My 1979 RX-7 is coming out of storage after 10 years.
She is still in pretty good shape, all things considered.
I just loved that car and could never sell it.
Already finished a good tuneup.
Had to replace the rear brakes though.
No leaks - she is running well.
No mods to the exhaust. She's all stock, except for the 13" ET rims.
(Will have to post the photos of those later. I can't believe they are 4 x 110 bolt pattern, but they are.)

Now my problem:

I now live in California. My car was registered in Wisconsin previously.
I already passed a Wisconsin pre-test for emissions with flying colors, but I'm sure this doesn't mean jack compared to California's rules.

Prior to California emissions test I will make sure the car's engine is warmed up well and will probably try some fuel additive in the gastank to dry out any moisture. Other than that, I don't know what more I can do.

I will pray to the emissions gods for mercy.

Will let you all know how it went.

 

A little presentation advice.

Make certain the car is clean and well polished, spotless engine bay.
Make certain you are clean and well polished, be polite whatever the provocation.

All goes to impress the authorities that you will not do burn outs to celebrate getting it through.

From what you have said your car there should be no problem although California has the highest standard of compliance requirements.

Good luck

 

It aint gonna pass. If I were you just get rid of it.






















BTW: I have a free towing service.

 

isnt cars smog exempt , since its below 1980 . cause i heard cars that are 1980 and below do not need to be smoged?

 

nah, 79 still has to smog. its 26 years old, not 30. so that doesnt cut it. as for smog, it might have a chance...my friends fc street port passed emission, but he failed his timing...
but we got that fixed and now registerd. he just did it last week.

 

Here in Cali, 75 and below are smog exempt and they have no plans of increasing that. for over a decade, it was 64 and below.

 

with all the stock stuff, just make sure everything works, then you should be able to pass, make sure all of the old gas is out of the car though...

 

damn .. and i was planning to put a 13bt jspec turbo in my 82 rx7 . now i am thinking twice about doing it . but i really want the power . hmmmm any suggestions

 

Yea, move to a different state....

Actually, isn't if if you spend like 300 dollars trying to bring it up to spec that you can get a waiver or something like that?

 

the waiver doesn't really do you any good, i believe it only last for a year or two.. however, you might be able to do a tII swap and get through emissions if you know what you are doing and keep ALL smog equipment and have everything functioning properly... it's a big gamble though.

 

Cars over 25 years old weren't inspected for smog in Cali. As this changed? Arnold might have changed it though. Maybe he should get his fykin hummer smogged too

Irregardless, there are tons of privately owned inspection sites where they'll screw around with your car (give it a tune up, ya right) and then pass it for $100. It might help to bring in employment documentation to show that you don't work for the state. I always hang my employee's ID from the mirror.

 

it did change to fixed 30 year, so it's no longer rolling. i believe anything newer than 75 must be smogged from now on.

Alvin

 

He's driving a H2 Hydrogen these days.

Besides the H1 has a gross vehicle weight of 10,300 lbs which may classify it as a commercial truck.

For further California requirements see the following link.
http://www.smogcheck.ca.gov

 

**** arnold. we no longer have a rolling 30's.

 

well dat means i have to wait for another7 years b4 i can put that powerful 13bt in my 82 . that really bites . im really takin it to the heart fellas

 

From what I have seen and heard, everything 75 and newer will always be under the smog check law. The 30 year limit is gone.

 

What you heard is wrong. Its 75 and below. My 75 RX-3 has been smog exempt in the past 2 years.

 

In CT we get a pass when she hits 25 years old!

 

While the commentary on the legal dispensation case is interesting for those living in California, can anyone add practical advice on how to set-up the engine to pass? So far its only get the engine warmed-up and use new fuel.

Searched around the forum, and comments on other threads included new spark plugs and run lean.

 

My 80 passes with flying colors... thanks to the thermal reactor.

I'd check all the vacuum hoses, make sure they're there. If the car is in good running condition, take it to be checked. If it fails, then you can go from there... If yer running high HC's make sure you are within a good AFR... running lean can cause misfires which will bring up HC, and running rich will cause high HC.

If your NOx is too high make sure your timing is on and the motor isn't running too hot.

If your CO level is high then your generally running too rich

 

make friends and never burn bridges. that person may know someone who can make you pass.

 

Thanks everyone for the feedback on this. (Now I am nervous as hell!)
Wisconsin & Minnesota emissions are supposedly pretty tough, but when I told the guy that I am moving to Cal, he said "uhhhh, that might be a probm". Everyone acknowledges that California has the toughest rules in the nation.

In case it doesn't pass, I guess my next question would be, where's the nearest junk yard or spare parts dealer in OC?

It would be a shame if this happened, because I love that car and the body is in awesome shape and she runs great - 79,000 miles on it original. Plus, now I am finally living in a state where I could enjoy driving her year round.

I only drove that RX-7 during the summers in Wisconsin because I wanted to keep it nice. Besides, fishtailing on wet leaves and snow, while fun, could scare the hell out of you and the thousands of 4 x 4 SUV drivers around you. So I stored the RX winters and drove a 1980 rustbucket Honda Civic with 275,000 miles on it ( I bought it for $225) at UW. That Honda was fun too. It had a huge rust hole in the floor so I could stop and start like Barney Rubble. The exhaust was so rusted out and loud, I was stopped and fined by the police. But hey, it was the ideal driving machine in the WI wintertime dunes of sand and salt.
But when city police stop you for disturbing the peace with your car's swiss cheese exhaust, it's time for a visit to Midas or a trade-in.
I could put my RX through that kind of abuse from motha nature.

The RX is tuned up. New spark plugs, new oil, filter, hoses checked, air pump working well. We'll just have to see.
Will post the results.

 

Sorry for the dumb question here, but what do you mean by "high HC's" and "AFR"?

 

HC= HydroCarbon
AFR= Air to Fuel Ratio
CO= Carbon Monoxide
NOx= Oxides of Nitrogen

As for J-yards in OC... I don't know of any... but... there is an Ecology in Oceanside (though I've never been)

http://www.ecoparts.com/locations.htm

and 2 pick a parts in OC.

http://www.pickapart.com/orange.shtm

 

well, if you are going to oc, then you are in luck, there are many rotary shops to help you(in la anyway). what i would do is find a shop(doesn't have to be a rotary shop, just any shop that has a good gas reader) to hook up a gas analyser machine to the pipes. and set a base line. If everything is working like you originally said, then you should be able to adjust the fuel mixture to get the car to pass. keep in mind that you don't nescessary want to run lean or rich, you want it "just right". If just right turns out to be still higher than the legal limit, then check your timing, the condition of your thermal reactors, etc. This is when the rotary shops come in.

Alvin