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UnevenEdge

This is an older car thread mostly, but I am curious. Emissions.


Rogue_Alphonse

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I delete what is considered "extra" or "bullshit" (because it is) on things like my 1988 Chevy K5 Blazer (5.7 EFI V8... awaiting a 6.6 EFI V8) or my 1991 Mustang GT (5.0 EFI V8).

 

What I mean by this is, well let's start with the basics. the Smog pump. This thing literally pumps air at a low pressure into the exhaust, so that it ... smells better? And to make matters worse, there is a wire going to it to make the engine control module (ECM) work. Thankfully it can be jumped out and bypassed.

 

Next is the catalatyc converter. A Stock older engine needs these to absorb the unburnt fuel and burn it off, so the emissions doesn't "seem" as bad. Yeah those can be deleted and I used to sell the parts to do so.

 

These cause engine drag, airflow restriction, and add unneeded moving parts to the vehicle.

 

My Blazer actually gets better fuel mileage without the smog pump or a REAL catalatyc converter. (I have a fake one on it so it can pass inspection). It doesn't need one because it actually burns off all of the fuel fed to it. It's a thing called performance. Granted, there are a few other things done to the engine... and when the 6.6 block (and heads) replace that 5.7, the mileage will remain but there will be power gains.

 

So while I understand the initial "thought process" behind emissions regulations on cars even though it's nothing compared to what factories, power plants, and other countries produce... why are they so astronomically strict? I mean diesels have parts that gasoline cars have now just to um.... make them look like they're making an attempt and in the long run will cost them money.

 

IMO the EPA needs to stop fucking exhaust pipes and instead start sticking their dicks into throttle bodies... they'll find much more discomfort.

 

 

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I'm guessing you aren't in California, because that shit is near impossible to get away with now.  Heck if you have an OBDII system (which neither of your cars has) you're pretty much doomed to the generally useless 2O system with all of its censors for perpetuity.  I was also wondering how effective the secondary air system actually given that both engines and fuels have improved exponentially with the introduction of modern fuel injection systems.

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No but PA is their butt buddy about it (as is NJ and NYC with their intrudcion of aftermarket parts needing CARB-EO numbers like Cali started mid-2014). My Mustang hasn't had a legal inspection on it since 2009  :D it would pass safety inspection but emissions is out the door.

 

 

Early OBDII can be tricked (i.e. these little things called MIL eliminators that plug into your rear o2 sensors to trick the ECM into thinking the car still has its converters), and around 04 when things started advancing, it made it a bit easier to just re-tune the vehicle... makes it run without certain emissions stuff, and actually improves fuel economy and horsepower as long as the person writing the tunes knows what they're doing.

 

 

The front non-heated o2's are needed to tell the ECM what the air/fuel ratio is and adjust it accordingly. The rear heated ones are there to make sure the catalatyc converters are getting hot enough that they will burn off any unburnt fuel. If you get rid of restrictions like stock exhaust manifolds for headers, cold air intake, better flowing mufflers, etc as well as a tune, that unburnt fuel issue isn't much of an issue anymore.

 

With how much improvement engines have made over the past 10-15 years, I can see the things that were added back in the 80's and 90's to be eliminated. But the EPA wants their money.

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With how much improvement engines have made over the past 10-15 years, I can see the things that were added back in the 80's and 90's to be eliminated. But the EPA wants their money.

 

How so?  Not eliminating, but why the EPA wants to keep outdated tech?

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Well actually I think smog pumps are not used anymore, instead they just added more catalatyc converters. my mom's '98 Mustang GT had 6 for crying out loud. Diesels even are getting them now... I guess their fuel mileage is too good for the government and oil companies to make profit :D

 

Once the Freevalve engine (Koenigsegg has been working on this and actually put one in a Saab) gets perfected and all that, combined with stop-start tech that can basically eliminate needs for any of the restrictive crap put on cars today.

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