Oh boy ...

CA has introduced their new standards - they're basically trying to get the older vehicles off the road. So 2 years ago, my truck passed. This year it doesn't - emissions are fine, but it doesn't pass the visual inspection. It is missing two parts -

a vacuum amplifier
a delay valve for throttle kicker

So helpful, they can not even give me a photograph of what the parts look for so I could find them in the wrecking yard. *sigh*

Anyone familiar with emissions for this pup, or anyone have a diagram, or - better yet - anyone know where I can buy the parts online?

It's a good truck. Emissions are good. CA is driving me NUTS!!!

Thanks!
Butch

 

A vacuum amplifer should just be the "coffee can" on the fender well that augments vacuum.
I have no idea what the heck a throttle kicker is or why someone would want to delay it. Did they explain what it is supposed to do?

 

Throttle kicker might be the little spring loaded can that goes in front of the throttle arm on automatic equipped vehicles. It prevents the throttle from closing rapidly and causing a stumble in auto equipped vehicles. Seems I recall that it had a vacuum line going to somewhere that eliminated this action under high vacuum conditions like deceleration or downshifting to decelerate on hills. Look on automatic equipped cars of similar years.

 

The vacuum amplifier is not the can thing, that's a vacuum reservoir. The vacuum amplifier is a device that takes a trigger vacuum signal from one source, then opens a valve to use vacuum from the reservoir to provide a stronger vacuum than the original signal to another device (usually the EGR valve diaphragm).

Delay valves are readily available from both aftermarket sources and Ford/Motorcraft. They are basically just a metered orifice that slows down the action of a vacuum-operated device.

The throttle kicker is a vacuum motor that pushes the throttle open slightly when a vacuum source is applied to it. The vacuum source is usually manifold vacuum. It's purpose is to prevent high HC emissions caused by closing the throttle too far when decelerating.

The device that slows down throttle closing (for the last few degrees of throttle shaft rotation) is called a dashpot. Often throttle kickers and throttle solenoids have dashpots attached.

I can't find any reference to either a throttle kicker or vacuum amplifier used on a 1977 F250 truck. What's your carb ID code?

 

I thought California had an excemption at 25 years or older?

 

Unfortunately - with Smog II coming into effect, the standards are more strict and vehicles are required to pass smog for 30 years now.

The part that really angers me (politely spoken) is that the emissions are within the required range - and the truck passed the last two times (I've owned it 6 years) and now suddenly the requirements have changed. *sigh*

Thanks one and all - I'll post the results when I figure it out (and answer questions when I figure out the answers!!)

*sigh*
Butch

 

Which is pretty weird. If the EGR vacuum amplifier is missing, it would seem like the EGR wouldn't be working.

According to my diagram you should have several delay valves on there besides the vacuum kicker. One between the EGR and the WOT, and besides that you should probably have one on the air cleaner between the door motor and the bimetal sensor.

It should be a squat plastic cylinder, black on one side, white on the other with a vac plug coming out of each end.

http://home.earthlink.net/~sigyn/7-71J-R0.GIF

http://home.earthlink.net/~sigyn/7-72J-R0.GIF


Motorcraft doesn't seem to have amplifier online.



ash
['Dealer ought to have it.']

 

Im in California too and man, our emission laws stink! They expect a old car to be able to pass the same test that new cars have to pass. Plus, the worst thing is that it is extremely hard to find smog legal parts for a older vehicle (performance parts). I was talking to my mechanic and he said that the state expects people to buy a new car every 5-6 years! HAHA! They wish, Ill never get rid of my 79 as long as I live. Thats why I want to move outta this expensive over regulated state!

 

Hmmmm.. there are still 17 counties in this state that don't require biennial smog tests.

As of 1/1/04, 1975 vehicles are exempt from smog requirements in California.

In every county, there are smog stations that don't look too closely - find one of them.

 

I learned a little trick a while back. I got a diagram of all the smog garbage that was supposed to be on the car. Then I went to the junkyard and bought a bunch of hose and the vacuum cans and such. Then I put it in the right places. Of course it wouldn't pass the smog with all that garbage hooked up because I didn't know exactly how to test all those stupid devices. So I unhooked them back to when it would pass smog. Then I put a little piece of a bolt in some of the vacuum lines and hooked them back up. Voila looks like it's all there, but it doesn't work which equates into less smog. ( Kinda makes me think that all that crap was pretty useless to start with. Just like we've known for years, a lot of the 70's smog junk could have been done away with if they had built the motor right to begin with.)

 

Okay - thanks for all your feedback. My brother took the truck to the 4th mechanic today - someone who actually knows what they're talking about - and it's missing only the vacuum amplifier. So I need to find one of those.

Meanwhile, one of the previous mechanics said - look - there's the throttle kicker delay right there ... something the first mechanic (that failed the truck) said was missing.

Another smog stop said they couldn't smog it because the tires are too big (with Smog II, we have treadmills that the vehicles are smogged at driving speeds on) - my brother offered to take the truck home and put original size tires on it (they're in the shed) and come back - and suddenly the shop didn't smog anything manufactured after 1980.

Ughh.

So that's the current scoop. I need a vacuum amplifier.

Turns out that in less densely populated areas in CA, smog is not required. Makes one consider registering their truck to one of those areas, if not living in one ... hmmm ...

Thanks again -

Butch

 

You can buy smog parts from "Help Smog" at 1-800-544-4357.
They have the Vacuum Amp in stock.
Dan's Truck Page

 

If you have a relative or friend in one of the 17 counties that are exempt, you can send DMV a change of address and make it look like you live there. Voila! No more biennial smog. Legal? No. Tricky? Yes.

The 17 counties are high in the Sierra or up north. I live in Siskiyou and we don't have it. Hope it never happens, either, because half the cars in this county would have to be taken off the road!

Others I can think of are Alpine, Modoc, probably Del Norte, Mono.

If you can get the truck passed this year, it will become exempt in 2006.

 

hey, ashvalentine, I really could use the source of the vacuum diagram you used. I need one for my 77 F150 4X4 VIN#F14HNXxxxxx. DSO is 24, so it's outta Jacksonville,FL. I got several diagrams, but they all are Calif emission diagrams and they show way too much smog junk that I know didn't come on an East coast truck.

 

butchpoodle,

My wife owns a out of state 78 F150 4x4 with a 400 in it now. We had probs 4 yrs ago when trying to smog it.. a few shops tried to pull the BS over my wife saying she needed cats, nox, etc etc which was never on the truck new. I called DMV and was told the only thing that must be on the motor is what came on it new, which was an EGR valve, and a vacc canister, and a couple small vacc lines etc.

We went back to a diff smog place, even with the new smog 2 in place, it passed visual no problem. We also heard about having to use stock size tires and thats BS. a good buddy is a smog tech and said he'
s passed trucks with a max of a 44" tire. over that and the tires wont fit and the truck can launch off the rollers. (i'd hate to see that one).

She just passed smog this year with her new 408 w/4bbl at a *test only* shop. passed it easily...

You have too watch out as many of these shops are out for $$, so they will say all kinds of things to get you to buy into it..

This is one reason many choose to go to a *test only* place as they can't do repairs, just run it and look things over. it either passes or fails.

It looks like their selling you a bunch of BS. As long as you truck has everything it had when new, thats all thats required by DMV in calif.

Hope this helps
Scott