1975 280Z catalytic converter heat shield ?

[ckurtz2]

I also could be wrong, but if it is a factory California emissions car, there should be a floor temp light in the center dash area next to the vents. It was used to indicate if your cat was getting too hot. Not sure if regular federal cars had this too.

[Killain]

Hay Thank you,  I'm not sure if this was a CA car or not, but I don't have that big shielding on my car, I'll post a pic here in a minute, I think the car was saved by always being in a garage and the dealer optioned Undercoating. You can see it pretty clearly and I don't see the bolting for the shielding. I hired an appraiser/Inspector from the Hemmings motor news magazine to inspect it for me, and he said the brakes and clutch MC need replacing but he drove it a little and said he thought that this was a true 'Survivor' since the glass is and the headlight bulbs are still Japanese. I'm trying to figure out what the Cat shielding looks like and where I can find one. The car is in my garage, we got a snow storm yesterday. And wow, your car is mighty impressive !

Edited January 31, 2022 by Killain

[SteveJ]

1 hour ago, Killain said:

I doubt it ever saw rain for that matter. How do I tell if it's a federal or California car ?

https://www.zcar.com/threads/1978-280z-california-or-no.407281/

[Killain]

Hay thank you Steve, very helpful. I don't seem to see the 'Floor warming warning light on my car ?

Edited January 31, 2022 by Killain

[ckurtz2]

Thanks, love your ride too! Definitely seems to be a survivor.

          I also have the same undercoating on my car that saved it from rust. Good stuff

  Anyways I have noticed two things on my car besides all the shields and stuff that help show its a CA car. One bein that floor temp light, and two an emissions control sticker mentioning the catalytic converter.

I am going to make the assumption that your car was a regular federal type coupe.

Here are photos of what I am talking about

[Captain Obvious]

Killian,

If your car was originally sold into MI, then if did not have a cat from the factory. And as mentioned above, the first easiest way to know if your car was a CA spec.

And about the PA inspection rules... It's been a little while since I dug into the requirements, but last time I checked, 75 would have a "visual inspection" only. So your note about "equipment on and working" is a little more restrictive than necessary. If I get a couple cycles, I'll refresh my details on the inspection regs, but my understanding is there are no tests to determine if anything is working. It just has to be present.

Some things often removed on a 280? Top of the list would be EGR valve and controls. Second on the list would be the carbon can. And that's about it.

BTW - We're probably pretty close to eachother. If you're interested, shoot me a PM!

[Captain Obvious]

So, first of all, if you have the car registered as a classic or antique, you don't need emissions testing at all. Second is, if you drive less than 5000 miles per year, you'll be exempt from the (enhanced) emissions test, although they are always required to perform the same visual test even if you're below the exemption threshold.

I checked the dates on the current regs and it goes like this:

The subject vehicles registered in counties in the Philadelphia Region will be required to undergo the following tests:
1975-1980 vehicles - One-speed idle test; gas cap test; visual inspection

And the visual inspection goes like this:

(d) Visual Inspection of Emission Control System.
(2) Provided that the make and model year of the vehicle would have originally been equipped with the device, reject if one or more of the following apply:

(i) The catalytic converter has been removed, disconnected or is the wrong type for the certified vehicle configuration.
(ii) Exhaust gas recirculation (EGR)valve has been removed, disconnected or is the wrong type for the certified vehicle configuration.
(iii) Positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) valve has been removed, disconnected or is the wrong type for the certified vehicle configuration.
(iv) Fuel inlet restrictor has been removed, disconnected or is the wrong type for the certified vehicle configuration.
(v) Air pump has been removed, disconnected or is the wrong type for the certified vehicle configuration.
(vi) Evaporative control system components have been removed, disconnected or is the wrong type for the certified vehicle configuration

So the bottom line for the 280's are... You need an EGR, PCV, and the carbon can. And if the car came with a catalytic converter, you need that too.  The 280 never had a fuel inlet restrictor or air pump so those don't apply.

But there is no functional test for anything other than the gas cap. It's all "make sure it's still there" kind of thing.

So still, the biggest thing you need to do is determine if your car was a CA spec or not.

[siteunseen]

You could replace Breyer!

[SteveJ]

6 hours ago, siteunseen said:

You could replace Breyer!

He would never do it. The Supremes don't do pub crawls.

[Av8ferg]

My car is a CA spec car. I have replaced my entire exhaust because I live in NC and all cars 35+ yrs old are exempt for all state inspections. I have the old exhaust and all the shields. I was going to sell the cat to a junk yard. They buy and sell them to recyclers for the platinum and palladium which are why these things are so expensive.
Let me know if you need any of this stuff.


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[Av8ferg]

Here’s another way to tell if your car is CA spec. It will have a Altitude valve (not sure what it’s called but it has something to do with EGR vacuum based on altitude). I removed mine.

Circled in yellow in the pic.




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[Captain Obvious]

That's not the altitude compensator. That's a vacuum delay device for the EGR. The altitude switch lives under the dashboard above the driver's knees. But regardless... Other than wiring harness changes, the CA differences can be pretty easily removed if someone really wants to. But according to the FSM, the CA spec should be built into the VIN.