Home 
Home Search search Menu menu Not logged in - Login | Register

 Moderated by: Greg Fletcher
New Topic Reply Printer Friendly
GT Smog Test  Rating:  Rating
AuthorPost
 Posted: 09-18-2006 08:28 pm
  PM Quote Reply
1st Post
wtberks
Member
 

Joined: 09-18-2006
Location: Lake Nacimiento, California USA
Posts: 34
Status: 
Offline
My '76 GT has been off the road for three years due to registration issues.  I was hoping that the rolling 30 year exemption in California would eliminate the need for a Smog test, but unfortunately the exemtprion have stalled at cars from 1975 and earlier.

When I tried to have my car tested 3 years ago, the test station could not find the specs for my car on the DMV computers and thus could not test it.  Earlier this month I took the car to the state referee at Golden West College.  He sneered at the previous tester's attempts and entered the correct numbers into the computer.  Amazingly, the car passed the emissions test portion.  However, if failed the visual inspection.

The referee asked if the air injection portion had been modified.  He said that there should be a divertor valve to dump the excess air and he could not find one.  He requested any documentation on that system.  What I did find was a mention, within the workshop manual, of a overpressure valve built into the air pump.  Hopefully that will satisfy him.

He also asked about the various vacuum and air hoses on the Strombergs.  For that I could find nothing other than some vague drawings that include a few hoses.  I did replace the broken hoses leading to the anti-runon valve.  But, there are two tubes coming out of the carbs that sort of face each other.  Each one had a broken rubber hose on it.  Taking a wild guess, I ran a hose between them and plan on calling this an equalizer -- unless someone knows what it really is.

I need to get the car back to the referee before the end of the month as that is when my temporary operating permit expires.  So, of there is anyone with information to share, especially any factory documentation on the emissions system, I would be appreciative.

If I can just get a permanent exemption, I could repplace the old Strombergs with Dellortos.

Bill Berks
Long Beach, CA

Back To Top PM Quote Reply  

 Posted: 09-18-2006 10:36 pm
  PM Quote Reply
2nd Post
Mark Rosenbaum
Member


Joined: 03-12-2005
Location: Kingman, Arizona USA
Posts: 532
Status: 
Offline
You can find a drawing showing the correct vacuum line hookups, excluding the anti-runon system, at  http://www.jensenhealey.com/forums/view_topic.php?id=57&forum_id=4  .  This is based on shop manual figures RM5, RM6, and RM7, as well as a few mentions-in-passing elsewhere in the shop manual.

As far as I know, the only factory information concerning the anti-runon valve, air pump, and cat converter are found in the Emissions chapter of the shop manual. 

The facing tubes on the two carbs are for the start enrichment or "choke" system, and they are indeed supposed to be hooked together as you have done.  I think you will find the car will now start much more easily when the choke is applied.

Good luck getting the car through the smog test.


Back To Top PM Quote Reply

 Posted: 09-18-2006 10:43 pm
  PM Quote Reply
3rd Post
Greg Fletcher
Administrator


Joined: 03-11-2005
Location: Lake Nacimiento, California USA
Posts: 430
Status: 
Offline
Dellortos might make the car run cleaner, but you'd fail the visual test based soley on that. The CA smog database is quite extensive from what I've seen and when I had to get my JH tested years ago, the inspectors always knew exactly what needed to be where. Hard to imagine the state issuing an exception for any reaason, but I think it's not a big deal to restore the original system and have it functional again.

I'm pretty sure that the Jensen Healey Parts Catalogue Supplement lists the T75 (GT) engine air pump circuit by part and diagram, you might want to dig up a copy.

Back To Top PM Quote Reply  

 Posted: 09-19-2006 02:10 pm
  PM Quote Reply
4th Post
Jensen Healey
Super Moderator


Joined: 03-11-2005
Location: San Anselmo, California USA
Posts: 983
Status: 
Offline
It's curious how the state can require you to provide mechanical information on the smog system. It sounds like thay want you to do their job. Hopefully you can get this matter resolved and enjoy driving the car.

Kurt

Back To Top PM Quote Reply

 Posted: 09-19-2006 04:59 pm
  PM Quote Reply
5th Post
wtberks
Member
 

Joined: 09-18-2006
Location: Lake Nacimiento, California USA
Posts: 34
Status: 
Offline
Mark, thanks for the vacuum drawing.  I'll bring it along with the factory shop manual when I go back to the referee.  Greg, thanks for the reference to the air pump diagram.  I'll see if I can dig up a copy between now and next week.

