbon and CO levels.

As you said there are many shops here in town that'll precheck for you.
I don't think 74 had Catylitic converters.

The extent of the emissions testing varies widely by region, and the target levels are vary widely over different model years. Enforcement is all over the map.

There was a huge difference pre- and post- catalytic converter and pre- and post- EFI levels. In Virginia, it is illegal to change your car to a more modern, cleaner system - you must retain the origonal broken system unless you can find exact replacement parts.

First, find out what they test for and what their plans are for the next few years. Next, look up what your car was built with.

All testing programs I've heard of expect you to have the stock systems in place. Some are just a visual check (looking to see the stuff is still there), some test only HC, some HC & NOX. Some test only the car at fast idle, others through a driving cycle. Some are nearly trivial; some are nearly impossible to pass.

I know of no general testing of the evaporation control systems (that are to prevent gasoline fumes from the tank reaching the atmosphere) beyond just looking at it. Those systems don't hurt performance at all and do reduce smog; they started appearing in the late '60s.

Even if everything is running poerfectly, you'll still probably need a converter to pass a test if your car was built with one; they do work fairly well and really do greatly reduce unburned hydrocarbons (HC).

Nitrogen oxides (NOX) are harder; modern converters also help there, but EGR, OSAC, retarted timing, cam overlap, etc. are also used to reduce it. The NOX test is probably only important if they do a driving cycle test- at idle, you should won't make much NOX.

A performance cam w/ lots of overlap will probably actually reduce NOX w.r.t. the stock cam, but too much overlap will greatly increase HC.

Any weakness in the ignition system will greatly increase HC; a rich idle mixture would show up too.

There are special fuels and additives to help one squeak by on an emissions test, but I've never tried them.

I did a lot of testing years ago with the EGR on a '75 /6, and found that if you could get the vacuum amplifier system to work right, it hurt neither milage of power. However, I could never get the system to work the way it was design to; I had to resort to additional hardware.

If the testing is done by private garages, you can probably find a sympathetic testing station by asking around; if done by the state, you'll probably have your work cut out for you.

I would thouroughly research the situation before I changed away from the stock setup.

in MN they quit testing years ago, when the realized it wasn't doing any good, since they never checked buses or larger trucks over the weight limit. Now that pollution is being sold over the internet like a commodity, the whole thing is moot in my opinion, but I digress.

what I used to do to get my brothers AMC eagle to pass was to retard the timing by a huge amount. it ran like crap and overheated but it made it pass.

once we got around the corner I cranked it back up for him and drove home.

If co is the problem, you can mix your petrol with etanol (alcohol), 0,5L etanol/20L petrol, works great in Sweden.

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Lasse

Signet -66 225
Holley 600 Offy-5270 Dutra Dual,regrind. cam 272 0,420 110, head shaved 0.100 slight.ported
MSD6A
A904
7 1/4 3.23

AZ will test your car for HC, CO and NOx, and there is also an underhood inspection during which all required emission control systems and devices must be in place. The AZ protocol isn't as draconian as the CA protocol; in AZ you simply have to have all the kinds of devices and systems that were required on your car when new, they don't have to be the exact specific devices and systems. So, for example, your 1974 requires a thermostatic air cleaner because one was installed when the vehicle was new, but it does not have to be the precise exact thermostatic air cleaner the car would've come with.

There's no reason you shouldn't be able to pass AZ emissions as long as you pay reasonable attention to the state of your underhood area. You can't just throw away emission control devices willy-nilly and expect to pass. Missing devices, capped-off vacuum fittings, hoses to nowhere, open-element air cleaners and such are like little neon signs saying "Attention emission inspector: FLUNK THIS CAR!"

All the mods you mention (Dutra duals, 2bbl, "mild cam") can be done in an emissions-compliant manner. It sounds like you may have some cleanup and restoration work to do under the hood, since you say you have paid zero attention to the presence and function of your emission devices.

Note that Arizona governor Napolitano recently signed a bill (H.B. 2357) to exempt qualified collectible vehicles 15 years old and older from the state’s mandatory emissions inspection and maintenance program.

Under the new law, qualifying vehicles would have to maintain appropriate collectible or classic automobile insurance to retain these benefits.

The new law:

Defines collectible vehicles as 15 years old or older, OR of unique or rare design, of limited production and an object of curiosity and maintained primarily for car club activities, exhibitions, parades, etc. and is used infrequently for other purposes.

Provides for a rolling 15-year emissions inspection exemption that would
exempt qualifying vehicles upon enactment and would pick up an additional model year for each year the law is in effect.

Provides for an emissions inspection exemption for collectible vehicles
for which the owner holds appropriate insurance coverage.

Acknowledges the relatively minimal environmental impact of older
vehicles, such as the older vehicles targeted for this exemption.

Recognizes that such vehicles constitute a small portion of the vehicle
fleet and are well-maintained and infrequently operated.

Nothing can happen in terms of implementing this new law until the Federal EPA signs off on it.

[url]http://www.hagerty.com/NewsManager/articlefiles/742-AZDEQltr0605.pdf]Here is the ADEQ letter[/url] discussing the matter.

Not that this would really apply to you, since your car is a daily driver. Just thought I'd mention it because it has some tangential relevance.

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

This worked for me, in MO. I removed the cat, (it was shot anyway) and
removed the "honeycomb" from the inside, then re-installed it. Looks intact, looks functional, but is nothing but an empty shell. Here, they just check to see if all the emission control components are installed before they run the dyno test. Most of the idiots they have working there could'nt tell you what a cat looks like anyway!!

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1953 Plymouth Belvedere, 1979 Dodge B-100 Van

first off, i want to thank you all for helping me out. looks as though some of you really did some research! i think my first plan of action is to get my emissions restored if possible. everything should be under the hood all original. i did check the vacuum amplifier and it looks all stretched out and useless, as well as most of the rest of it. i'll try Napa and a few automotive stores to see if they can order it for me. only vacuum hose i have rerouted is the one from the carb. to the distributor. the information on the new bill was very interesting and may come in handy for me, being every car i own is over 15 years old.

NAPA can supply you with a new EGR valve, but cannot order a new vacuum amplifier for you -- that's a Chrysler-dealer-only part, and may no longer even be available. You may need to find a good used one.

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

i checked my egr valve and it was fine. the problem there was that the manifold was clogged. you reminded me to buy a parts list for my car. the dealership here says that if they had a book maybe they could find what i need, so i guess the "balls in my court". also, if i can piece the system together a part at a time, that's ok with me. it looks like i'm going to have go to the "yard" and find a few parts anyway, like my "Super Six".