Smog Control Tubes

Engine, ignition, fuel, cooling, exhaust

Moderators: Ranchero50, DuckRyder

Post Reply
sb4boys
New Member
New Member
Posts: 13
Joined: Mon Apr 24, 2017 7:54 pm

Smog Control Tubes

Post by sb4boys »

I am rebuilding my 68 Ford f-100 360 engine and wanted to plug the smog tube outlets on the heads. Would this do any harm to the engine or create performance issues?
Ohiotinkerer
Blue Oval Fanatic
Blue Oval Fanatic
Posts: 852
Joined: Wed Nov 09, 2016 5:49 pm
Location: Galion, Ohio

Re: Smog Control Tubes

Post by Ohiotinkerer »

Nope - did it on mine without any difference. All that did back then was pump air into the exhaust to "reduce" emissions back in the dark ages of pollution control.......pretty much a joke........ :doh:

If you have a NAPA store with older guys working there they should be able to get you the threaded plugs we used for years to eliminate that garbage........ :evil:
"Life is a garden - dig it"........... :thup:

1968 F100 2wd - Rangoon Red - 360 w/T18 - power steering and brakes
1997 Honda CBR 900RR
User avatar
Manny
Blue Oval Guru
Blue Oval Guru
Posts: 1190
Joined: Wed Oct 04, 2006 7:15 pm
Location: Georgia, Lake City
Contact:

Re: Smog Control Tubes

Post by Manny »

Plug them up no problem. If you can find some different heads you would get better power, or port those up and grind the thermactor humps out while you got the heads off.. Them old smoggers were again a patch at best. :thup:
Just another Ford fool named Dan.
The Junk that hangs around
67' F-250 highboy Camper special cross breed currently under way
http://www.fordification.com/forum/view ... 22&t=86706
1974 Bronco 302 3 speed
1984 bronco 302 c6 35's
1994 F350 7.3 5spd dually.
woods wrote: The rust holes in my truck were a factory install (very rare).
71Fe2O3
New Member
New Member
Posts: 137
Joined: Fri Mar 24, 2017 8:26 pm
Location: CT

Re: Smog Control Tubes

Post by 71Fe2O3 »

The idea was to pump air into the outgoing exhaust-old engines run rich, so one way to reduce hydrocarbon and CO emissions is to introduce air into the exhaust that converts some of the hydrocarbons into H2O and some of the CO into CO2. This allowed manufacturers to meet the relatively lax emission control standards of the day. The early systems, primitive and clunky, robbed engines of power and probably didn't cut emissions by very much.

Because excess hydrocarbons are detrimental to catalytic converters, air injection is also used on modern vehicles, though in ways that are more elegant than the old "smog pumps." It surprised me to see that you have this in a 68-I didn't know they had them that early.

To make a long story short, you can disable what is in your vehicle or swap your heads. FE heads are plentiful.
Fred

1970 F100 4WD short bed, 360 engine, very rusty plow and yard truck

1971 F100 2WD long bed, 302 engine, on the road

1968 F100 2WD long bed, 360 engine, stripping for parts
Ohiotinkerer
Blue Oval Fanatic
Blue Oval Fanatic
Posts: 852
Joined: Wed Nov 09, 2016 5:49 pm
Location: Galion, Ohio

Re: Smog Control Tubes

Post by Ohiotinkerer »

Another thing I just thought of - do you also have 2 ports on the vacuum advance on the distributor? If so disconnect the rear hose and plug off the ports on both ends - this was also a pollution control designed to retard the timing at cruising speeds (highway driving) and recheck your timing - also made a big difference on mine......
"Life is a garden - dig it"........... :thup:

1968 F100 2wd - Rangoon Red - 360 w/T18 - power steering and brakes
1997 Honda CBR 900RR
Ohiotinkerer
Blue Oval Fanatic
Blue Oval Fanatic
Posts: 852
Joined: Wed Nov 09, 2016 5:49 pm
Location: Galion, Ohio

Re: Smog Control Tubes

Post by Ohiotinkerer »

71Fe2O3 wrote:It surprised me to see that you have this in a 68-I didn't know they had them that early.
It seems to be more common on trucks that were built in California - mine was built in San Jose and it had all that garbage on it but stock bumps I've seen here in Ohio doesn't have it on them.......... :?
"Life is a garden - dig it"........... :thup:

1968 F100 2wd - Rangoon Red - 360 w/T18 - power steering and brakes
1997 Honda CBR 900RR
User avatar
colnago
100% FORDified!
100% FORDified!
Posts: 1882
Joined: Tue Jun 14, 2011 8:48 pm
Location: Ridgecrest, CA

Re: Smog Control Tubes

Post by colnago »

Ohiotinkerer wrote:
71Fe2O3 wrote:It surprised me to see that you have this in a 68-I didn't know they had them that early.
It seems to be more common on trucks that were built in California - mine was built in San Jose and it had all that garbage on it but stock bumps I've seen here in Ohio doesn't have it on them.......... :?
Thank goodness, Cali didn't do it in '67. Leastways, if they did, then a PO removed it all before I got my bump. Mine was also built in San Jose.

Joseph
"Sugar", my 1967 Ford F250 2WD Camper Special, 352FE, Ford iron "T" Intake with 1405 Edelbrock, Duraspark II Ignition, C6 transmission, front disc brake conversion.
Post Reply