Removing Emission Control Systems

I have a '74 California B (now residing in Chicago) that has about 1/2 of the emission control system removed .. I'd like to remove the rest of the emissions system but am not sure what is critical or safe for the engine to run properly ... The air pump from the engine has been removed but the charcoal canister, running-on control valve and some various hoses in the engine compartment remain as does the separation tank in the trunk ... can any of these items be removed?

there's no advantage to removing these.

No performance reason to remove anyways.

Actually, my rational is to relieve clutter in the engine compartment and trunk ... if the system is not being used, I'd rather have them in my spare parts bin ... I just want to make sure I'm not disconnecting something that will create a fume or fire hazard.

The tank in the trunk and the carbon cannisters are interlinked. Remove one you might as well remove both. The anti-run on valve, I have not had on any of my B's (removed by PO) so I'm not really sure of their purpose. As for the tank in the trunk, that is used to remove or allow recycling of fumes (over pressure relief) from the gas tank to the carbon filter cannisters. As of 69, I believe, the gas tanks are a vented tank, so if you remove the small silver tank from the trunk then you must cap the vent hole from the gas tank as well as the line coming from the carbon cannister into the trunk. I believe the carbon cannisters are also connected to the fuel overflow from the carbs. I think it's best to leave the carbon cannister system, but if you never change the charcoal then its a pointless , as the container is probably just filling with raw fuel.

If you remove the charcoal canister and the canister in the trunk you have to plug the line coming out of the gas tank to prevent gas fumes from filling your trunk. Then, you have to put a small vent hole in your gas cap to prevent vacuum crushing in your gas tank. Then you will anger the green people for letting gas fumes into the atmosphere. Joe

As others has said, there's no real value in removing the charcoal canister, nor the vapor separation tank. And, you need to have your valve cover & gas tank vent somewhere.

As to the anti-run-on valve, it helps prevent dieseling when you shut the engine off.

Jim D

In case it isn't clear, you will buy yourself a whole lot of grief (and no benefit) if you mess with the evaporative loss system.

One thing you can do (next time you have the head off) is press the injector nozzles out. Everybody plugs the holes in the head where the air rail connected without realizing there are nozzles that protrude into the exhaust port. There is probably a mild benefit to pressing these out but you need to remove the head to do it. Then, use an appropriately sized pin punch to drive them out.