CA Smog Legal

[broncnaz]

Well he said he got a valid one with the vehicle. Just saying once you've bought it its yours. If 18 months later you cant pass smog then its your problem.

 

[ren71]

Well he said he got a valid one with the vehicle. Just saying once you've bought it its yours. If 18 months later you cant pass smog then its your problem.

You're right, he did, I missed that. I wonder if it was obtained legally =)

 

[Oakland Bronco]

A different glove box cover with an older VIN and a title to match is all you need...

I registered my 1973 in CA 6 months ago. The vehicle inspector told me that CA registration requires a pair of matching VIN numbers on the vehicle. Vehicles with only one visible VIN number have to go to the highway patrol for inspection before the DMV can move forward with the registration.

 

[73stallion]

if you install an AFTERMARKET fuel injection, it'll NEVER pass smog. i don't care how clean it burns, these nazzi's out here want everything to be stock. if you install a mustang, cougar, t-bird EFI, then you can get it cleared by the BAR as long as it has ALL of the equipment that vehicle came with. example, if you install mustang EFi, if it came with dual exhaust with an H pipe and 4 catalytic converters, gotta have all of them.

 

[Broncobowsher]

if you install a mustang, cougar, t-bird EFI, then you can get it cleared by the BAR as long as it has ALL of the equipment that vehicle came with. example, if you install mustang EFi, if it came with dual exhaust with an H pipe and 4 catalytic converters, gotta have all of them.

and the charcoal canister, non-vented gas cap, purge solenoid...
ALL of the emissions stuff

 

[Bullitt94]

I registered my 1973 in CA 6 months ago. The vehicle inspector told me that CA registration requires a pair of matching VIN numbers on the vehicle. Vehicles with only one visible VIN number have to go to the highway patrol for inspection before the DMV can move forward with the registration.

Yeah, that was really more of a joke than a real recommendation. Not worth the risks involved.

You could just move out of CA. (Not a serious recommendations either.)

 

[Bubbaluv]

It sounds like i need to get with referrer at some point in the not too distant future and see what they recommend. I was only considering the efi for fuel efficiency, which it sounds like there isn't too much benefit, and i figured it would run cleaner to help with the smog. It sounds like CA is so backwards, they car more the impression of smog control rather than actual smog control. no wonder this state is bankrupt.

 

[BluebroncoNC]

Not sure what you need, but I sent you a pm, I have most of the "smog" items off of my 77 laying around. It wasn't a CA truck, but if you can use any of them or need something you're missing give me a shout.

 

[mofoco1]

smog

I sat down with a BAR tech and a book on the legality of smogging . EVERYTHING has to be present irregardless of state of origin. Has to conform to CA standards for that year period. If it's missing and they catch it they can keep making you add stuff on. I passed up countless 76-77's in the last yearfor that reason alone. Good luck. Mo in Clovis, CA

 

[Bullitt94]

It sounds like CA is so backwards

Correct.

 

[Rustytruck]

Not backwards just greedy. For every old one crushed you buy a new one and the state gets the sales tax, then there is the yearly registration 40 bucks for an old one and 350 for a new one, add that up. With a population of 35 million people in California its in the governments best interest to talk you out of your money. If your feeling left out dont worry its all comming to a state near you.

 

[904Bronco]

So I have read through everyones threads and most of the information is spot on. I have a 77 with a Ca smog legal 1988 Mustang EFI conversion motor in it. It is alot of work, and you have to have an understanding of how the emissions equipment work. It runs much better than the 77 with the carb...

Mine had to have the 4 cats on it, I used the old H-pipe cats as I did not want to buy 4 new smog compliant replacement CA cats. You as the owner can cut up and reuse the H-pipe, but it is illegal for an exhaust shop to do it. All of the emission equipment from the mustang must be present and functioning. The ECU must match the transmission you are running, no adjustable fuel regulators, all vacuum lines present and hooked up TAD and TAB, EGR, CC, air injection to the heads and cats, factory air cleaner, vacuum storage can, NO trouble codes in memory, newer fuel tanks that meet CA regulations (letter from manufacturer stating this). Working check engine light... I think you might have the picture... It is work, but it can be done.

