1971 914 six smog equipment

[RSOHC]

What smog equipment, if any, was included in the production of a 1971 914 six?

[Dave at Pelican Parts]

Depends on your definition of "smog equipment", and if the Six is a conversion (VIN starts with "47") or a factory Six (VIN starts with "914"). Where you live may have a large impact on what gets defined locally as "smog equipment" as well.

In California, the "smog equipment" includes the original induction and exhaust. So on a conversion, that would mean D-jetronic EFI (a complete system) and an exhaust without catalysts or thermal reactors or any extra equipment. On an original Six, that would mean the dual triple-throat Webers and the exhaust with no special provisions.

Also included would be the PCV system on the four-cylinder, and the charcoal canister system. Not sure if there were equivalent systems on the Six, but I suspect there were.

Obviously a conversion car would not have the correct equipment and would not be in compliance, but there is a provision that you can convert a car into the equivalent of another US-spec car and use the equipment from the later of the two cars.

Non-US cars would likely not have the charcoal canister. Not sure about the PCV.

Neither of them have smog pumps, catalysts, EGR, thermal reactors, or any of that stuff.

--DD

[Tobra]

I thought the charcoal canister thing was related to the fuel injection somehow. I know it is for emissions, but I thought the higher fuel pressures were what necessitated the cannister. If that is the case, would a carbed car need it?

[DonNewton]

Something you need to keep in mind is that in CA, vehicles 1975 and OLDER are smog exempt. I know, I just went through those machinations with CA DMV. Now that's guaranteed to be a day full of hijinks and hilarity. If you don't have to install equipment that was designed to sap power and efficiency for the sake of smog regulations, why would you? Our cars are such a minority of vehicles on the road and I would also wager that we maintain our cars at a level that is much higher than the norm, that we would be the outliers in all data collection.
Unless your car is a '76, I wouldn't really worry about it.

[Dave at Pelican Parts]

The charcoal canister is there to handle fuel vapors from the fuel tank. Those build up regardless of your induction. They are often torn out of carb-converted cars, needlessly IMO. They don't hurt performance in any way, and help cut down on fuel vapor and fuel vapor smell, so I figure it's worth keeping them.

Don, you have slightly mis-read the laws. Our cars are still supposed to meet all of the emissions requirements and have all of the original equipment and everything. They just do not test 75 and older cars. It's a subtle difference, but this way they can change the laws later and say, "Oh no, we're not changing the requirements, we're just checking to make sure you are doing what you were supposed to be doing all along!"

I agree that the smog pump and the 75-76 style exhaust (especially the exhaust!!!!) are performance sappers and our engines would be better off not using them. Then again, the catalysts on CA-spec 75-76 914s should help cut down emissions... and breathing is not overrated.

--DD

[larrym]

an original -6 had weber 40 IDTp's which met the emissions requirement

Weber Carbs Diff Between IDA IDT IDTP

'way too long ago i had them - iirc there might also have been a solenoid switched gizmo on the manifiold that ported vacuum during startup-cold (but maybe that was only on Zeniths?)

[Dave at Pelican Parts]

There was a cold-start mechanism built into the air cleaner that dumped raw fuel down the carb throats, from what I have read. Caused a lot of carb fires and was disabled relatively quickly.

--DD