Emission Controls

[LDwallnj]

I recently purchased a 75 Spider manufactured with California emissions. Is it necessary to keep emission controls connected ?
Will the engine perform better without them ?

[GeorgeT]

1. It depends on where you live.
2. Yes.

[Exit98]

Larry,

You finally found the place.

About time. Breakfast tomorrow?

[bradartigue]

I owned a 1979 Spider and a 1980 Spider, both carbureted. These models had the most emissions controls of all. While living in Georgia about 15 years ago the cars were initially smog-checked with the emissions controls stuff (and original carburetor, etc.) all intact. They barely passed (I think one failed and we replaced something and it passed). Fast forward two years and I had to repeat the smog check. Both cars by then had all of this stuff removed, significantly upgraded carburetors, mild compression boosts, one didn't have a catalytic converter. Well tuned both of these passed with flying colors.

This led me to do some hunting around and, at the time, come to the conclusion that when tuned correctly these motors are extremely clean burning, and the emissions controls stuff was there only as a requirement of the government and served little other function.

This stuff is so primitive by today's standards, and so little of it works properly (or can be found) that if you can remove it legally (I think that's everywhere but CA) then you'll get back your HP and probably burn cleaner than with it on.

[AndyS]

75's are even smog exempt in California now. I owned a 75 for years, and ran it both way, with and without the factory smog stuff. Its a totally different car with that primitive emissions stuff removed. Runs way better, sounds better. Another issue on the early smogged spiders, the smog pump runs off the timing belt--a really bad idea. Smog pumps are prone to seizing, there goes your engine if it does (and they did) .

they changed that on the later 70's cars.

[WYSpider]

In Colorado 75 are not smog exempt. Colorado is more stringent in that regard than CA.

[WYSpider]

In Colorado 75s are not smog exempt. Colorado is more stringent in that regard than CA.