Over the Thanksgiving holiday I got my car ready for the inspection (fixing the "dead" spot on the horn, replacing my dimmer switch, etc). So, today over lunch I go and get it inspected. I had passed by a Texaco lube express and noticed that there are pretty much always 2 'vettes ('77 and 75) parked outside, so I figured I'd give them a try. Well, here is what they tried to get me for:

1) The blinkers don't blink. The problem here was that I added electric fans and I had to upgrade to a bigger altenator. In order for the alt to exite, you must rev the engine to > 1500 RPMs or the fans will draw big time current from the battery not allowing the blinkers to blink. No big deal.

2) "This car doesn't have mufflers". I have Hooker sidepipes and am running a custom 2.5" glasspack muffler insert. It is loud, but not even nearly Harley loud. I told him that if he has a flashlight, he could probably see the mufflers and that if there were none we would not have been able to have that conversation.

3) This is the one that really gets me. He claimed that every car after '68 had some sort of thermesatic switch in the air assembly and EGR. He could not tell me where this thermestatic switch went or what it looked like.

When all was said and done, I left with a valid inspection, so he may have just been giving me a hard time, I dunno.

Can anybody comment on #3 above? I'm 99% sure that in '69, there was no EGR, but I don't have a clue what thermestatic switch he was talking about.

 

Hi Chris...
I finally got tired of playing that same game at inspection time.
Here, when a car is 30 Yrs. old you can license as an Antique.
$15.00/Yr license and no inspections ever.

As for EGR, I think mid seventies was the first appearance.
Barry

 

3) This is the one that really gets me. He claimed that every car after '68 had some sort of thermesatic switch in the air assembly and EGR. He could not tell me where this thermestatic switch went or what it looked like.
My 72 has only 33000 miles on it and is very original. I have the 70-72 NCRS Judging Guide and I can tell you from my judging experience that the fellow is wrong with respect to the thermostatic switch. My car got a good going over by the NCRS folks and I received a 95.7% on my points. Nobody mentioned anything about the thermostatice switch and the judging guide doesn't either. I do THINK that the 73 big blocks had an EGR valve though, only because my neighbor has one on his original 73 454.
Gary

 

Chris A,
Your experience is exactly the reason I got Antique plates [ no inspection in NJ]. My 72 does not have an egr valve, my 74 had one. I dont know if 73 had one or not.
Ed

 

I don't think I'm eligable for antique plates. I think that you are only supposed to drive them to/from car shows, parades, or car club events. Is that correct? I thought about getting classic plates, but I don't think it gives any advantages as far as state inspections go.

 

The 73 big blocks do have one (EGR valve), I'm not sure about 73 small blocks though. No thermatic switch for a heat riser on a 73 big block though.

:cheers:
Pat Kunz


[Modified by 73 LS-4, 8:15 PM 11/26/2001]

 

Chris,

Your car is too old for an EGR. The thermostaic switch is located in the air cleaner and keeps the main air intake closed so that air is drawn from the hot air tubing going to the exhaust manifold. As the switch gets warm it opens the air cleaner intake to take cold air. It's used to get the enigne off the choke sooner.

You didn't go to the oil change place on Custer in Plano did you? They have a vette there every so often. They don't have a clue.

Dave

1980 L82 (now with ZZ4)

 

Dave, yes, this was at the oil change place at Custer & 15'th. To be honest, I was most worried about the air pump (or lack of air pump) once they started really looking under the hood. When he mentioned the EGR, I knew I was getting out of there with a sticker.

 

As far as Texas inspections go, I love the fact you can "shop around." My vette's been going through without much problem, but my old Chevy half-ton usually fails at one or two inspection stations before I find someone who'll let it through. Other states I've lived in, they strip out your old inspection sticker and make you pay before they inspect it, so you have no choice but to come back to the same place after fixing whatever problem they've gigged you for.

The PITA about Texas inspections is that it's so damned arbitrary half the time. I'll get gigged for something stupid at one place (a high beam indicator light that doesn't work), go someplace else and get gigged for a different stupid thing (hanger on exhaust is a little loose), but none of 'em pick the same stupid thing.

BTW, I got no EGR, no cats, no AIR pump, no nothin', and never get gigged for that. They're talking about starting sniffer tests down here in the Austin area, though, and that's got me nervous.

JB

'78SA