BAT '76.. how did this pass smog?

[zinz]

All you folks with '76 cars living in CA need to go find this smog inspection station... they'll pass anything, it seems. (the smog cert is part of the pictures)  This car has no air pump, an open filter on the crankcase ventilation, Stahl header, just to name a few. I guess it pays to shop around

 

 

 

1976 BMW 2002

BRINGATRAILER.COM

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[M3M3]

was wondering the same thing.  all the stock 76 emissions stuff that is supposed to be there is gone.  looks like the inspector "gun decked" the visual section of the smog cert.

[2002iii]

There's no way a carburetored m10 ran that clean. Someone clearly paid to have it clean piped.

[tzei]

E85 and it'll grow daisies from the tail pipe.

[FunElan]

shhhhhhh

[Daily02]

Before I would buy an 1976 or later car in CA I would have a stipulation that the car must pass emissions at a regular corner STAR testing station before purchasing. 

The seller knows an illegal emissions testing station, and probably paid a lot to get it done. 

Let the buyer beware!

 

Regards

 

Dono

[visionaut]

2 hours ago, zinz said:

. I guess it pays to shop around

It does. Or to get lucky..

 

When I first tried to pass emissions here in Colorado, I was very nervous — the original emissions stuff on my 76er was long gone, and I was running DCOEs, big cam, headers, etc.  I was concerned about the sniffer test, but more so about the ‘mechanical inspection’ for OE emissions equipment.

 

I failed my first test attempt — mainly because of the sniffer, but my lacking emission parts were also noted. I got my carbs/timing retuned for altitude (they were still at sea-level calibration) and I chanced going back to try to pass again - mainly so I could see if the tuning changes we made now passed the sniffer test.  But I was also already busy searching to locate original emissions parts, in case passing necessitated swapping some of them back on.

 

On the second attempt it turned out that I now passed the sniffer, but I thought I’d still be failed due to missing emissions equipment — but I lucked out and had a newbie tester this time — and when he checked under the hood, he didn’t flag me for any mechanical emissions faults! (I’m not sure he was aware of what to look for.  And he even complimented me on the Webers! Lol).

 

My sniffer results with the retuned DCOEs were actually quite good…

  HC PPM = 185.2 at 2500rpm (limit 600)

  CO% = 0.50 at 2500rpm (limit 3.50)

  CO2% = 14.3 at 2500rpm

 

I still need to pass the sniffer test every 5 years here, but no more mechanical. And nowadays, even with my now re-tuned for performance set-up, I can pass just the sniffer test easy enough…

 

 

[Mike Self]

No smog Nazis in Ohio (or at least most of Ohio)--and not for +25 year old cars...yet.

 

mike

[Eissmann]

My 76 passed the CA smog test shortly before I bought it. After almost two years it is nearly time for testing. I am concerned about passing. I will save that smog shop's phone number!

[John76]

1 hour ago, visionaut said:

My sniffer results with the retuned DCOEs were actually quite good…

  HC PPM = 185.2 at 2500rpm (limit 600)

  CO% = 0.50 at 2500rpm (limit 3.50)

In California the limits are tighter...and checked (sniffed) every two years. All testing done at 15 and 25mph on roller dyno.

HC limit at 25mph (2778rpm) is 190.

CO% limit is 1.21.

We also get tested for NOx (PPM):  limit 1256 at 25mph.

No way any legit smog station would pass a car without all the original smog equipment visible and functioning.

I failed a test for not having the pre-heat hose attached to the snorkel box, and a stern warning for not having the smog tuning sticker in the engine bay. This is the one under the hood vent on the passenger side that crinkles up and falls off.

3 hours ago, 2002iii said:

There's no way a carbureted m10 ran that clean.

Agree 100%!

Combustion gasses (CO2% = 15.9 and O2% = 0.0) belong to a late-model Honda Civic.

Pollutant gasses (HC = 11, CO% = 0.0, and NO = 20) are likewise hard to believe for a 47-year-old carbureted car with no emission equipment or controls.

[Daily02]

The big trouble with the CA 15 & 25mph dyno tests were that the original vehicle wasn't designed too pass such tests after it was received by its new owner. Earlier days it was just emissions levels at idle, and the shop would adjust the mixture screw to get the car to pass if it was in reasonable ignition tune. Pre-'76 gets you out of emissions Hell here. This latest testing got older vehicles off the road, so a plethora of rust free e39 M5's, 280Z's, Mustang GT's got junked before the values increased to todays valuations: ( 

[visionaut]

49 minutes ago, John76 said:

All testing done at 15 and 25mph on roller dyno.

CO only uses Roller Dino for 1984-up vehicles (OBD is required). Older vehicles do a static test, measured up the tailpipe at idle and at 2500rpm. And we have a sliding scale of limit values for older-cars, that are not as stringent as for later models).

 

My non-emissions equipped 2002 can pass Cali CO2%, HC, and CO% emissions output as-is. No idea of NOX, not done here.  I obviously can’t pass the OE equipment portion.

 

IMO, it really should be just results-based without any original design-driven part at all… and a vehicle shouldn’t be held against a newer emission standard than it was designed to.

 

[Alexander]

 ..

Edited June 14, 2023 by Alexander

[John76]

4 hours ago, Alexander said:

A 76 in California is worthless, in my opinion.

Well now...should I cancel my Hagerty Insurance?

My car is a '76 California (original) and passes the tough CA smog check every two years.

I took it upon myself to understand what each smog related item is intended to do and how it works. I've always maintained, serviced and tuned my car to keep it running great without spewing pollutants into the air.
So... I beg to differ. My car can be driven legally anywhere in the world, so it must be worth "something" IMO.

John

PS: The '76 that sold on BaT today was worth $27K to the winning bidder.  😎

[billy g]

8 hours ago, Eissmann said:

My 76 passed the CA smog test shortly before I bought it. After almost two years it is nearly time for testing. I am concerned about passing. I will save that smog shop's phone number!

 

Not a bad idea, but you'd better hurry!  That shop might not be in business much longer thanks to the seller advertising its "services".