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rockerarm
Samba Member
Joined: December 16, 2009
Posts: 3552
Location: Los Angeles
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 Posted: Mon Jul 17, 2017 4:52 pm Post subject: Re: '79 Bus, '75 Engine - Passing Smog |
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| bugguy1967 wrote: |
Waiting on the owner to see what he wants to do.
Hey, while I have your attention, are there any modifications that could be done to perform better while still remaining smog-compliant? Like chamber reshaping, lessening the piston crevice volume, exhaust port work, valve jobs, increasing valve size, raising dynamic cr, etc? Can a modern programmable F.I. system, crankfire ignition, and cat be utilized, and still pass as long as the same basic EGR and ventilation system stays intact? |
Hey. There is no one thing and there aren't a million things you can do to a 1600 type 1 engine in a '76 and later bus that could possibly, as you stated, "be utilized, and still pass as long as the same basic EGR and ventilation system stays intact." The vehicle has to pass a visual (FAIL), a functional (probably FAIL), and the 2 speed dyno tail pipe test.
Just look at the hoops the Vanagon brothers/sisters have had to go thru with the Subi conversions, which essentially is the same as your friend has, an engine change.
If your friend's smog test resulted in his '79 bus being failed/flagged with an engine change it is not a pretty, or inexpensive, future for him/her. That info is now in the calif state data base. Other than any legal recourse towards the seller for basically selling an illegal car.
Bill |
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bugguy1967
Samba Member
Joined: January 16, 2008
Posts: 4343
Location: Los Angeles, CA 90016
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| Posted: Tue Jul 18, 2017 7:45 am Post subject: Re: '79 Bus, '75 Engine - Passing Smog |
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| No, I meant to the 2.0 liter engine. Is the test just checking what comes out of the exhaust pipe? If so, with all the modern equipment we have now, is it possible to still pass, while making more power than factory? |
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aeromech
Samba Member
Joined: January 24, 2006
Posts: 16971
Location: San Diego, California
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| Posted: Tue Jul 18, 2017 7:54 am Post subject: Re: '79 Bus, '75 Engine - Passing Smog |
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is it possible to still pass, while making more power than factory?
Yes. How much money does your friend have?
http://www.aircooledtechnology.com/index.php?optio...;Itemid=76
_________________
Lead Mechanic: San Diego Air and Space Museum
Licensed Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic
Licensed Pilot (Single engine Land)
Boeing 727,737-200-300-400,757,767
Airbus A319,320,321
DC9/MD80
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rockerarm
Samba Member
Joined: December 16, 2009
Posts: 3552
Location: Los Angeles
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| Posted: Tue Jul 18, 2017 8:40 am Post subject: Re: '79 Bus, '75 Engine - Passing Smog |
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Hi. I would like to say that yes it is possible to make an engine pass the sniff test but at what expense. It is very hard to make the "dirty air-cooled" engine pass the sniff test out there in the real world. And it is getting more difficult with every new day clicking off.
In this current scenario one is looking at the cost of that '75 engine. Who knows what lies ahead as far as its internal condition. Then all the required emissions related parts have to be installed onto this engine, and as previously noted the cylinder heads may need to changed.
As far as the camper special engine, I highly doubt it could be sold legally in Calif for use in a '76 and later emissions required bus or Vanagon. Why, because in the adds narrative it mentions a different cam, altered compression ratio, etc which, I believe, would be in violation of the "EM" identifier on the emissions decal. This "EM" refers to specific engine internals designed for emissions compliance, such as cam profile, combustion chamber shape, static compression ratio, distrib curve, etc. The builder would have to submit to the state's testing to get approval. It is very costly. I totally agree that one might not ever get "caught" with this camper special at the smog test station or referee station.
Similar examples of what I have written here are now ongoing with approving a compliant Cat Converter. And one can research what the Bus/Subi folks are going thru.
A perfect example of this happened at a dealer I was at and one of the few tech's with a smog license. Gentlemen needs a smog on his beautiful 1969 Ghia. Car has dual port head engine. I advise my foreman of this and he agreed with me. A call to the state smog district office confirmed this violation of the EM part of the total package and this car was failed on its visual inspection. The owner was completely out of control after this.
I'll say I aint no environmentalist or tree hugger as I really like aftermarket and race oriented stuff but it was a job I signed up for.
Here is a link from KentPS gallery showing the emissions label for his '76 Bay:
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=1558002 |
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Abscate
Samba Member
Joined: October 05, 2014
Posts: 22670
Location: NYC/Upstate/ROW
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| Posted: Tue Jul 18, 2017 8:49 am Post subject: Re: '79 Bus, '75 Engine - Passing Smog |
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| bugguy1967 wrote: |
| No, I meant to the 2.0 liter engine. Is the test just checking what comes out of the exhaust pipe? If so, with all the modern equipment we have now, is it possible to still pass, while making more power than factory? |
The test involves a visual inspection to make sure that you have the equipment relevant to the sticker on the car. If you don't, the test ends with FAIL, without ever looking at the emissions from the tail pipe.
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aeromech
Samba Member
Joined: January 24, 2006
Posts: 16971
Location: San Diego, California
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| Posted: Tue Jul 18, 2017 9:08 am Post subject: Re: '79 Bus, '75 Engine - Passing Smog |
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More on this....
It would be a gamble to try and modify the engine for more power. The CS kit might very well not be sold in California but there are many ways around that if you have friends and family in other states. That said, the smog guys are going to give the engine a visual inspection. They don't have xray vision though so anything you do as far as pistons, heads, cam, etc won't be seen. The engine with a CS package could very well run cleaner than stock, it's hard to say.
Years ago, like 1983, I needed to smog my 1965 bug. This was back before they changed the smog laws to exempt cars 1975 and older. They ran the test and gave me the report but failed me on equipment because I had changed the distributor and air cleaner. I went home, swapped back the correct parts and they reran the test and passed me. The numbers were worse with the stock parts but within limits.
The other thing is that not all these smog guys know what they are looking at. Many times they won't notice a non working EGR valve. They do look at CATS closely and yours had better be on the California list of approved CATS.
_________________
Lead Mechanic: San Diego Air and Space Museum
Licensed Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic
Licensed Pilot (Single engine Land)
Boeing 727,737-200-300-400,757,767
Airbus A319,320,321
DC9/MD80
BAe146
Fokker F28/F100
VW type 1 1962,63,65,69,72
VW Type 2 1971 (3 ea.) 1978, 1969
VW Jetta
VW Passat
Capable of leaping tall buildings in a single bound |
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