Remove smog equipment?

[rbastedo]

All I have done on my new Datsun 210 is add coolant and charge the battery and drive.

I wanted a baseline and on my second fill up it got 30.1 MPG.

Now I will tune it up, my question is about the smog equipment.

There is no testing where I live, so I am inclined to remove all the smog stuff.

Is there guidance somewhere for what to remove and how?

Are there any negatives I should consider before doing this?

[Draker]

Wait for Mike to chime in.. but I'd say if it's not causing any problems, just leave it. It's unlikely it will raise your mileage. But it will clean up your engine bay a bit by removing it.

[rbastedo]

Ok, it would most likely be helpful if I post a picture of what I currently have so I will go get one and then put it up here.

[rbastedo]

Engine bay.

I see the vacuum advance is disconnected, wonder why?

I see no air pump.

 

 

 

[rbastedo]

Quick & dirty just so I could get to the carb.

Also checked all plugs, cap & rotor.

All in very good shape!

Hooked up the vac advance line, don't know if it works or why it was disconnected.

 

[BillM]

Rick

Where did your air cleaner go and what is that stupid thing on the carb? :)

BillM

[rbastedo]

Air cleaner is on the porch and that's my high performance go-faster K&N air filter on the carb.

Shiny isn't it?

[datzenmike]

That air cleaner will get dirty faster because it's smaller. It's also sucking hot under hood air. Put the stock one back on it's less restrictive, the air filter housing also has the heated air from the exhaust manifold when the motor is cold.... runs way better with that hooked up and if you live where it's wet and damp and the temps get down near freezing it will prevent carb icing too.

 

Vacuum advance makes a big difference in part throttle running and mileage.

[rbastedo]

Ok, I'm convinced.

Thanks.

[Rays74]

That little filter may cause probs too under WOT as that tiny dude's lid is really too close to the carb's mouth and may present a restriction. There are better choices out there if you really feel the need to run an open element AC :)

[rbastedo]

Oh btw it went from 30mpg to 35mpg with this change.

[ggzilla]

Yes, getting the emission equipment back into working shape will achieve greatest fuel economy.

[datzenmike]

Oh btw it went from 30mpg to 35mpg with this change.

 

Then this tells me the old filter was plugged and needed changing. You also said you connected the vacuum advance. This is probably where the increase came from.

[ggzilla]

That air cleaner in the photo will restrict your horsepower. It needs to be taller. The outside diameter is not so bad, but the height is very restrictive. But shouldn't affect your part throttle power or fuel economy.

[Z-train]

Air cleaner is on the porch and that's my high performance go-faster K&N air filter on the carb.

Shiny isn't it?

 

Actually,it's your go slower,get dirty quicker, completely inferior to the factory air cleaner air cleaner

[rbastedo]

The old filter was very clean, that's not it.

I believe I have a stuffed up catalytic converter.

Even though the radiator is in fine shape, full of good clean new coolant, the engine heats up pretty significantly when going uphill.

There is an accompanying lack of power - now I know it isn't supposed to have a lot of power but it's got less than that.

Time to get to work under the car, and btw...

 

Did most of you miss where I said above I'd be putting the original air cleaner back on?

That's what I meant when I said:

 

Ok, I'm convinced

[rbastedo]

Well I can found a replacement for the catalytic converter for $58 shipped so I'll go ahead and do that.

I've experienced the kind of symptoms of a bad one before so it's the first thing I thought of when driving this car.

Once that is done and the original air filter back in place things will be better.

That said, it's pretty nice as-is.

[Rays74]

Cool, let us know what it runs like after the new cat's installed :) Then we can get to cleaning up your engine bay, but'cha can't be replacin' stuff with whatever ya find dude......it's gotta be functional and work for ya too, OK? ok :)

Lookin good.