K19 systems availability? / smog, pump

[Ray G.]

Hello;
K19 availability before the end of the 1966 model year ?

ANYONE AWARE

Thanks in advance for your help.
Ray

[Duke W.]

Re: K19 systems availability? / smog, pump

It's not a SMOG pump! It's an air pump. Automobiles to do not exhaust "smog", but they exhaust "emissions" such as hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, and oxides of nitrogen. These emissions with the addition of sunlight create what's called photochemical "smog", and I believe the word "smog" may have been coined in England as a contraction for "smoke and fog" that plagued London beginning in the nineteenth century.

Most cars sold in California beginning with the 1966 model year had to have air pumps and retarded spark advance maps to pass California's new tailpipe emission standards, and K-19 was a required option for most cars delivered to California dealers. It was called Air Injector Reactor, and the injected air along with the retarded spark timing increased EGT and oxidized HC and CO in the manifolds and upper exhaust pipes.

Federal standards that applied to the other 49 states went into effect for the 1968 model year. California first established NOx standards for 1971 and the Feds for 1973.

Duke

[Joe L.]

Re: K19 systems availability? / smog, pump

Hello;
K19 availability before the end of the 1966 model year ?
…. ANYONE AWARE …..

Thanks in advance for your help.
Ray

Ray------

As far as I know, it was available for the entire 1966 model year as all cars delivered to California had to have it. I suppose it's POSSIBLE that there was some delay at the outset of the model year with, thus, no cars delivered to California for some short period of time. But, I think that's HIGHLY unlikely.

I once purchased new a 1966 Chevelle SS396 that was built very early in the model year. It was definitely equipped with K-19.

[Duke W.]

Re: K19 systems availability? / smog, pump

I think typical emission and safety standards both federal and state go into effect for new production on the first day of the new year, but manufacturers usually get them into production at the beginning of the model year, so K-66 was likely available at start of production for the '66 model year, late summer/early fall '65.

Duke

[Mike M.]

Re: K19 systems availability? / smog, pump

As I recall(recalls increasingly difficult as years advance) but I think a 66 427/425 delivered in Calif didnt have k19

[Joe L.]

Re: K19 systems availability? / smog, pump

As I recall(recalls increasingly difficult as years advance) but I think a 66 427/425 delivered in Calif didn’t have k19

Mike------


Yes, they did not. I think there was also some sort of exemption for 1966 4 cylinder Chevy II's, too. I've never gotten to the bottom of why those "exemptions" existed, though.

[Jack M.]

Re: K19 systems availability? / smog, pump

This is the K19 section from the 1966 Corvette Finger-Tip Facts (Revised)... similar text was in the ordering procedures.
K19 (REVISED).jpg

From some older research, it was noted that limited production engines (less than 10% of production) were excluded.
Supposedly, these exclusions were outlined in early California smog manuals... but I've yet to find any.

[Duke W.]

Re: K19 systems availability? / smog, pump

Then why did all L-72, both CA and 49 state have ported vacuum advance. It was there to increase EGT, which along with the injected air reduced HC and CO enough to pass those early CA tailpipe limits.

If L-72 was "excempt" due to low volume why configure it with ported vacuum advance.

Duke

[Ray G.]

Re: K19 systems availability? / smog, pump

Hello;
Thank YOU everyone for the educated and educational answers to my question.
Your help is appreciated.
Ray

[Jack M.]

Re: K19 systems availability? / smog, pump

Duke- If your comment references my post, itz not an argument... simply relevant K19 info that I've gathered.
Could the info possibly be wrong... absolutely. Yet we have actual vehicle reports, that appear to substantiate the data.

1966 Corvette Finger-Tip Facts listed the L72 as EXEMPT:
Both the original dealer showroom album, and revised FTF edition.

1966 Corvette K19 Ordering/Pricing Info listed L72 as EXEMPT:
Sept 65, Oct 65, Jan 66, Feb 66, Mar 66

1966 Corvette Dealer Order Form K19 details (excluded engines would be EXEMPT):
Dated 5-65 (Available with 300, 350 or 400 HP Engine)
Dated 8-65 (Available with 300, 350 or 390 HP Engine)
(there were no further 66 order form updates, that I'm aware of)

In addition, I've confirmed that the 1966 Corvair L87 Turbo was also EXEMPT.

[Duke W.]

Re: K19 systems availability? / smog, pump

I'm not questioning the fact that L-72 was exempt. There's enough GM documentation to believe that it was. My question was that if exempt, why would L-72 be equipped with an emission control feature, namely ported vacuum advance. We'll probably never know, so perhaps it's a rhetorical question.

The same applies to the California statutory authority to exempt a couple of "low volume" engines. We'll likely never solve that mystery either.

Duke

[Jack M.]

Re: K19 systems availability? / smog, pump

Duke- Perhaps I'm interpreting your question inKorrectly, but the way I read the info, the 1966 L72 engine was simply 'exempt' from the K19 A.I.R. 'system'. In regards to any other air quality/emission control features that you mention, perhaps it was part of GM's recognition, and continual attempt to help reduce pollution (as outlined in the 1965 Sun/Air and Wheels brochure).

[Joe L.]

Re: K19 systems availability? / smog, pump

I'm not questioning the fact that L-72 was exempt. There's enough GM documentation to believe that it was. My question was that if exempt, why would L-72 be equipped with an emission control feature, namely ported vacuum advance. We'll probably never know, so perhaps it's a rhetorical question.

The same applies to the California statutory authority to exempt a couple of "low volume" engines. We'll likely never solve that mystery either.

Duke

Duke------


The "exemption" also applied to 1966 Chevelles with the L-78 (375HP) engine option. I once had a friend who purchased one of these new in 1966. I remember well that his car was not equipped with K-19. It kind of angered me that my new 1966 Chevelle SS 396 with the L-34 (360HP) engine was equipped with K-19.

The "exemption" did not last long, though. For 1967 only L-88's were exempt (how many of those could there have been with only a total of 20 ever built nationwide). 1967 Chevelles with the L-78 engine were equipped with K-19 for California.

By 1968 the "exemption" was totally gone; even L-88's were equipped with AIR.

[Tim G.]

Re: K19 systems availability? / smog, pump

I always understood that the 1967 L88 option cars sold in California were technically not allowed to be street licensed?

[Duke W.]

Re: K19 systems availability? / smog, pump

1967 L-88s were not legal to license in ANY state within the USA because they did not have a PCV system, which was first required on all cars sold in CA in 1961 and nationwide for '63.

Of course, that doesn't mean that one or more of those 20 cars didn't manage to get registered.

Regarding the "exemption" for those '66 CA engines General Motors did not have the authority to exempt them. Only the state of California could do that, and I've never seen documentation regarding any such exemption.

Duke