TheSamba.com :: View topic

Thu Nov 19, 2009 4:35 pm

Does anyone know if a 1979 Bus needs a catalytic converter in order to pass smog in CA?

Thu Nov 19, 2009 4:36 pm

if its orig. equipment? yes

Thu Nov 19, 2009 5:36 pm

look on the driver door and see if there is a sticker there that says catalyst. I believe that all 1979 buses had catalytic converters. If you need one contact EMICO in Canada as they make them and will ship direct. As of Jan 1 2009 all cats have to havea special stamp to be sold in California and smog stations must fail cars that have new cats without the stamp and cert. All cats made prior to this date had to be resold out of state and there was no grandfather clause. Used cats can no longer be sold either.

Thu Nov 19, 2009 6:05 pm

Thanks for the responses. After posting the question I actually called a local VW dealer and by using the VIN they were able to tell me that this bus indeed did not need the cat. go figure?

Thu Nov 19, 2009 6:36 pm

Toader wrote: Thanks for the responses. After posting the question I actually called a local VW dealer and by using the VIN they were able to tell me that this bus indeed did not need the cat. go figure?

That means you have a federal spec bus. Your bus was not originally sold in California.

Thu Nov 19, 2009 6:39 pm

My bus is federal but I equipped it with a converter. I will be curious to know if your buss passes without one. The smog guy told me it would not. Also, an oil change and fresh tank of gas helps.

Thu Nov 19, 2009 7:56 pm

Quote: My bus is federal but I equipped it with a converter. I will be curious to know if your buss passes without one. The smog guy told me it would not.

My '78 federal passes without a cat. It never had one, so it doesn't need one now. I don't know why it would be different for a '79.

Thu Nov 19, 2009 8:47 pm

Man, I'm so glad to have moved out of Cali long ago. About everything I buy whether in can, bottle, or box says not for use in Cal or some other funny stuff. My Westy has the certification plate saying that long ago it had met the Cal Dept. of Housing standards for electrical, plumbing, etc. but yet it dumps the drain water out the bottom. In the AZ metropolis's our smog testing checks only what comes out the tail pipe and goes back many years earlier than Cal's testing. Isn't that what counts? Here they could care less if my Dubs have a 1 cylinder lawn mower engine of an Allison aircraft engine. They don't even look, just sniff the exhaust.

Thu Nov 19, 2009 9:26 pm

That is the smart way to go not the California way to go.

Thu Nov 19, 2009 9:34 pm

the smog guy will go with the location first sold so it sounds like it is a 49 state bus. You need to find that sticker on the driver's door pillar or the sticker on the engine door lid to show the smog folks if they try to say otherwise. Has this bus been smogged in California before?