[Amc-list] Smog Jail

[JOE FULTON <piper_pa20@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

My 77 Gremlin has been at the smog test shop for the
last two days. 

I had installed a used EGR valve on the car when I
rehabbed it and I also employed a used air diverter
valve downstream of the air pump.  The EGR units held 
vacuum and seemed to respond to the vacuum signal so I
thought it was OK. I just trusted that the diverter
valve functioned OK.

The smog tech said the EGR was working somewhat but
was not completely functional.  A nonfunctioning EGR
means a categorical failure of the smog test.  The
valve was not responding to the vacuum signal
completely.  So he went on a search for a replacement
valve.  I had been through this before.  Rockauto
lists a total of seven EGR valves so I had purchased a
universal valve from them and it did not work.  The
back pressure sensing port was different. The smog
test tech had the same experience.  There were six
possible EGR valves listed from his supplier.  The
first valve he purchased had a difference back
pressure sensing arrangement.  He has the advantage of
having a parts supplier who brought two more valves
for him to try on the car, without having to pay for
the parts that didn't work.  Problem solved. 

The second problem was high hydrocarbon output on the
2500 rpm test.  The tech traced the problem to a
non-functioning air diverter valve today.  You almost
can't find these things new any more, so he asked me
if I had another one at home.  It turns out that I do
have a couple of extra valves here at home.  So I will
replace it this weekend and hopefully my Gremmie will
be blessed by the smog gods on Monday.  So my advice
is if you have an AMC which needs the emission
equipment to be legal, hang on to those old emission
control parts.  Some of them are getting scarce.  

Joe Fulton
Salinas, CA
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