1975 To 1976 Changes

Your experience conforms to the charts I posted above. The 304-equipped CJs for 1975 and 1976 all came with catalytic convertors, California or nation-wide (aka "49-states"). Only the California 232/258 CJs gained a catalytic convertor between 1975 and 1976.

 

The wife’s 76 with a 258 never had one the dash tag says unleaded fuel only and no catalyst.

 

Also consistent with the TSM chart.

I do know of one case that is different from the chart. My 1975 CJ-6 with a 258 delivered in California and bought new had Air Guard (air injection, smog pump), which the chart says it should not. Speedo and body marked "Unleaded Fuel Only" and a nozzle restricter (IIRC), but no convertor. This Jeep was one of the last domestic CJ-6s built.

 

funny no restrictor in the wifes.

 

Maybe because there's no cat to be ruined?

 

Nozzle restricter, is that the metal flap in the fuel filler neck?

 

Shouldn't be the flap. The opening/orifice is just smaller for the unleaded fuel nozzle. Back in the days when they still sold leaded gas, you could buy a slip-on adapter in order to pump leaded gas in an unleaded vehicle.

I remember leaded was cheaper then.

 

Mine is June 75 with #66972

 

Just a sidebar, didn't it also have to do with the GWVR of the vehicle? In 1984 I had a family friend run a HD F 250 gas engine 4X4 through the Ford Plant here in Norfolk VA. Back then you could "red tag" a vehicle in the line for employees build and save yourself some money and sometime equipment would be "substituted". Could't believe it ran on regular gas. had a smog pump but not much else and it was a beast.

 

Re GVWR, yes. Jeep uniformly made their full-sized vehicles above 6000 lbs GVWR ca 1972, to avail of the easier regs associated with commercial vehicles. Prior to that, the lightest J-trucks and all Wagoneers had a 5000# GVWR. Note that in the '70s the CJs had more devices than the big Jeeps, due to their lower GVWR. My '77 J10 is a good example - no air injection, no vapor recovery, 49-states compliant.