Yesterday I stopped by Viking Motorsports in Costa Mesa to check them out.  I was thinking that perhaps I should let them have a look at the engine since I am the only one to have touched it since I took it to Steve Pike back in 2001.  Currently it runs OK with a bit of a stumble here and there.  Most of this could probably be eliminate with a careful adjustment of the mixture and elimination of any vacuum leaks.  I figured that Viking Motorsports could do that fairly easily and at the same time throw a charge into the AC system.  It would be nice to have AC in that car again.

I hope to get the car back to the referee next week and then be at the Sandy Eggo British Car day on Sunday, October 1.

Bill
GT 30450

Back To Top PM Quote Reply  

 Posted: 09-24-2006 09:24 pm
  PM Quote Reply
6th Post
stvbryant
Member
 

Joined: 08-08-2006
Location: Redwood City, CA
Posts: 1
Status: 
Offline
I understand that the governator has stopped the 30 year  permanent exemption at 1975 in just the last several months.









#19816

Back To Top PM Quote Reply

 Posted: 09-25-2006 02:38 am
  PM Quote Reply
7th Post
wtberks
Member
 

Joined: 09-18-2006
Location: Lake Nacimiento, California USA
Posts: 34
Status: 
Offline
That is correct.  I was hoping that if I waited long enough, my car would just be exempt.  But unfortunately that is not to be.  I now have lots of documentation regarding the systms and everything is hooked up.  maybe not all working, but hooked up.  I managed to crack the carbon cannister open and it started leaking in the engine compartment - so I emptied it.  The anti run-on valve is supposed to turn off once the oil pressure drops, but it stays on - so I keep it disconnected.  And, since it is not really part of the emissions system - just a fix to the bad effects of the emissions system, it should be OK as is.  I also retimed the engine and all should be fine for this Wednesday's retest.

Back To Top PM Quote Reply  

 Posted: 09-27-2006 06:47 pm
  PM Quote Reply
8th Post
wtberks
Member
 

Joined: 09-18-2006
Location: Lake Nacimiento, California USA
Posts: 34
Status: 
Offline
Arrgh!  I went back to the smog referee this morning and failed again.  This time I brought all the documentation that I could find.  This satisfied his confusion regarding the air injection system and the routing of the vacuum lines on the carbs.  However, he failed it because there was no grommet between the anti-runon valve and the aircleaner and because the line leading from the carbon cannister was a vacuum line and not a fuel line.  As if the carbon canister still worked (it's empty).

He let me go without doing the official retest, that way I can come back again without having to pay the testing fee.

Maybe I should just register the car in Nevada or Arizona and dumpt the Strombergs for Dellortos.

Back To Top PM Quote Reply

 Posted: 09-27-2006 06:58 pm
  PM Quote Reply
9th Post
Greg Fletcher
Administrator


Joined: 03-11-2005
Location: Lake Nacimiento, California USA
Posts: 430
Status: 
Offline
This should be easy to fix- all you need is activated charcoal and some filter and screen material to fix up that canister (the club even sells a handy kit for this), the rubber line to the canister is a vacuum vapor line, so not sure what they are talking about on that. The idea is that excess vapors travel through that line and obviously filter through the carbon to diminish their toxicity to the environment. I've had problems with failing a visual because the line was cracked, but never a question about what the line was made of.

Back To Top PM Quote Reply  

 Posted: 09-27-2006 11:54 pm
  PM Quote Reply
10th Post
Jensen Healey
Super Moderator


Joined: 03-11-2005
Location: San Anselmo, California USA
Posts: 983
Status: 
Offline
You're almost to the finish line, don't give up now. Get a gromet and some fuel line and be done with it.

Good luck,

Kurt

 

Back To Top PM Quote Reply

 Posted: 10-01-2006 12:07 am
  PM Quote Reply
11th Post
Ron Earp
Member


Joined: 03-12-2005
Location: Cary, North Carolina USA
Posts: 339
Status: 
Offline
wtberks wrote:
Maybe I should just register the car in Nevada or Arizona and dumpt the Strombergs for Dellortos.

How will that solve the problem? Even less documentation, and, never imported for "offical federal duty".  Seems like it'd be worse.

I'd find a new inspector, one that likes cars, or register in another state. This sort of stuff tees me off.

Back To Top PM Quote Reply  

Current time is 06:22 am  
> Jensen Healey & Jensen GT Tech > Carburetors > GT Smog Test Top




UltraBB 1.172 Copyright © 2007-2011 Data 1 Systems