 

[904Bronco]

Given what you have said previously, I think it would better for you to try and put all the smog equipment for 77 back on your rig. If you can find it... The stuff can be like Gold... When I bought mine the PO had put a tired 90 mustang mortor in it, since the original motor grenaded. He could not get it to work so that it would pass smog. So it sat for over a year. I bought it as is and got it running... I had to track down parts... Air injection check valve was $100.00, the hardest part to find was a plastic fitting that fit into the air cleaner so the hose from the charcol canister would attach properly.

I had to adapt the 90's air injection to the heads to the factory air pump... lots of vacuum lines. the sticker on the valve cover showed that it was a Federal emissions vehicle (49 State)

I have found that the smog check people are clueless about older vehicles, most of then are born after 1977. They rely on the book, if they can find the pictures of the emissions equipment... The Smog Referee is a crap shoot, mine had to look things up in the book and on line. You cannot argue with them, they are God. You have to do what they say... "You need to have a vacuum resevoir" What?, Why?, you know that it serves no purpose for emissions, it is for the donor cars HVAC system to control the units doors with vacuum. "You need to have it as it is in the vacuum routing diagram"

If you talk to the Referee, and he runs the vehicle's VIN the computer, then you are in the DMV's system. Better to talk to him in general terms about what you need...

 

[bell55]

Went through the same process with my 77. Referee can pretty much do what they want when it comes to signing off on your engine swap. My 89 mustang motor had to have all the emissions equipment. But I did not need the 4 cats that originally came with the 89 mustang. It passed with 1 cat and headers from wild horses, k&n filter and adjustable fuel reg. wrote my new sticker up as exhaust system to match year of chasis. Bottom line is don't try to hide anything. Some referees are better than others. Good luck.

 

[Bubbaluv]

Went through the same process with my 77. Referee can pretty much do what they want when it comes to signing off on your engine swap. My 89 mustang motor had to have all the emissions equipment. But I did not need the 4 cats that originally came with the 89 mustang. It passed with 1 cat and headers from wild horses, k&n filter and adjustable fuel reg. wrote my new sticker up as exhaust system to match year of chasis. Bottom line is don't try to hide anything. Some referees are better than others. Good luck.

i don't mind going through the process, and i expect there to be some level of investment involved. I'll be happy if i can keep it under 2K.

 

[76Broncofromhell]

Given what you have said previously, I think it would better for you to try and put all the smog equipment for 77 back on your rig. If you can find it... The stuff can be like Gold... When I bought mine the PO had put a tired 90 mustang mortor in it, since the original motor grenaded. He could not get it to work so that it would pass smog. So it sat for over a year. I bought it as is and got it running... I had to track down parts... Air injection check valve was $100.00, the hardest part to find was a plastic fitting that fit into the air cleaner so the hose from the charcol canister would attach properly.

I had to adapt the 90's air injection to the heads to the factory air pump... lots of vacuum lines. the sticker on the valve cover showed that it was a Federal emissions vehicle (49 State)

I have found that the smog check people are clueless about older vehicles, most of then are born after 1977. They rely on the book, if they can find the pictures of the emissions equipment... The Smog Referee is a crap shoot, mine had to look things up in the book and on line. You cannot argue with them, they are God. You have to do what they say... "You need to have a vacuum resevoir" What?, Why?, you know that it serves no purpose for emissions, it is for the donor cars HVAC system to control the units doors with vacuum. "You need to have it as it is in the vacuum routing diagram"

If you talk to the Referee, and he runs the vehicle's VIN the computer, then you are in the DMV's system. Better to talk to him in general terms about what you need...

My smog ref knew exactly what he was doing. The 5.0 Mustang (and all injected Fords) actually have multiple vacuum reservoirs. One is for the HVAC but the bigger one is to be able to keep the TAD and TAB functional under high load. It is not superfluous as you suggest.

