Smog test

[zrex]

Passed smog again !! Are all of us California 720 guys in the inhanced smog check status?

Anyway I'm Good for 2 more years ..

[Gradyfest]

What is the enhanced smog check status? Does that mean instead of annual we only have to smog every other year now? I have a header aside waiting for the day 1980's vehicles don't require smoging anymore.

[zrex]

From what I understand is that once your vehicle is on the californias gross polluter list the vehicle is on it forever. About 10 years ago the previouse owner had the truck smoged without a tune up and he got the truck labeled as a gross polluter. Also smog checks are bi annual as far as I know unless your exempt from them. I wouldn't hold count on the California air quality board to move the exempt date from 75 and older to anything newer anytime soon.

[thisismatt]

They also do additional testing on cars that don't have at least OBD-II...just more $$$ for them.  It's all about money, otherwise they would do a tailpipe sniffer and that's it.

[IvyRacer]

I've had two 720s, and never did get either one to pass. Still working on number 2... I just want to drive the dang thing, but the tags are from 2013 :-(. I took it off planned non-op almost 2 years ago, and have been paying reg fees for a parked car. Maddening.

 

Is anyone on here in the Northern California region, especially near Sacramento, that could recommend a shop that knows these trucks?

[that-son]

wish me luck.  i need to do it again this month.

 

ivyracer - i got my 720 to pass smog after replacing all vacuum lines and a good tune up.  i just followed the emissions chapter in the haynes manual.  i guess i was lucky too that all i needed was an a/b valve.  oh, and a new muffler.  all other smog components were good.  let me add too that i had only worked on changing oil and brake pads prior to the datsun.  you can do this.  it is fun!

[Burabuda]

geesh hats off to anybody rollin an 80's rig registered in cali

 

when the fuckers at carb and dmv repealed ab42, the rolling 25 year cutoff

made the 80's disappear mighty quick

 

 

 

in a side note, the jerk who in 2008 wanted to repeal the 1975 or older smog exemption:

 

Dean Raymond Florez (born April 5, 1963, in Shafter, California) was a California State Senator from the 16th Senate District from 2002 until the end of his second term in November 2010.

 

funny the guy who replaced him left the senate to work for CHEVRON

huh? cali democrap senator leaving public service to work for big oil? hahahah

[that-son]

 

funny the guy who replaced him left the senate to work for CHEVRON

huh? cali democrap senator leaving public service to work for big oil? hahahah

 

inconceivable.  next you'll tell us a pro gun-control senator has plead guilty for gun running.  these things just don't happen in ca.

[xsdg]

I've had two 720s, and never did get either one to pass. Still working on number 2... I just want to drive the dang thing, but the tags are from 2013 :-(. I took it off planned non-op almost 2 years ago, and have been paying reg fees for a parked car. Maddening.

 

Is anyone on here in the Northern California region, especially near Sacramento, that could recommend a shop that knows these trucks?

 

What kinds of numbers are you getting?  What have you tried?  Does the truck run like it's healthy?  Does the truck have all the emissions stuff?  Can you take a picture of the engine bay?  I live near San Jose, so NorCal, but Sacramento is a bit of a trek.

 

I picked up a pretty sad '85 720 back in late 2013.  Took me about 2 months of work, but smogged it first time, and then passed the emissions part of the test first time earlier this year (the tank filler vent line had cracked, so I failed that the first time this year, but replaced it and it passed everything the second time).

 

First-time fixes:

1) carb rebuild

2) replaced stuck thermostat

3) replaced all vacuum lines (and transferred the vacuum restrictors to the new lines)

4) found a leak in the AB Valve; removed the valve and capped off the ports

5) replaced the PCV valve

6) replaced the EGR valve

7) replaced fouled O2 sensor

8) replaced spark plugs and wires

9) reset timing

 

Second-time fixes:

1) replaced cap and rotor (which had an obvious short on the exhaust plug side)

[Gradyfest]

geesh hats off to anybody rollin an 80's rig registered in cali

 

 

 

When I bought my 720 in Cali it came with a smog cert (required to sell here,) that had the NOX maxed out to the exact decimal on the paper. It also had a very obvious exhaust leak off the manifold, holes in the piping post cat, multiple holes in the rotted exhaust, a pin hole on a EGR tube to a cylinder, leaking gaskets everywhere, I forget the rest. In other words, the guy I bought it from obviously knew a guy. I'm not racist in anyway whatsoever, but the PO was a Mexican here in Southern California. So yeah, he definitely knew a smog guy here (every smog I've ever done was with a Mexican.)

 

So yeah, all 720s here must be smogged. Which does make them a rare site even in this rust resistant area where they are still solid where it counts. Sad really...

[Gradyfest]

So yeah, all 720s here must be smogged.

 

Except diesels!

 

Caught myself...

 

Oh how I love my diesel truck. Never have to smog it. Fill up for $2.61 a gallon. Come on man!

