86 e24 emissions

gregthall

gregthall

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Looking at picking up an 86 635csi...anyone know if I can pass today's emission standards??? Appears to be all stock. Thanks. In new Jersey
 
Not sure what you mean by that? If all the smog equipment is on the car and the motor is not smoking like my father-in-law, then yes, it should pass smog. If ever a question on buying a vehicle and smog is an issue, ask the owner to allow you to go down and get it smogged, even if they already have a certificate and you cannot verify on your own that all the equipment is there. Because it was common for a while to be able to pay off a smog guy and he would pass the car. Then when you, the new owner would go smog it in a couple years, you wouldn't pass and would have a huge expense of getting all the smog back on it. Because even if everything is there, it may not pass smog unless you actually hook it up to the machine. CAT might be bad, who knows? Maybe longer answer than you were looking for but that is what I would do. Or, stick to pre-76 cars, at least in CA that is, up to 75' I believe is NO SMOG REQUIRED. But then no 635csi either. I was told the transmissions are notorious for having problems so might want to have that looked at as well. Could be wrong on that year, but I have heard that about the auto trans only I believe. One of the sharks can chime in on that one here. No expert on those by any means. Might have been on the earlier models, just remember hearing something about that when I was looking at one years ago.
 
Never had a problem with my 87 E24 and even passed before starting the recent engine rebuild with a 250k miles on the engine and a disintegrating canister.
If the car is automatic watch out cause you can fry the transmission during the test unless it was already retrofitted to allow emissions test. Google 4HP22 emissions failure...
 
I own an 86 635 and I pass with no issue in Ma. If taken care of, should be fine.
 
Thank you for the replies. I guess my real question was what are common issues with passing emissions for an older car? Prior to owning my coupe I really never had a car that wasn't new. So I didn't deal with ever NOT passing an emissions test. So when trying to put a 30 year old car with 30 year old emissions equipment does it still hold up to current emission standards? Or, does it still just have to operate to the emission standard that were set in '86 in order to pass? Anyway, I did buy the car and in process of getting it on the road. Talked to my local mechanic and for $47 he can "inspect" it. For the other e24 owners, I think I need a few fuel related parts-- are there really 4 fuel filters from the tank, or did I read that wrong.

Greg
 
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