Emmissions testing for 328 Euro? | FerrariChat

Emmissions testing for 328 Euro?

Discussion in 'Technical Q&A' started by btemplin, May 31, 2004.

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  1. btemplin

    btemplin Rookie

    Dec 17, 2003
    39
    Houston, TX
    Full Name:
    Brian Templin
    Is anyone aware of what must be done to a 328 Euro ('87) in order for it to pass emmissions testing? I'm considering buying one, however here in Houston we have to go through the emmissions check annualy. If it's too much trouble, I might want to stay away from it.
    Thanks,
    Brian
     
  2. PeterS

    PeterS Four Time F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Jan 24, 2003
    47,933
    Goodyear, AZ
    Full Name:
    PeterS
    If the car is a true Euro (like mine), there is zero smog equipment on it. For starters, there is no CAM pully for the smog pump! This means that I would need a new valve cover (that has the mounting for the pump) with the new CAM! There are no open ports in the headers, etc., etc., etc.

    I would take the car to a DMV ref before you buy it. You will probably end up there anyway. IMO, it's worth the trouble for this particular car!
     
  3. Steve Magnusson

    Steve Magnusson Two Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa

    Jan 11, 2001
    25,038
    30°30'40" N 97°35'41" W (Texas)
    Full Name:
    Steve Magnusson
    Tough question -- Here in CO it's technically illegal to "modify" a car emission system, but if you've got 1) a pair of cats on the car (visually), 2) something that looks like an air injection system, and 3) a fuel evaporation control system that's about all you really need. The limits here are quite loose (like <1.2% CO and a few hundred ppm HC) so a K/KE with lambda control can get by even if the cats aren't really working that well. If Houston is more stringent (either visually or functionally) then you could have more work/effort to get passed.

    Are you saying that it's got all the right "legal" US papers and that it's a case of someone "unmodifying" (or never modifying) the car, or is it a truly an "illegal" car in the US with no papers at all? How much of #1, #2, and #3 is it missing?

    Do you have access to the Owners Site so you can compare the systems shown in the OMs? It might not be as bad as PeterS's '77 situation as by the mid-80's a "Euro" was getting less different emission-wise from a US version, but there still might be other ROW versions (that wrongly get called "Euro" here) that are significantly void of emission equipment -- you need to know these details to make an informed decision IMO.
     
  4. btemplin

    btemplin Rookie

    Dec 17, 2003
    39
    Houston, TX
    Full Name:
    Brian Templin
    I have only spoken to the current owner once. My understanding is that it is a true Euro car...no emmissions equipment installed. But I have not seen it in person yet, so I can't confirm that. He has said that the appropriate DOT & EPA paperwork is there.
    The owner also lives in TX, and according to him the car passes the sniffer tests fine, except the idle speed test. If that's truly the case, would simply adding cats be sufficient to pass at idle speed?
     
  5. Steve Magnusson

    Steve Magnusson Two Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa

    Jan 11, 2001
    25,038
    30°30'40" N 97°35'41" W (Texas)
    Full Name:
    Steve Magnusson
    Adding cats would lower the tailpipe numbers, but "to pass" can involve more than that as mentioned before and just how far away it is from the passing limit. Does the Seller have any written documentation (i.e., test results) to confirm what he's telling you -- if not, I wouldn't give it any value.
    Just adding cats might get past a lax inspection by a test technician, but if you get more officially scrutinized you'd need some serious mods (e.g., you have no O2 sensor feedback to the injection system) -- and consider resale (you'll have the same issues). I'd ask someone like Amerispec for the drop-off/pick-up conversion costs and subtract that, plus $5K for "lack of use time", from a comparable US version -- if the Seller wants more than that = too much IMO (Although I wouldn't actually have the mods done if I could wiggle by).
     

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