I went to get CA smog today in a stock 76 with all smog still attached. It passed the emissions test but didn't pass the manual test. I had to replace the breather grommet in the valve cover. Also he says the egr is not working correctly. I replaced valve and line to carb. The tech tells me that to pass when he plugs the egr valve it shoul drop 100 rpm's. It is only dropping 50 rpm, so he won't pass it. He said I need to pull the carb and clean the passage-way in the intake. Should I do this or go elsewhere? When I plug the egr valve it has good suction. The car passed emmision at 20 % of the limits so it is not a problem so is he just being a pain. Brian Davis :mad

 

It sounds like he is being a :conehead (dick head)
Not to rub it in but I am sure glad I do not have to deal with that stuff.

 

Brian, he may be right. When I redid quite a few things to my '80 three weeks ago, one thing I did was replace my EGR valve. Here's what matters. You can have a brand-new EGR valve, and if that passage is plugged solid-it won't matter whether you have a new EGR valve or not, let alone an EGR valve at all. My '80's EGR valve passage was blocked solid with "soot" or carbon deposits. Only really sure way to see if your EGR valve is functioning properly(besides hooking it up to engine vacuum) and that is to make sure the passage is clear. I spent hours on my '80's passages with a couple "wire cleaners" I handmade and a shop vac. Another way to tell if the passage is clear, is to remove the valve and run the car. Exhaust will come out the "round" port, and the engine will suck air through the "square oval" port. Do not run the car long at all like this as you are creating a lean mixture with all the extra air going in to the intake. Once I got my '80's passage completely cleared, it would not idle at all because to much air was overcoming the "idle fuel mixture", therfore the motor will stall. Not enough fuel for this "extra" air. :yesnod:


[Modified by Paul Borowski, 3:20 PM 4/12/2002]