Foz

Hi all,

I just bought my first 928 ('80) last week. I went to get it smogged, and they refused to hook it up to the machine, saying it didn't have a catalytic converter. In order to get it smogged, they said I would need to add emission controls and take it to a 'referee station'. I probably should have become suspicious when all the warning lights were in German...

I know someone who is parting out an '84 928 (California) and will sell the complete exhaust system for $50.

My question is: Is it worth it to try to get it smogged in California, or should I just sell it to one of those lucky bastards in a state with no smog after 20, 25 years and start over?

Do the '80 Euro 928's have charcoal fuel vapor absorbers? Oxygen sensors? EGR? Am I going to have to swap computers and rewire everything? Or can I just bolt the new exhaust (with cat) on and pray?

Thanks in advance for your help...

ROG100

It may be easier to buy a Y pipe from Dave Lomas and add a converter in there. The rest of your exhaust should then fit.
With the new setup you should be pretty clean and pass.
If the car is in good condition it is worth the effort and the $500.
I am not conversant with getting smogged in CA but I am sure someone will jump in.

Stan.Shaw@Excell.Net

My '80 Euro S never had cats, but when yours was U.S. federalized, it should have had them added. The '80 Euro S has CIS doesn't have the electronic controls of the U.S. or later year 928s, so you won't need to change them.

I expect CA will require you have all the emissions retrofitted on it, if they aren't already in place.

kary4th

According to an article I was reading in Up-fixin der Porsche last night, all 928's have the charcoal canister. My '78 euro does.

Of course, the article could have been implying that all current (the article was from 1984) models had it. Since my '78 does, I assume all means all MY's, too.

Airflite40

My 80 Euro S does not have a charcoal cannister, egr, or cat as far as i know. I would not fit an original cat to your car since you are depending on 1984 technology to get you to pass. do you have dual or single exhaust? it would be much better to just go to an exhaust shop and get one fitted. A new cat has your best chance of passing. You might also have to go to a porsche shop and get the car tuned since adding a cat increases the back pressure and your car could run rich afterwards. Got any pics??

Foz

I read all the threads that I could find about California emissions & Euro versions, and apparently the '80 model was the only year without a smog pump installed, so that appears to be one less thing that I need to add, in order to have all the factory installed emissions equipment for that model year.

Please correct me if I am mistaken.

Airflite40

well i dont know about california, but in my state they dont really care whats under the hood as longs as I pass and i'm not running straight pipes. I believe smog pumps came on US models for all years. As far as factory installed emissions equipment, your car had none! Maybe bcdavis can chime in here since he used to have an 83 Euro and it passed emissions in california

Stan.Shaw@Excell.Net

My '80 Euros S had a smog pump installed.

Richard S

Just add the cat, then go to a different smog shop and cross your fingers. It should pass the sniff test, but could fail the visual if the guy knows what he is looking at.

Rich

Foz

It looks like at worst, I'll have to add a cat + and a dummy oxygen sensor that doesn't connect to anything. This thread gives me hope:

https://rennlist.com/forums/928-forum/138145-fyi-ca-smog-test-results-84-euro-s-motor.html

Fabio421

Bring the smog tech some beer and lunch. That can't hurt either.

Airflite40

Yeah, but go with a new aftermarket cat. That gives you the best chance of passing. Good luck. I'm gonna have to visit the sniffer soon too.,

Jim bailey - 928 International

Since the 1980 Vin number does NOT have the ZZZ in the vin (that started in 1981) the DMV computer may not recognize it as a Euro spec car and you might be able to get it registered after it passes a smog test .IF YOU GO TO A REFEREE a state run special station you would have to completely Federalize it They look for EVERYTHING . I never recommend that anyone in California buys a Euro car UNLESS it is currently registered in California because even if it passes the smog test they can REQUIRE al the certification that it has been fully federalized. If you bought the car from someone in California THEY are required to have the car smogged BEFORE they sell it to you! There are no exclusions, no exemptions, no selling it AS IS, as parts to an individual , or not running. If it is a car newer than 1974 it MUST have smog test and must have ALL pollution equipment.

Joe Dyer

I disagree with the comments. Sounds like your Euro is not in Sacremento's BAR database. If that's true, then it would be better to start over. The shop you went to most likely tagged the Euro as needing a referee station, so you can't just add the smog and go anywhere. Now that you must go to a referee station, they'll look at everything, not just smog, but DOT side markers, window glass, etc.... Good luck!

Foz

I don't think that the smog station tagged it as needing a referee station for the following reasons:

1) I asked for and paid for, a pre-test not a real test.
2) On the receipt they gave me, they wrote this:

Pre-test only
* Gray market car
* Need to go to referee
* No catalytic converter
* No BAR sticker
* No VIN #

I assume it's pretty hard to tag a car as needing a referee when it has no VIN or license plate. However, I don't know where they got that idea from: The car has the Porsche VIN stamped in 3 places in the engine compartment. HOWEVER, for some reason the state of New York re-VIN'd it and slapped a sticker on the driver's door jamb with the NY VIN. The title is from Florida, and it has the NY VIN on it.

I am going with Richard's suggestion: Quietly put a cat on it, and go for another pre-test. If they squawk, then go to another station. I'm going to play this just like it's an legit vehicle coming from another state (Florida) -- Which it is. If I make it past smog, then I'll have California DMV use the Porsche 10-digit VIN (since they require that it be stamped in two places in the engine compartment anyway) and the NY VIN is only in one place.

BTW, I have searched all over the place, and I can't seem to figure out if there are 1980 Euro AND Euro S models. Are there two different 1980 Euro models, one with 237 hp (Euro) & one with 297 hp (Euro S)? How would I find out if I have a Euro S? What option code is that? Here is a list of option codes:

http://www.928.org.uk/mambo/index.ph...d=82&Itemid=43

Or do I just check the engine displacement (4.5L vs. 4.7L)? I purchased the car from an Auto Auction place here in California.