I have been told by reputable sources that my smog diverter valve is not the correct valve for my Dino. The valve as pictured has been on my Dino for the 35 years I have owned it. Back in the day I passed several smog certifications with it. And the previous owner, who owned my Dino for 2 years, said it was on the car the car when he purchased it. That is 37 year that I have first hand knowledge that it has been on the car. I have work orders on my car dating back to the first oil change by the first owner and (I assume) all subsequent work orders in chronological order. Unless there is a work order missing, there is no mention of the addition or exchange of a smog diverter valve. It does say on the valve (upside down): "Made in Italy". So at least it is Italian. This brings up several questions: 1. If this is not a Dino diverter valve, what kind of car is it from? 2. Back in the day, were smog diverter valves anything like prancing horse badges and Ferrari insignias....some importers just put on what they had on the Dino so that they may original to a particular Dino? 3. If you had this valve on your Dino, and you know it had absolutely been on your Dino for 37 years and very likely its' entire life, would you change it, if you found what you were told was the original type of Dino diverter valve? Of course, the valve is not operational, it is just there to keep the original look of the engine compartment. Any advice and opinions are very much appreciated. Thank you. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
I know nothing about these valves so I cannot comment on it. Of course the documentation you have and the unbroken chain of ownership is difficult to argue. The only thing I find interesting is that The only hose clamps that look different to what should be there are the ones around that valve. That would lend it to the story that perhaps even very early in the life of the car that the valve was changed.
Looking at photos of U.S. spec Dino motors, I haven't seen any other examples of this device. Maybe for a specific region/state? Freeman
Interesting thought. Thanks for the pickup on those clamps, but again, I know that at least they haven't been changed in 37 years. Interesting idea. California car since the first oil change. Unfortunately, I don't have the original sales receipt to know where it was originally sold.
Definitely not an original valve. The 246GtS used an USA made AC/Delco diverter valve that has one inlet port and a tee fitting outlet port where the hose to each air injection manifold would connect. The hose clamps are also all non-original on your car. It would have had the narrow band non-stainless steel (clear cad plated) Serflex hose clamps (same as on some of the engine breather hoses on your car). See the USA section of the 246 parts manual to see the correct diverter valve and hose routing.
Just curious. Were the AC/Delco diverters put on the Dinos in Italy or after the car arrived in the USA. Just wondering if the factory were to have run out of AC/Delcos might they have thrown something Italian on my car that they happened to have laying around the factory. Or if my car arrived in the USA without a diverter valve and someone didn't realize it was supposed to be AC/Delco, they just threw on an Italian valve. Just wondering how that valve got on my car. And as I said, I did pass many smog tests. Where does one get a correct valve? And what would be a reasonable price.......assuming the words reasonable price and anything Dino can be placed in the same sentence?
As Brian Brown noted above in post #5 above, the Diverter Valve Assembly has its OWN full page/table at TAV. 45 in the Variants for U.S. Cars section of the Dino 246 gt Spare Parts Catalog. The Diverter Valve itself is identified as No. 12 in the drawing.
Back in the day, Ferrari had no experience with emissions control parts to pass USA emissions tests. No Italian manufacturers made emissions parts at the time, so they just bought American (A/C Delco) air pumps, diverter valves and check valves that were the same as used on USA/GM cars. I don't know what the cross reference is for a Dino, but a Daytona uses the same diverter valve as a 427 Tri-power Corvette. So not only are Ferrari restorers looking for this valve, but Corvette people as well. I think we paid close to $1000 for a NOS valve. There is a number cast into the T section of the original valve that will let you cross-reference it, you will just have to find someone with an original valve to inspect. Be aware that most of the original valves that you will find do not work anymore as the diaphragm inside will be deteriorated.
I don't think many here need it to work. They just want it to be present and LOOK like it works for concours purposes.
Great information! You wouldn't happen to have an OOS (old old stock) one laying around, would you? That would certainly be correct.
Somewhere in my library I have a Ferrari Factory technical bulletin which lists all the smog components that were supplied by GM with original GM part numbers. I will look for it this weekend and get it scanned and posted.
There are a bunch of similar or maybe correct diverter valves on Ebay right now. I searched GM diverter valve and had a lot of listings. Compare them to the parts manual pics and you might get lucky.
That would be very helpful information for all with U.S. Dinos, especially if you have the information for all other smog components and not just the diverter!
Here's a photo of ONE of my diverters (the rounded thing with holes in the background is part of the diverter). I will try to post a photo of one installed in a very original U.S. spec 246 for comparison. The true color of the diverter is a golden cad coating - (which this will be after cleaning) - but I have seen some that look like they were simply painted with gold paint. Also of interest to restorers should be the silver/stainless L shaped hose to the left of the diverter - it is a hose that took engine heat to a smog or gasoline vapor canister elsewhere in the system - I can't remember exactly where - I will have to locate my other schematics and photos which I will post later. Also, here's a photo of a Dino gasoline vapor filter. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Man, every time I see all this ancient emissions control crap, I am so thankful I have a Euro. I can't imagine sourcing all of the equipment after so many years.
That's why USA cars should get bonus points for each piece of USA smog and safety crap on the car, or at least NO deductions at a concours for NOT having such items vis-à-vis a Euro Dino which would generally have been illegal to have had in the U.S. if imported in 1970-1974.
Now that is a great thought! And it's why I started this thread because I lost a point in Monterey for my incorrect diverter valve which has been on my car for at least 37 years that I am absolutely sure of. I don't need a bonus point, I just wish I didn't get the deduction.
Here are some pics of the bulk of the emissions equipment on a late US GTS. The little stainless braided hose shown in the previous post goes from the oil sender fitting bolt to the oil pressure controlled door in the airbox. When the engine is running, oil pressure keeps the door open and when you stop the engine the door closes to keep those pesky gas fumes from entering the atmosphere. Not surprised most people removed it as it looks very restrictive. You can have the whole system in place and deactivate it by removing the air pump drive from the back of the special alternator and disconnecting the green anti-hop device located by the ignition coils. Plugging some of the hoses would probably be good to do as well. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Thanks for the pictures. Is that the original color/plating? The couple I have seen look like a gunmetal grey or just unplated/unpainted metal.
My smog system was electronically "unplugged" years ago by Bruno Borri. He then gave me a 6'' piece of wire with an alligator clip on each end. He drew me a diagram of the fuse boxes and where to connect each end of the the wire just before I drove into the smog station. This would send power to the air pump and I would pass every time. The minute I left the smog station, I would pull around the corner and disconnect the wire. I still have that original piece of wire with alligator clips. Now, that is what you call Italian engineering. Rest His Soul.
