My 914-6GT keeps failing emissions in Nevada

[Alex5]

I have a '76 914-6 GT Recreation I bought four months ago from a guy in Utah and after 4 months in two shops here in Vegas, I just cannot get this car to pass emissions in Nevada. I had teh Zeniths redone completely with new parts, jets etc and ran superb, just rich. The last guy was confident he can make it pass, after detuning it and adjusting the valves and God only knows what else, the thing still failed and now its smoking and coughing....It never did that before, and I'm assuming he made the valves too loose and rejetted the carbs too much. Apparently the car has some goodies on it like a 2.5L 911S engine with JE pistons, Nicasil cylinders, 2.0 crankshaft and the new redone Zeniths. It drove fantastic before going into Meyers on Boulder Highway! I've asked them to put all adjustments back to were they were and give me the car back. I'm dying to get thsi car back on the street...Any help would be much appreciated??

[Alex5]

[Joe Ricard]

I would put a wide band Air Fuel meter on it. This is the only way to get carb jetting exactly right.

I think the JE pistons might be some high compression jobs so get so higher octane fuel and try that.

Adjust the valves to spec

And this is a 911 motor not a 1976 Type IV smog motor. so the numbers are going to be different.

Oh and I am so glad I live in Mississippi we don't care bout smog (it kills the mosquitos)

[Alex5]

Joe, thanks I will definitely share that info with my mechanic...Yes, the smog thing is a huge problem here, I didn't realize it was going to be such a huge issue for this car.

[Alex5]

In addition I forgot to mention, that when Meyers adjusted the valves, he was telling me that they were very tight on this car..However, after he loosened them out, the car began to choke and smoke....It was smooth before.

[kachemakian]

Alex, I only wish that I had an engine of that caliper for my 914. If this "mechanic" adjusted the valves and that made it "choke and smoke" afterwards, I certainly would not let him anywhere near the car again. I would trailer it to a real 911 mechanic, preferably one with some race car experience, and have them set the valve train back up properly and then begin over. This engine may never pass an emmissions test. Maybe you could register it in another State? Bring it to Alaska and I will take care of it for you! : )

Leon

[Alex5]

Leon,

Yea I'm going down there tomorrow and have him set everything to where it was. I'm assuming that car needs to be a little on the rich side and screw the smog..You're not kidding about Alaska...the emissions in this state are getting crazier than California.

[Joe Ricard]

It's just s "short drive" to Mississippi.

Beautiful car.

[ELMONTE]

It seems you have a problem. It will never pass with the 6 motor since the 76 had the 4. the only way to get it done is to register it as a classic rod or classic vehicle or a replica vehicle. here's a link to the nevada DMV for exempt vehicles.

Nevada Emissions Control Program

[Alex5]

Hey Elmonte...That's my goal, "Classic Rod" but if you read the fine print carefully it requires that you have the car smogged the first time and waived after that... There lies the problem and I'm quite aware that the '76 came with a four, tell me something I don't know.

[914/6]

Vehicles registered as a Replica Vehicle

Yup 1976 914 had AIR and catalytic, "Replica Vehicle" Is your best recousrse.
BTW it has "solex cams" it will never pass Unless you do the above.

[Alex5]

The saga continues. I picked the car up today and coincidently it doesn't smoke anymore. It turns out our good friend tuned it down too much and had too much oil in it and the car smoked. The old "too much oil routine" some mechanics used to pull in 1977. Unbelievable!!

The good news: So I picked the car up this afternoon from Meyers with a waiver for the Emissions, which means that I can drive the car for a year and figure out a solution for the future.

The bad news: The car idles at 1500(Go figure)....valves were pinging(I was told that they ran out of gas on their test drive, my guess is the dumb f*^k put regular gas in it or maybe water). After filling it up with high octane, the valves were not making any noise. However, its just not the same car I delivered to him, its way too rich, I think I got a contact high from the fumes and off the light first gear goes nowhere, probably because of the timing and high idle....I learned my lesson. DO IT YOURSELF if you want it done right.

[Joe Ricard]

Expensive lesson.
Hope are able to work it out. Lots of flat 6 experience here and the 911 forums.

[Alex5]

You're absolutely right Joe and I've got to say, Pelican Forum is awesome..I'm so glad I joined and not doing anything again without consulting with you guys. Thanks again!

[BURN-BROS]

Did you bring the car to a Porsche shop??


A Solex cam 2.5 is a great motor BTW.

[racer]

Some states allow for "classic" or "antique" plates which usually mean no safety inspection or emissions checks. Does NV allow this?

[Alex5]

There's two so-called Porsche Shops in Las Vegas and both are questionable. One is extremely expensive the other is a joke.

Meyers is a VW/Porsche place that has been here for thirty years. Nice people, just not up to date with high performance motors and modern Porsches.

I had to take it back to them again because the timing is all screwed up. The car is idling at 1500 and its way too rich, more than ever. Plus it appears its lost its speed! Its ashame cause it was perfect priot to going in...

[Alex5]

Some states allow for "classic" or "antique" plates which usually mean no safety inspection or emissions checks. Does NV allow this?
__________________
1987 944
Past:
2000 Boxster 2.7, 1978 911SC Euro,
1976 914 2.0, 1970 914 w/2056

No apparently, they still need you to pass the initial smog test and from there onwards you're clear. The only catch is you can only drive it 2,500 miles a year...That's only here in Clark County. You can go register it in other counties but you need to show that you live there.

We've become more and more like California. The "Green" initiatives are spreading like wild fire and will start to have more and more of an effect on all these old cars...I heard that Salt Lake City's County is implementing the same rule as of 2010.

Who would have thought, that Dr.Porsche's Electric Car Testing in the 1900s would come back to infruition years later.

[BURN-BROS]

Originally Posted by Alex5

There's two so-called Porsche Shops in Las Vegas and both are questionable. One is extremely expensive the other is a joke.

Meyers is a VW/Porsche place that has been here for thirty years. Nice people, just not up to date with high performance motors and modern Porsches.

I had to take it back to them again because the timing is all screwed up. The car is idling at 1500 and its way too rich, more than ever. Plus it appears its lost its speed! Its ashame cause it was perfect priot to going in...

That's a shame, A great deal of the new techs are not taught about Carburetors in the classes anymore. If you were closer I'd have you swing by. I would tune it with a LM1 and verify what timing is @ 6000 rpm immediately.

Be careful, If you are at 9.5:1 on comp and they lean it out, detonation could be happening. If timing is off that much you are going to have way too much total timing.

...not trying to stir the pot.

[Alex5]

Aaron,

Here are the engine specs:

66mm T 2.0 crank and rods.
90mm EBS nicasil cylinders
90mm JE pistons 9.5-1
Solex grind cams
2.7 S cis heads