'78 GT vs California Air Board

[Werlin]

I've been the proud second owner of a '78 Celica [now with 245K miles on its original 20R mill...] since '84 who's done most of his own engine work over the years. Unfortunately, I live in Sacramento -- part of the highest hammerlock region of regulation by the state's air quality folk -- and am faced with the problem of acquiring replacement parts for the vehicle's emission control system and/or a local tech wizard who knows the old war horse's system and can help without wiping out Junior's college fund.

Anyone have any insights as to where or how I might find the parts or a skilled mechanic in my area who really knows the car?

// W-y

[Doctor J]

What potential smog-related problems are you expecting?
[non-working air pump, high CO, high HC, high NOx?]

[Werlin]

Doctor J:

The test failure [it's on a dynamometer, in the "Smog Check 2" series found mainly in SO CAL and the Central Valley] is in the CO area, and is severe: almost 3 times the limit (%) @ 15 mph, almost twice @ 25, earning it a "Gross Polluter" rating. It passes beautifully in both HC [showing less than 10% of the standard at both speeds] and NO metrics [even less than 10% if the proscribed standard], however.

Measures: I'm pretty much at sea here, but I have pulled the air injector hose, and it seems to be putting out a goodly flow of air; but I don't have the capacity to measure it against the manual specs. Given the low HC & NO ratings, though, I wouldn't expect the air injector to be the problem, even though I can't make a reliable measurement.

Does that pinpoint any specific approaches to the problem to you?

[humanoid]

I thought you didn't need to have the car smogged if it was 30+ years old?

[Doctor J]

The rolling 30 year exemption does not apply to California anymore in case of high CO failure on the carburated Celica I would probably do the following:
First check the vacuum hoses around the carburetor for proper routing and make sure that they are not collapsed inside; 6 years ago I came across the grossly polluting 87 tercel where 2 out of 3 hoses were connected incorrectly to the ported vacuum switch, causing the engine to run in the "below +4 degrees C' mode.

The air injector pump supplies the air into the exhaust ports when engine is cold and to the catalyst when the engine is on normal operation temperature.
If all hoses are good and properly connected, the next step is checking ported switches.
This car does not have electronic mixture control therefore if all systems are checked out good, looking on the carburetor itself can be the last step;
The choke should open fully when the car is on normal operation temperature; check dual diaphragm choke opener
high float level is probably not an issue, as this will cause poor idle and backfire on accelerationLeaking seal on the acceleration pump and power valve can be issues as well, but this will call for carburetor removal and disassembly. Let me look for carburetor vac hose schematic to be more specific

[humanoid]

Awww crap. I think my 1980 Triumph TR7 won't pass smog then.