<VV> Corvairs and smog - Long

[Mark Durham]

Well, all except for the Catalylic Converter has already been done, even on
a 140 motor, with good results.  See Craig Nicol's conversion. Ray Sedman
has done quite a few, and Ted Brown is working on a kit for his dual
throttle body version. I personally am building a 90-92 GM 1223370 ECM
system and I am converting the carbs to throttle bodies by boring out the
venturi and adding 4 fuel injectos, two per side, to a Ray Sedman American
PI CAD designed top plate that bolts to the carb base; for my EM 102, due to
hit the streets this next spring. But without the converter, for the time
being. Mark Durham

On Tue, Oct 12, 2010 at 10:30 AM, <Sethracer at aol.com> wrote:

>
> It is likely that our Corvairs will someday be restricted in  general
> usage, unless they can somehow be modified to produce less emissions. It
>  will
> likely be a restriction like several insurance companies place on yearly
> mileage limits. This is not to start a debate about the possibility of
> such.
> This is just a discussion of possible avenues of approach, should that day
> come.  The modern car is treated on a holistic basis. All parts are
> evaluated
> for  their emissions, including paint, upholstery etc. But the power system
> emissions  are the main focus of the regulators and that is what I want to
> discuss. As  several people have mentioned, the design of the combustion
> chamber on the  Corvair head was state of the art in 1955. The Semi-wedge
> chamber
> of most  Corvair motors is, at least predictable for emissions. Air cooling
> of the heads  and cylinders adds a few extra variables into the mix, as hot
> spots and quick  temperature changes do not have the luxury of the liquid
> cooling "heat  sink" to mitigate and absorb that heat. It will stay hot
> until
> another  cooler blast of air drops by to pick up that heat and carry it
> away. The Corvair  cooling system, as designed, (if maintained), can cope
> with
> most conditions.  Ignoring racing and possibly extreme 110+ degree weather
> conditions. Our concern  has always been to keep overall temperatures down
> in
> the "happy" operating  range. With newer emission systems, that goal will
> change to keeping the motor  within a very tight range of operation to make
> adequate control of  emissions a probability, if not a sure thing. Even if
> the goals of the  regulators are set at reasonable levels, I am reasonably
> sure computer control  of the ignition and fuel system will be needed. The
> good
> news for us is that  these systems have, over the last 25 years flooded the
> aftermarket and the  replacement market with inexpensive hardware, and,
> over the last 10 years, with  programmable electronics to connect and
> control
> the cheap electronics. The  focus of most of the aftermarket EFI suppliers
> has been on increasing power  and driveability (compared to carburetors)
> and
> only on an ancillary basis  mileage and emissions. That may have to change.
> In the past, only people  interested in better power and performance were
> willing to go through the effort  and spend the money to modify the car to
> the
> extent needed to reach the  goals. That will change. I don't think that the
> Corvair engine, even  with every bandaid available, can reach the low
> levels
> of emissions which  are commonly available on new cars today - but they
> probably won't have to  do so. I believe that a Corvair engine in good
> condition, with a properly  programmed, electronically controlled fuel and
> Ignition
> system, and a  properly installed catalytic converter ,could meet the test
> levels of  commonly available and currently certified cars from the 90's.
> If
> our cars met  those goals, and passed testing at that level, the
> authorities
> should have  no complaints about us continuing to use our cars.
> Once again, I  am not trying to start a debate over whether smog standards
> should be applied to  old cars, I am just talking about possible ways to
> meet those  standards.
>
> How about a  140 Corvair motor, with 4 throttle body injectors mounted
> where the Rochester H  series carbs are now, a waste-spark ignition system
> triggered by a wheel on the  rear balancer, A big-single exhaust system
> with an
> appropriate Converter  mounted and shielded, along side the right head, as
> far forward as possible,  with a short muffler following it. The exhaust is
> complete with an appropriate  wide-band O2 sensor installed, providing
> feedback to the ECU which controls both  the ignition timing and the
> mixture
> provided the Fuel injection system.  Sensor inputs from incoming air temp,
> engine
> temp and others. An OBD2 systems  could be installed to provide driver
> feedback as well.
>
> So - who will be the first to build one of these? Or has it been done
> already - Completely.
>
>
> Seth Emerson
>
> C's the  Day! - Corvair, Camaro, Corvette
> San Jose, CA
>
>
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