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Topic: First year for catalytic converter on LD in CA (Read 9 times) previous topic - next topic
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First year for catalytic converter on LD in CA
Yahoo Message Number: 105703
I believe automobiles in California required catalytic converters in 1974 (?? maybe '75). I also believe cc for heavy duty vehicles were delayed for several years.
So can someone tell me (or show me where to find) the first year that catalytic converters were required on LD's in California.

Jerry
Re: First year for catalytic converter on LD in CA
Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 105706
"So can someone tell me (or show me where to find) the first year that catalytic converters were required on LD's in California."

Jerry

Why are you interested in a LD without a catalytic converter? Too much clean air in your area?

Larry
Larry
2003 23.5' Front Lounge, since new.  Previously 1983 22' Front Lounge.
Tow vehicles  2020 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon, 2001 Jeep Cherokee
Photo Collection: Lazy Daze
Re: First year for catalytic converter on LD in CA
Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 105712
>

My LD is a 1986 and does not have a catalytic converter.

Ellen

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Re: First year for catalytic converter on LD in CA
Reply #3 –
Yahoo Message Number: 105718
Our 85' doesn't have a CC either. I just had it smogged a month ago and was worried about not being able to find a CC on the rig. Since I have been exposed to this group I have discovered that BACK in the day, it seemed to be the norm for LD buyers to go down the street to the local muffler shop and have the stock exhaust switched over to duels. In my storage lot, there is a couple of vintage checy rigs that have the same setup. In fact I have the original receipt for this work. I am interested in the CC requirements also. Input???
Re: First year for catalytic converter on LD in CA
Reply #4 –
Yahoo Message Number: 105725
>

Mine was smogged about a month ago as well. It has dual exhaust on it. I have all the smog papers on the rig from the previous owners.
Sometimes it is listed as a single and sometimes it is listed as a dual.

Ellen

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Re: First year for catalytic converter on LD in CA
Reply #5 –
Yahoo Message Number: 105727
"I have discovered that BACK in the day, it seemed to be the norm for LD buyers to go down the street to the local muffler shop and have the stock exhaust switched over to duels."

John
 This was very common back in the 80s when LDs were built on the underpowered G-30/350 V-8 chassis.
Dual exhaust, along with a much needed crossover pipe, makes a significant difference in the 350 V-8.
There was a local shop that LD suggested for the work.
Our 1983 LD had dual exhaust when it was new and I even had the receipt back when we still owned it.
Dyno tuning was also a popular option.
 Lets just say the Ford 460 V-8 and the V-10 were welcomed improvements in the performance department. The G-30 had an optional 454 V-8 but I have seen very few of them. I have no idea how they shoehorned it's mass into the engine bay. The smaller 350 V-8 is a tight fit.

Larry
Larry
2003 23.5' Front Lounge, since new.  Previously 1983 22' Front Lounge.
Tow vehicles  2020 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon, 2001 Jeep Cherokee
Photo Collection: Lazy Daze
Re: First year for catalytic converter on LD in CA
Reply #6 –
Yahoo Message Number: 105730
Larry..You hit it on the nose. Ours is extremly underpowered! Going up cajon pass the most heavily loaded 18 wheelers are breathing down my back....I think its a combination of the rear end gear ratio, and the lack of horesepower. With the optional 50 gallon fuel tank from the factory, its tuff to see the tag/numbers to find out what rear end ratio is. Anybody know what was available back in the good ol daze?? john Orange, ca.
Re: First year for catalytic converter on LD in CA
Reply #7 –
Yahoo Message Number: 105732
You guys just think underpowered, we are running the 6.2 diesel.

Back when the national speed limit was 55, it was perfect, cause that's where it runs. Now days, I find that I have a preference for the roads where the speed limit is less than 55 anyway.
I thought of it as a turtle, (slow and steady), before I realized that it looks like one.

ibgp3 20' RD

__ From: john owens chernefitter@...>
 To: lifewithalazydazerv@yahoogroups.com
 Sent: Wednesday, September 9, 2009 8:28:08 PM
 Subject: Re: [LD] First year for catalytic converter on LD in CA

Larry..You hit it on the nose. Ours is extremly underpowered!  Going up cajon pass the most heavily loaded 18 wheelers are breathing down my back....I think its a combination of the rear end gear ratio, and the lack of horesepower. With the optional 50 gallon fuel tank from the factory, its tuff to see the tag/numbers to find out what rear end ratio is. Anybody know what was available back in the good ol daze?? john Orange, ca.
Re: First year for catalytic converter on LD in CA
Reply #8 –
Yahoo Message Number: 105733
Quote
Lets just say the Ford 460 V-8 and the V-10 were welcomed improvements in the performance department. The G-30 had an optional 454 V-8 but I have seen very few of them. I have no idea how they shoehorned it's mass into the engine bay. The smaller 350 V-8 is a tight fit.

