Smells much better than before, but still smells like a old hulking v8! The family's been bugging me a bit to cut down on it. I have the timing set perfect, brand new pertronix ignition, and a brand new engine under it. Carb is set nearly perfect aswell. It doesn't stink (it's not running rich or burning oil) it just smells like exhaust, just, lots of it.

Long story short, would a pair of cats, (one per pipe) clean up the smell a bit?

Sam

 

Consider the amount of fuel that your truck uses-its a good bit more than a modern car. That's one reason for the smell; your just producing more exhaust. Assuming your talking about your '73, cats wont work well on it. Trucks that came with cats included an air pump that added extra O2 to the exhaust so that the cats could burn off the unburned hydrocarbons. If your truck doesn't have that, your not gonna be burning off much of that unburnt gas.

In short, don't even bother. Your never gonna have the clean smell like a modern, double catted, EFI engine.

 

Yeah, makes sense, sounds like cats are out. No problem, less money to spend! I think I'll just go with a nice new set of duals, one pipe out each side to spread it around.

I would imagine that I could get the hydrocarbons down a bit if I really spent some time with my carb and a vacuum gauge, get it tuned just perfect.

Sam

 

Saving a little money is always nice.

I actually just bought a pair of used cats and welded a tube straight through for when I redo my exhaust. Gotta pass inspection

 

Hahaha! Whatever works!

I guess I should consider myself lucky, no smog here on anything more than 25 years old.

Sam

 

35 years here

 

You guys don't have anything were at 46 years. But you can get exempt if you have collectors insurance.

 

Ha, I've got you all beat...no smog, no inspection, no requirements really on anything except seat belts on newer cars and a muffler, but no one's checking anyway. I love Montana!

 

I second that^!!!!Montana is awesome

 

Actually, if your carb is not set too rich, a non-air cat will do what you want. Air injection is only required when the air fuel mixture is excessively rich. See the Wikipedia article. A three way cat extracts oxygen from the NOx gasses, which is used to react hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide. Smog pumps were only a California requirement. My 1976 federal spec F100 has a convertor without smog pump. None of my cars, including a 1985 Buick turbo, have smog pumps. If you run your carb near 14.7 during cruise and most driving, a non-air cat will work just fine.

 

Not exactly true. Air pumps were on California emissions only vehicles starting as early as 1972. (maybe earlier, I'm not sure) More vehicles started trickling in air pumps until 1980, when federal emissions regulations got tough enough that ALL manufacturers used air pumps and cats. A car sold in California had to pass stricter standards than the rest of the country until about 1995 or 1996. Then the federal standards met or exceeded California standards. That's why on most used cars still left on the road, there's no such thing as a "California emissions" car anymore.

My '78 Non-California emissions truck had an air pump, as does my '79. Of course I'm speaking from memory and my experience as an auto mechanic since these things were new, (or close to it) so my dates may be a little fuzzy.

 

Peeps that wanted to use leaded fuel, knocked out the restrictors in fuel filler tubes that were narrow, so only a unleaded gas station nozzle would fit.

Leaded fuel nozzles were larger, wouldn't fit with the restrictor in place.

The problem was, they were unaware that lead reacted with the charcoal inside cat converters, melting it and shoving it into the muffler.

Vehicles soon began to sound like vacuum cleaners heading' on down to road. A strong sulfer smell was also evident.

T/E = Thermactor Emission (smog pump) intro'd in 1966, was mandatory in some sold new in CA vehicles.

Evaporative Emission System intro'd in 1970, was mandatory in sold new CA Passenger Cars, E/F100's and Bronco's initially.

Since I live and worked in LA LA Land, I'm not aware of other states smog requirements.
Printed on window sticker of 2011 F150 in my sig: CALIFORNIA EMISSIONS SYSTEM No Charge

Somewhere around this menagerie, I have the window sticker of the 2008 Fusion I traded in on the F150, but finding it may take some time.

5 miles east, is Super Ford-Lincoln. I'll be in the area later today, will stop by see what car window sticker say inre to CA Emissions Systems.

Young 'un FTE member has a 1976 Stupor Duper Camper Special. It was sold new in NorCal (DSO 72). In his sig pic, he was crowing it didn't come from the factory with any smog related parts. Uh huh...
I drove out to San Berdoo and looked at it. At one time, it had: PCV, EGR, T/E and Evap/Em. Most of this has been removed, but there was evidence it had been in place.

CA smog tests 1976 and newer vehicles. All the smog related parts have to be in place and in good working order.

There is no waiver if the parts are obsolete. If a vehicle cannot pass a smog test, it cannot be registered, it's as simple as that. It's fix it...or park it.

This truck was purchased in 2008, FTE member and dad didn't look...cuz they were unaware. So, truck has been parked since 2008, because it cannot pass the smog test.

 

Thanks! I will take a look into that, so something like this would work? MagnaFlow 59926 - MagnaFlow Universal Spun Catalytic Converters - Overview - SummitRacing.com

By the way, what does GVWR have to do with catalytic rating?

Sam

EDIT: I've got a ton of zinc and phosphorus in my oil, (it's a special oil for flat tappet cams) doesn't that stuff kill cats?

 

yea I was one of those peeps I loved the 70s ,what I can remember,actually I remember quite abit,no seat belt law,smoking in grocery stores,no child seats,no helmets on MC,blue laws on Sunday,lucky to get out alive ,some of the best music of all time cheers Mr Kotter

 

Oh and i left out my first pickup truck 1975 HB