I just bought a 1984 camaro Z28. It needs the carb to be replaced. I live in CA and need one that will pass emission check (smog). Idk which to go wit. Any suggestions/advice would be appreciated.

 

Living in CA makes it real eeeeezie. Takes all the uncertainty and guesswork out of it.

There is EXACTLY ONE carb you can use: and that ONE, is one EXACTLY LIKE the one you have now, part # for part #.

No other will be acceptable. Not Edelbrock, Holley, or any other brand; not any other year or style of Q-Jet, besides the computer-controlled version you have now.

Might be more cost-effective and give better results to fix the one you've got, if it isn't suffereing too bad from dissimilar-metal-junction corrosion, which they all always do, to some extent. Since there are no "new" ones, any one you get will be a rebuild, and there's no guarantee that it will be any better in that respect than the one that's there.

 

Well with his car technically being a classic vehicle (25 years or older) I'm not sure if he is required to pass emissions as strictly. However I do not live in Cali I live in Washington and thats how it is up here.

 

CA lives by its own rules. What goes on in WA, doesn't apply.

EVERY car built since the year that certain of the CA state emissions laws began, which I think is 1971 but I'm not positive about that, has to pass the sniffer (easy) as well as the "visual" (not so much)... which includes verifying that EVERY SINGLE PIECE of emissions-related eqpt, which means EVERY hose, EVERY wire, EVERY sensor, EVERY wire, EVERY exhaust system part, EVERY air cleaner feature, and EVERYTHING else, is present and connected properly, and that EVERY piece that has a part # (which would include the carb) has the right part # corresponding to the VIN, or that it has an EO (Executive Order) # issued by the CARB (CA Air Resources Board) allowing THAT SPECIFIC replacement part to substitute for THAT SPECIFIC original part. Inspection there is performed by independent garages, of 2 types; those that are inspection-only, and ones that can also offer repairs (the inspection-only ones are required to be used in certain situations). The state has video cameras in every one, which they can view what they're doing at any time, at will; which means, no "alternative" methods of convincing the inspector to let you pass, because their license to offer inspections could get yanked.

I had a 74 car among others while I lived out there (early 2000s) and it had to pass all this, same as any other. There's no such thing as a "classic exemption" of any kind, if the car is newer than 71 or whatever it is.

Basically, in CA, you keep your car original, or you don't drive it. Period. Only exception is if you put a newer engine out of a vehicle of the same class (no truck engines in cars for example), in which case that engine must pass the visual and sniffer tests for the year and model of the ENGINE, not the CAR; and must be inspected and approved by the "referree" (state official) if there's any question at all.

People who don't live in CA, or haven't at one time, don't usually have a clue what the laws there are.

 

Well say you have a '75 Camaro and take an engine out of a '69.. what would be the laws on that? I'm not trying to be a smart with you I'm genuinely curious.

 

Thanks for the info. I guess im gonna have to rebuild it. Thanks again!!

 

O one last thing, where can i find the part # on the carb?? Thanks

 

To answer the OP, you want to get an 81-90 CCC Q-jet. Chevy for the side-inlet fuel fitting. And probably Chevy for the simpler vac. break setup. There are different chokes and idle devices on Olds stuff. For the most part if you get one from a 305 Monte or Caprice or Camaro with U.S. emissions, that's what you need.

more than likely, your carb can be rebuilt economically without "replacement" and this forum is an excellent source of info on that matter but you will do some reading to learn it. There are books referenced, service info from the factory service manuals and everything you need if you can read.

Federally and in CA it is legal to swap a same-year or newer same-duty powertrain. This requires the newer engine emissions equipment.

If a '99 LS1 is swapped into an '84, the '99 emissions equipment must be maintained.

An engine from a GMC Topkick (heavy duty truck) is not a legal swap into an S10 or K1500 (light duty trucks)

An older engine into a newer car is not a loophole and technically it's illegal. We all know a 69 Camaro engine can probably have the 75 parts swapped onto it without issue because basically the same engine was installed in both.

Sometimes a swap requires something be uniquely fitted, such as catalytic converters of different design and relocation of O2 sensors due to vehicle fitment. When something like this comes up in CA, the vehicle has to be seen at a referee station who will give some common sense analysis of the swap. I have not been through a CA referee station. A friend who spent time in CA and did a number of swaps did; if you have properly included all appropriate equipment in the swap, you won't have a problem. If you try and delete things, you're going to have a problem.

Old car exemptions are addressed here: http://dmv.ca.gov/vr/smogfaq.htm

 

It's stamped sideways on the driver side of the carb on a surface that faces the driver-side front of the car.

An '84 car will tend to have a number like 17084xxx unless the carb has been replaced or a prior-year carryover carb was used by GM.

 

When I was in California I was told in a swap like this that the vehicle would still have to have all original emmissions for that car or truck. This means that if putting a older chevy V8 in place of a ford motor in a 70's truck (easy easy swap) that the truck could still have to have the original emmissions of the ford or try to get a waiver. Only in Ca.

 

In CA, the law is, can't do it.

At least, can't license it to drive it on the street.

Now in all honesty, most of the time, if the engine is the same as the later one (e.g. a 69 block in a 77 car or the like) and there's no emissions-related difference, it'll slide through, even if the inspector notices it. OTOH, if you blow into the station with all your sensors and solenoids and valves and hoses and wires and whatever all else all there and hooked up, and it blows clean on the dyno, odds are, they won't even bother to check things like block #s and head #s, and especially not to get casting dates. But if you, say, stick a Holley carb on where a computer-controlled Q-Jet was, they'll turf you in a New York instant.

What they typically do, is open up some mfr's emissions catalog (B-W, Sorenson, Std Ignition, people like that) and match what the catalog shows came on the car, with what they're looking at.

jmd's description is substantially accurate. Subject to, the car must be emissions-equipped for its own or a later year; and whatever year it is purported to be, it must be COMPLETE.

The "referee" has pretty much final say on it. Thank Боже, I never had to take any of my cars that far.

 

Hmm alright. Thanks for feeding my curiosity, I came out enlightened.

 

Thanks again. I was going to attempt a rebuild but got discouraged when i seen all of the little parts inside the carb haha. I purchased a reman. Carburetor with matching #'s and installation for $350. However the check engine did not work so the choke would not open. The mechanic rigged up the carb so the choke would remain open but carb would run full rich. It turns out that the light itself was just loose haha and indicated ecm malfunction which ended up being a blown fuse. Replaced fuse but still recieved a code 34 turns out it was a vacuum hose that goes from the MAP sensor to the back of the carb. It kepts falling out. I was able to fasten it and now she runs better than ever!! Also replaced dist. Cap/rotor/coil/as well as the computer that controls these functions. Now i just have to set the timing and have the mechanic tune the carb correctly so that shes not running rich. After that its all body work. 2 dents: 1-driver side tail light/wing area, 2-passenger side above rear tire. Rehinge driver door and replace window motor. Re-weather strip the vehicle. Then paint it!! Hopefully ill be able to upload pics from my phone. Thanks again!! I really appreciated everyones info/help.