Larry
Poor ole Blue (1990) has the 454 big block and I haven't had any performance issues, UNTIL the CC started to "go away".  Poor ole guy was constipated, but a new CC fixed that!!  While at LD GTG's I've had folks come over to check out the stuffed motor when I am checking the fluids!!  He also passes AZ smog with flying colors, every year.
 I have a 396 stuffed into my 1974 Chevy shortbed pickup, and there is LOTS of room, but Blue is pretty packed in the engine compartment.  Haven't had any overly hot running issues, fortunately.

Lisa and Blue
2005 RB
Re: First year for catalytic converter on LD in CA
Reply #9 –
Yahoo Message Number: 105735
"I thinkits a combination of the rear end gear ratio, and the lack of horesepower. With the optional 50 gallon fuel tank from the factory, its tuff to see the tag/numbers to find out what rear end ratio is. Anybody know what was available back in the good ol daze?? "

John

The 350 V-8/G-30s had 4.11 gears.
The 50-gallon tank was a popular option.

Larry
Larry
2003 23.5' Front Lounge, since new.  Previously 1983 22' Front Lounge.
Tow vehicles  2020 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon, 2001 Jeep Cherokee
Photo Collection: Lazy Daze
Re: First year for catalytic converter on LD in CA
Reply #10 –
Yahoo Message Number: 105739
My 1985 22FL has the 6.2L diesel which has a real tight fit but not tight enough for me to install a big alternator on top of the engine. check out the pics on flikr. http://www.flickr.com/photos/22122583@N02/ I'll post more pics when I'm done with the project.
 As far as the catalytic converter question, I'll look that up tomorrow
Re: First year for catalytic converter on LD in CA
Reply #11 –
Yahoo Message Number: 105741
"My 1985 22FL has the 6.2L diesel which has a real tight fit but not tight enough for me to install a big alternator on top of the engine"

Billy
 It's always good to have a spare 6.2L diesel engine sitting out in the garage .
Dang, that alternator is huge! I will not bother to ask where you got it. It looks like something off a large truck.
It's definitely powerful enough to charge the batteries and maybe enough to run a small town.
 Can't wait to see it in action, especially with the supercharger installed.
Does the blower make a whining noise or is it quiet?

Larry
Larry
2003 23.5' Front Lounge, since new.  Previously 1983 22' Front Lounge.
Tow vehicles  2020 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon, 2001 Jeep Cherokee
Photo Collection: Lazy Daze
Measuring your diff's gear ratio
Reply #13 –
Yahoo Message Number: 105754
If you can't read your rear tag or it is missing, here is an  easy way to measure your rear gear ratio. When your RV's rear end is jacked up with one rear wheel of the ground and properly supported by jack stands, wheels chocked, shift the transmission into Neutral and carefully release the emergency brake. Then crawl underneath the RV with a piece of chalk and place a vertical mark on the inside of the rear tire and an axial mark on your driveshaft. Then slowly turn your rear wheel 1 complete rotation and count the number of revolutions  the drive shaft makes. That number is the gear ratio of your rear differential. Lutz
  To: lifewithalazydazerv@yahoogroups.com
 From:
 Date: Wed, 9 Sep 2009 18:28:08 -0700
 Subject: Re: [LD] First year for catalytic converter on LD in CA

Larry..You hit it on the nose. Ours is extremly underpowered!  Going up cajon pass the most heavily loaded 18 wheelers are breathing down my back....I think its a combination of the rear end gear ratio, and the lack of horesepower. With the optional 50 gallon fuel tank from the factory, its tuff to see the tag/numbers to find out what rear end ratio is. Anybody know what was available back in the good ol daze?? john Orange, ca.
Re: Measuring your diff's gear ratio
Reply #15 –
Yahoo Message Number: 105756
There is a simpler way.  There is a tag on the door jam of the drivers side that has a number of codes and specifications.  One of them is the rear end, IIRC.  The Ford owners manual has the decoder listed in it.  I believe at one point I was curious what my '91 had and I think that's where I found the answer.  I can check later today to confirm if no one else has checked by then.

