Ferrari Mailing List: Re: Carb 308 smog test

[Doug and Terri Anderson (dnt]

> > Bob notes  " 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."

Hey Bob - re-read the post about your brother's Porsche.  No way is should
run poorly.  That was the first year for the 911SC and it came with CIS -
roughly called Constant Injection System. (CIS was around a number of years
before)  Truth is, it aint really injection in the true sense of the word
but a mechanical system fraught with setting the CO just right and getting
the fuel pressures correct.

That, and the poor old thing has an EGR valve buried way up in the front
right an air pump with emissions getting scrubbed by an old oxidizing cat to
clean up HC and CO. Not until 1980 did the SC engine dump the that heavy
junk and get a semi modern three way cat with an O2 sensor diddling the fuel
rich lean to make this cat work.

Quite often, our older cars fall into hands of well meaning but unskilled
folks trying to do a good job but chase the wrong device and fail to get the
engine in fuel control or fail to understand the total engine Wa (in the
terms of the ancient Japanese language).  Such is such.

I have an 82 SC and chased a terrible high idle problem and a terminal
preignition clatter (5th to 4th to pass a truck in the Nevada heat on a two
lane road - AYIEeeeee)  for 3 years and 4 major fixer uppers until I went to
Redline in Santa Monica.  Within 10 minutes he had the problem diagnosed - a
twisted set of distributor vacuum lines at the throttle body (wha - - -??)
and within 15 minutes, total, the car purred for the first time in years.

Trick is find someone who you trust - who has a stable of VERY satisfied
customers, be willing to travel (with our type of cars) or learn to do it
our selves (I am a bit slooow now, but do enjoy working on the basics and
getting it right - tho I get bowled over (see 82 911 saga) and have to
resort to the professional.)  We aint seen nuthin yet - CAN vehicles with up
to 7 or 8 computers, 46 (why 46?) volt systems.  The reward for these
systems?  Over 500 hp, decent tho not great gas mileage, from a small V-8
Ferrari engine.

Onward
DOUG
Viva our carbed, HC stinkin' 78 GTS heh heh