Ferrari Mailing List: Carb 308 smog test

[robert_h_bowser [at] juno.com (robert_h_bowser]

Got my annual Kalifornia smog test notice for the old '78 308GTS, and duly took 
it down to the local Test Only station.  It passed, although just barely.

It is funny, there is a perception that these old carb cars are impossible to 
keep in tune and very difficult to smog successfully.  I never touch the carbs, 
and the car has NEVER failed smog in the (almost) 12 years that I have owned 
it.  Six biennial smog tests.  Six passes.  All I really do is drive it 
regularly.  Perhaps that has something to do with it.

In contrast, my brother has a '78 Porsche 911SC.  Same year, different 
manufacturer.  Although it is a product of German engineering, and fuel 
injected, it fails smog regularly.  He has to take it to his mechanic to get 
the mixture adjusted so it runs like s**t, get it smogged, then return it to 
put the mixture back to a drivable setting.

I think perhaps the reason my car barely passed this time is because I went 
back to the standard 55 idle jets.  I had been using 60s.  With the 60s, it 
seemed to run a bit better right off idle, but worse at higher throttle 
settings, especially when hot.  The smog test has the car running at 15mph and 
25mph on a dyno, which is right in the flat spot of the 55 jets.  I think next 
time I'll put the 60s back in for the test.

Bob
'78 308GTS
'01 Corvette Z06

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