Here is a bit more diatribe as to the issue of emissions equipment, circa 1970's.
Our TR7 engines were chosen by the BL boys as it was the only new design able to meet the coming U.S. E.P.A. emissions standards. The engine was detuned to use the low compression pistons with an EGR valve, an air pump to inject air into the exhaust tract, and the use of the more refined Z-S carburetors instead of the more crudely built S-U's. Additional items included a charcoal canister to filter float bowl vapors, a closed tract fuel system, a warmed air intake system, electronic ignitions, and, in California, a single carburetor and catalytic convertor. Mind you, this was just to launch the model range in 1975. This was typical for all U.S. market cars that year along with the introduction of no lead gasoline.
Naturally, every hot rodder took one look at these newly strangled engines and recoiled in horror.
The whole problem was cleaning up the tail pipe exhaust. The solution was keeping the engines operating as efficiently after 50,000 miles as they did new off the showroom floor. The key word here is, 'efficiency'. Electronic ignitions went a long way towards this goal as the spark delivery did not deteriorate like the points/condensor system did. The Z-S carburetors, once set up correctly, held their adjustment and tolerances very well. These are the two biggest items in maintaining a TR7 engines operating efficiency. The rest of the equipment is aimed at getting the tailpipe to smell like roses and lilac water. The thing is, with the engine producing a bunsen blue flame like the flame on your gas stove, it meets the pollution standards pretty much right there.
The remaining objectionable vapors from the float bowls and gas tank are attended to by equipment having no bearing on actual engine performance. The charcoal canister and sealed fuel system are actually beneficial to the car as the vapors are returned to the intake tract to be burned in the combustion cycle. Likewise the crankcase ventilation system that creates an internal vacuum condition to lessen oil leakage. This is good stuff and should always be kept in good condition by replacing deteriorated hoses.
So, since most emissions inspectors focus on the obvious, the lack of large items like warm air hoses, missing charcoal canisters, or air pump belts, or catalytic convertor, or various unconnected hoses are easy finds to be noted to fail a car along with an out kilter tail pipe reading on the exhaust gas analyzer.
Can you provide the specifics of why the car won't pass inspection?
Mildred Hargis
