Date:         Sat, 24 May 2003 09:19:20 -0700
Reply-To:     laurasdog@WEIRDSTUFFWEMAKE.COM
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Steve Delanty <laurasdog@WEIRDSTUFFWEMAKE.COM>
Subject:      Re: What do folks do when replacing Calforina Air Cooled Vanagon
              Exhaust?
In-Reply-To:  <JBEHILDOENOMAEMBAHMGIEPLDLAA.kenwilfy@comcast.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed

Ken wrote:
>I had a customer call me who is living in California.  He needs to replace
>the exhaust system on his 2.0l air cooled Vanagon in order to get the van
>through inspection (smog).  We have the parts for the federal air cooled
>exhaust system (which includes a cat and egr valve but no place for an
>oxygen sensor) and many of the parts for the California system are NLA.  I
>thought maybe the guy could put the federal setup on his van and then just
>cut a hole in one of the pipes to put in an oxygen sensor.  He wonders if
>this will fly with the smog referees.  Anyone know how strict they are?  Do
>they actually check your system against a diagram of how it should be, or do
>they just check to see if all of the components are there (cat, oxygen
>sensor egr valve)?

The smog guys will do a visual inspection to make sure all the stock
emission parts are in place and appear to be functional. He'll probably
pull a few vacuum hoses, (like the EGR) to make sure the devices are working.

He'll do an inspection of the exhaust system to look for leaks ahead of the
cat and O2 sensor.

If all looks good, then he sticks his magic wand up yer pipe and gives you
a sniff...

I've found that aftermarket exhaust systems don't pose much problem with
the smog guys if the original style cat is there, the O2 sensor is in place,
and both the cat and O2 are in about the same place in the exhaust system
as stock.

Is the Fed system the same as the CA system except for the O2 sensor port?
If so, no problem, just weld in the 18mm bung for an O2 sensor and you're in
business. If you do a nice job, no one will ever know the difference...

O2 sensor bungs are available at the local speed shop, or cut up a 18mm
spark plug "anti-fouler" and weld the threaded part in.

Or is there some other difference in the exhaust systems that might be a
problem?

Steve (Northern Ca)
'86 Westy