SWAPPING TO CARBS smog legal?

[beebeecivic]

Hello, As some of you know.. i am having problems with my electrical

i own a 78z and i want to swap my efi for carbs.

my question is can i do that in the state of CA?

I know my car is 30 yrs old but i still need it smogged ..

[Arne]

No, you'll need to either keep the original EFI or convert to a CARB-approved aftermarket system (assuming there is such a thing). Retro-fitting carbs from an older model won't pass.

[MikeW]

No, you'll need to either keep the original EFI or convert to a CARB-approved aftermarket system (assuming there is such a thing). Retro-fitting carbs from an older model won't pass.

Simply out of curiosity, how would they know? Here in the Atlanta area 25+ year old cars are exempt from emissions testing so I don't have to worry about my 240Z. 1985-1995 cars are tested on a dyno with a sensor in the tail pipe. 1996 and newer cars are tested simply with the car's existing on board diagnostics. It seems to me that as long as what comes out the tailpipe is clean enough it shouldn't matter.

In the specific case of California can I assume that an in depth inspection must take place and that the inspectors are such experts that they can differentiate between carbs from one year to the next? Would they really notice if you put 4 screw SUs from a 1970 240Z on a 1971 240Z?

[Arne]

They probably wouldn't be able to see the difference between different carbs, no. But California does require a visual inspection under the hood as well. And if the emissions sticker says the car was certified as injected but it has carbs, that's an automatic failure, regardless of what comes out of the tail pipe.

I've actually profited from this in the past. My previous graymarket BMW came from California. It failed the visual because their "books" said that a BMW of that year needs an air injection system. This car didn't have one. A catalyst was added long ago, and the sniffer test was well below the limits for its year. But they couldn't get it past the referee, so they had to sell the car to someone in a state (like Oregon) with saner regulations.

[conedodger]

California froze the exempt year at 1975 when Arnold got into office. It had been a rolling exemption of 25 or 30 years, I forget. Now there is an assembly bill in committee that would leave the 1975 exempted but require all cars 15 years and older back to 1975 to undergo annual smog tests.

As has been said, your car regardless of the sniff test would fail the visual. Keep the EFI. It isn't that hard to find the problems if you follow a systematic approach.

[rtaylor]

Arne, what would happen if he added a 1971 smog pump setup? Wouldn't that pass the visual?

[Arne]

No. Even a certified engine swap must meet the requirements of the car itself, or the swapped engine - whichever is newer. Swapping an older (smog-exempt) engine into a car that still requires smog tests is not allowed.

[sblake01]

Arne, what would happen if he added a 1971 smog pump setup? Wouldn't that pass the visual?

Not on a 78. Most of them know what's supposed to be there and they'll look it up if they don't.

[Nota280]

I know someone with a stock SU carburated 1978 "260Z" here in Sacramento. The Smog refs will not pass the visual on it.

They want him to run it through a CARB compliance test through a registered importer.

[beebeecivic]

damn this sucks haha.. but thanks for the replies..

p.s. I am searching for a wiring harness for my car

[Nota280]

Are you around Sacramento by chance?

[John Coffey]

There's always a little bit of confusion regarding California's 1975 and earlier smog rules. Its actually pretty simple: ALL cars in the state of California must comply, at a minimum, with the smog regulations in effect at the time of their manufacture. California performs a chassis dyno test and a visual inspection to verify compliance.

The exemption for 1975 and earlier model years cars is for the bi-annual inspection and the transfer of title inspection ONLY. The car is still legally required to meet the smog regulations in effect at the time of manufacture. Any police officer or BAR regulatory employee can order a 1975 or earlier model year vehicle to get a smog inspection within 10 business days of the order. The exemption does not apply to this order, the subsequent inspection, the inspection results, and all remediation required to meet the regulations. Failure to comply with the inspection or perform the mandated remediation means revocation of the vehicle registration.