[Buzzbomb]

I've been doing emissions tests yearly with my truck for over 20+ years. This is both for CO and AZ. I don't see it changing, unfortunately. However, I now kind of look at it as a cheap diagnostic test; the huge downside to it, though, is that if you fail you don't get registration. Vehicles that are pre-81 in CO have limits of 1.5 CO and 400 for HC at idle and 2500 RPM. It's only a tailpipe test with an equipment check. I hate it on one hand, but honestly, last year it helped me nail down why my truck was pinging. If you have all the smog equipment intact and the engine is running pretty good, it really should pass. I'm not sure how stringent the CA limits are, but surely they can't be expecting 2015 numbers from 30+ year old trucks. That being said, there are so few vehicles of this era running around on a daily basis that the gain in testing them for the "greater good" is perceived rather than real. In other words, it's nothing more than a tax on those of us who choose to run old whips we can still work on   :rolleyes:

[thisismatt]

The problem is that CA will fail you for a number of "visual" reasons, and maintaining 40 year old smog related equipment is often cost prohibitive or near impossible to find replacement parts.  So, for instance, you could have a new Weber carb (because your old OEM carb was shot) and emissions could be well within the limits, but you'd still fail.  Just evidence that CA is just in it for the money, really...

[Buzzbomb]

The problem is that CA will fail you for a number of "visual" reasons, and maintaining 40 year old smog related equipment is often cost prohibitive or near impossible to find replacement parts.  So, for instance, you could have a new Weber carb (because your old OEM carb was shot) and emissions could be well within the limits, but you'd still fail.  Just evidence that CA is just in it for the money, really...

 

Yea, that's stupid. What difference does it make if you run clean with a Weber or with a Hitachi? Running clean is running clean. Furthermore, what is to stop someone from passing  with the OE stuff so they can simply go home and change it all out in a few hours? I've seen this happen and heard of it numerous times with older American cars. I saw a guy with an old Chevy truck who retarded the timing so much it would barely run then advance the timing right in the parking lot AFTER he passed the test. There was nothing they could do about it as he left two black strips on his way out of the parking lot. Like I said, with newer cars running so clean and our older stuff being fewer and fewer, it's just a "feel good" tax for those who THINK it's making a difference.

[john510]

The problem is that CA will fail you for a number of "visual" reasons, and maintaining 40 year old smog related equipment is often cost prohibitive or near impossible to find replacement parts.  So, for instance, you could have a new Weber carb (because your old OEM carb was shot) and emissions could be well within the limits, but you'd still fail.  Just evidence that CA is just in it for the money, really...

How would Cali be in it for the money ? they dont get paid to smog test cars.Its more about clean air.An older 80's vehicle is easier to pass than a newer OBDII car that has issues.Less computerized technology to figure out.Also more leniancy on pollutant percentages on older stuff.I had an 82 Toyota pickup that never failed smog because it was maintained and tuned.My 2000 Toyota Tacoma has been a pain in the ass to smog.Its that "check engine light" that screws you everytime.

[Lockleaf]

How would Cali be in it for the money ? they dont get paid to smog test cars.Its more about clean air.An older 80's vehicle is easier to pass than a newer OBDII car that has issues.Less computerized technology to figure out.Also more leniancy on pollutant percentages on older stuff.I had an 82 Toyota pickup that never failed smog because it was maintained and tuned.My 2000 Toyota Tacoma has been a pain in the ass to smog.Its that "check engine light" that screws you everytime.

Why don't you ask that question to a company who paid for a CARB certification. Pretty sure the ridiculous amounts of money they pay the state for the right to sell their parts in California had nothing to do with clean air.

[thisismatt]

How would Cali be in it for the money ? they dont get paid to smog test cars.Its more about clean air.An older 80's vehicle is easier to pass than a newer OBDII car that has issues.Less computerized technology to figure out.Also more leniancy on pollutant percentages on older stuff.I had an 82 Toyota pickup that never failed smog because it was maintained and tuned.My 2000 Toyota Tacoma has been a pain in the ass to smog.Its that "check engine light" that screws you everytime.

 

It always leads to money.  If it's about clean air, then why isn't a sniffer test all there is?  Think about all the cars that have been taken off the road because it wasn't worth the cost to repair obsolete intake parts, and all the cars that then had to be bought (taxed) and registered (fees) to replace said cars. 

[IvyRacer]

What kinds of numbers are you getting? What have you tried? Does the truck run like it's healthy? Does the truck have all the emissions stuff? Can you take a picture of the engine bay? I live near San Jose, so NorCal, but Sacramento is a bit of a trek.

 

I picked up a pretty sad '85 720 back in late 2013. Took me about 2 months of work, but smogged it first time, and then passed the emissions part of the test first time earlier this year (the tank filler vent line had cracked, so I failed that the first time this year, but replaced it and it passed everything the second time).

 

First-time fixes:

1) carb rebuild

2) replaced stuck thermostat

3) replaced all vacuum lines (and transferred the vacuum restrictors to the new lines)

4) found a leak in the AB Valve; removed the valve and capped off the ports

5) replaced the PCV valve

6) replaced the EGR valve

7) replaced fouled O2 sensor

8) replaced spark plugs and wires

9) reset timing

 

Second-time fixes:

1) replaced cap and rotor (which had an obvious short on the exhaust plug side)

Sorry, haven't been on in a while. It was pretty close on the numbers, but failed the visual miserably because the timing was so far off. Then the head gasket blew again. So I've been chipping away at restoring my truck almost from the ground up. When i changed the head gasket i also did everything in the timing chain kit and agonized over setting it correctly. It also has a whole new distributor, plugs, wires, just rebuilt the carb, and I have been chasing vacuume leaks for what feels like an eternity. The timing is close now, but still seems way too advanced?retarded? It gets closer to spec every time I fix something though...