California emissions removal on '98 F3

Walshman · 08-15-2009, 3:45 PM

Hey everyone, I just picked up an F3 that's been sitting for awhile so I decided to pull the carbs and clean 'em out real good.

I noticed that since this is a California bike, it's got a ton of emissions equipment that I probably don't need to have in Washington. I searched around and didn't find any specific threads on what to remove, what hoses to plug, ect...

Does anyone have any firsthand experience with this? Is it worth it? Will the bike actually run worse without it?

My first reaction when I saw all the hoses and sensors was "wow, it looks like my old integra"

Definitely more technologically advanced than the big bore XR's I'm used to or my brothers '74 CB400SS (I'll have to take some pics of the 400, its actually pretty cherry)

Walshman · 08-17-2009, 1:55 PM

Any idea's?

I'm thinkin' you could remove the evaporative canister/purge control valve/CAV solenoid valve and plug the lines.
But if it's a different ECU between Cali and the rest of the country, it might throw a trouble code and send the ECU into a limp/fixed value mode for the missing sensors.
(i'm assuming there's an ECU, because of the throttle position sensor on the carbs, crankcase postion sensor, ect)

I'm probably just gonna leave it the way it is, unless someone else has done this and can attest to how it works.

isacguy · 08-19-2009, 9:49 AM

There is no ECU on the bike so you don't have to worry about a light coming on, (Carbs with a CDI ingnition) I don't know how much better it will run though, here is a link for an online microfiche,

CheapCycleParts.com's Honda Street Bike Parts Finder

It might help you to see the differences between California and a regular emissions, since this one happens to be an itemized microfiche, you can print them out and look at them side by side. I looked at the parts lists, A LOT of things are different on the California bike, makes me kinda nervous about pulling things off and plugging them up.

Walshman · 08-19-2009, 6:50 PM

Yeah I don't even want to try and alter any of that unless someone else has done it before and there are some dramatic benefits in MPG/Power, which I kind of doubt. Any of the cars I've worked on usually just start running worse/use more gas when I've tried tampering with the emissions stuff. It might help on an older rig from the 70's but with the advent of electronic engine controls and fuel injection it's not worth it IMO.

Was just curious if it might be different on the bike since it's carb'd.