-Victor
Re: First year for catalytic converter on LD in CA
Reply #16 –
Yahoo Message Number: 105759
"Why are you interested in a LD without a catalytic converter? Too much clean air in your area? Larry"
 In answer to your first question Larry, I may purchase another LD but I recently passed up a clean '88 from another state because it didn't have a catalytic converter.
 So the question is narrowed down as follows: Ellen replied that her '86 did not have a catalytic and someone else replied they replaced theirs in a '90. So it appears that a CA cc was first required in either '87, '88 or '89. I'm guessing the '88 doesn't require one but I'll wait for confirmation.

Jerry
Re: First year for catalytic converter on LD in CA
Reply #17 –
Yahoo Message Number: 105760
Quote from: jerry talley

So it appears that a CA cc was first required in either '87, '88 or '89. I'm guessing the '88 doesn't require one but I'll wait for confirmation.
---
 Jerry, you might try contacting the California Air Resources Board for the information; there's a contact link at the bottom of the page:
 http://www.arb.ca.gov/homepage.htm

Joan
2003 TK has a new home
Re: First year for catalytic converter on LD in CA
Reply #19 –
Yahoo Message Number: 105762
"In answer to your first question Larry, I may purchase another LD but I recently passed up a clean '88 from another state because it didn't have a catalytic converter."

Jerry

That's an excellent reason to pass up a deal.
Unless you are the type that loves prowling around wreaking yards, looking for antique smog parts, it could be a nightmare to convert it to California smog specs before registering it.

I'm sure you have already seen this.
What You Need to Know Before Buying a Vehicle from Out-of-State http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/brochures/fast_facts/ffvr29.htm

Good luck in your quest.

Larry
Larry
2003 23.5' Front Lounge, since new.  Previously 1983 22' Front Lounge.
Tow vehicles  2020 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon, 2001 Jeep Cherokee
Photo Collection: Lazy Daze
Re: Measuring your diff's gear ratio
Reply #20 –
Yahoo Message Number: 105765
Quote
If you can't read your rear tag or it is missing, here is an  easy way to measure your rear gear ratio. When your RV's rear end is jacked up with one rear wheel of the ground and properly supported by jack stands, wheels chocked, shift the transmission into Neutral and carefully release the emergency brake. Then crawl underneath the RV with a piece of chalk and place a vertical mark on the inside of the rear tire and an axial mark on your driveshaft. Then slowly turn your rear wheel 1 complete rotation and count the number of revolutions  the drive shaft makes. That number is the gear ratio of your rear differential. Lutz
The method you describe is correct but the math is incorrect. Due to the action of the gears in the differential, when one wheel is not moving the other wheel spins twice as fast. Therefore the number you arrive at by the above method has to be divided by two.

Norm
Re: First year for catalytic converter on LD in CA
Reply #21 –
Yahoo Message Number: 105768
And further, in California wrecking yards are legally not allowed to sell used Catalytic Converters.

Ken SannWannabe in SoCal
Re: First year for catalytic converter on LD in CA
Reply #22 –
Yahoo Message Number: 105771
wrote:

Quote
snip
These results are only for gas engines.

Quote
Dodge: starting 1980 - 1985 with California emissions only 1986 - present all have cats

GM:    starting 1987 - 1988 only 454 TBI (throttle body injection) 1989 - 1990 only engines with TBI 1991 - present all have cats

Ford:  starting 1987   only FI engines 1988 - present all have cats

Thank you very much Billy.
Let me make sure I understand and please correct me if I'm wrong: Since LD only used the 454 and the 350 gasoline engines for GM based motor homes, then a GM with a 454 engine required a Catalytic converter in 1987 but for the 350 it was not required until 1989. And in 1991, all GM's regardless of fuel delivery system, required a cat.
Jerry
 
Re: First year for catalytic converter on LD in CA
Reply #24 –
Yahoo Message Number: 105800
Larry,
 The spare 6.2L diesel engine was nice to have for this project. I couldn't imagine making the alternator bracket on the engine