The idea is you need to have all of it there. Remember that, just because it all has to be there, doesn't mean it has to be permanent. If you need an EFI tank with all of the bells and whistles remember that they aren't looking as if it were factory, just that it is there and functioning. What that means is bungee cord the right tank in the bed, run temporary lines and get it reffed that way. The ref is a one-time thing. Once you get past him, you can adapt your factory tanks - which shouldn't be too hard since they are already sealed caps with EVAP. Subsequent retests are a lot more laxed than the ref.

My buddies built exhaust systems entirely out of flex pipe to get past the referee and then later had an exhaust shop build a legit exhaust pipe. Think flex tube in between factory parts and bailing wire. As long as you pass, that's all you really care about. 76-77 Broncos already have non-vented gas tanks so modifying them won't be too hard.

As for the VIN, Ford does not track engines and VINs. You do not provide the referee with the VIN of the vehicle the engine came out of. A simple description will suffice. 88-93 5.0 Mustang engines you can get away with an auto or manual computer in either configuration. Be sure you have a neutral safety switch or clutch switch rigged up so you can get the computer to go into Key On Engine Running (KOER) self-test mode. The ref allowed my to do this with alligator clips hooked to paperclips in the back of the ECU to 'trick' it into thinking the truck was in neutral.

 

[904Bronco]

You do not provide the referee with the VIN of the vehicle the engine came out of. A simple description will suffice. 88-93 5.0 Mustang engines you can get away with an auto or manual computer in either configuration. Be sure you have a neutral safety switch or clutch switch rigged up so you can get the computer to go into Key On Engine Running (KOER) self-test mode. The ref allowed my to do this with alligator clips hooked to paperclips in the back of the ECU to 'trick' it into thinking the truck was in neutral.

Clarifing my VIN comment... If he brought his bronco in to a smog check station and they started the test only to fail him because he is missing components, that failure is entered into the DMV files...


The Referee scanned the bar code on the computer to determin if I had the correct ECU for my manual transmission bronco. The Landcruser in front of me had an automatic transmission ECU for its Vortec and NV4500. It failed. It also did not have the fuel tank feedback system that the 96 donor vehicle had, it failed on that too...

I went in with one cat, but he would not even run it to see what came out the pipe. I guess the message we can provide is that the experience going to a Referee is not the same through out this state... Which Referee did you see, was he local...

 

[76Broncofromhell]

Clarifing my VIN comment... If he brought his bronco in to a smog check station and they started the test only to fail him because he is missing components, that failure is entered into the DMV files...

On that front you are right. Gross polluter brings the suck.

The Referee scanned the bar code on the computer to determin if I had the correct ECU for my manual transmission bronco. The Landcruser in front of me had an automatic transmission ECU for its Vortec and NV4500. It failed. It also did not have the fuel tank feedback system that the 96 donor vehicle had, it failed on that too...

I went in with one cat, but he would not even run it to see what came out the pipe. I guess the message we can provide is that the experience going to a Referee is not the same through out this state... Which Referee did you see, was he local...

I went to the one at Evergreen College. There is a lot of mystery regarding the automatic vs manual on the computer and the referee. The issue with the GM computer is that it looks for the automatic computer and will throw a code (and thus not operate the emissions system) if the TCM isn't talking to the ECM. My buddy is starting a 6.0 LQ9 swap in a Toyota and has figured out that he can reflash the PCM with EFILive to the parameters of a manual 6 Speed truck/car and pass the ECM scanning. Short of scanning the .bin file in the memory (which the referee does not have the equipment to do) there is no way to track this change.

I can only speak from my experience, that the referee did not check the physical computer. If EEC-IV controlled the transmission, it would obviously throw a code if it weren't connected and thus; fail. There is no specificity regarding the transmission on an engine change, so you may be correct, or I may be correct depending on which referee you get.

 

[904Bronco]

I went to the one at Evergreen College. There is a lot of mystery regarding the automatic vs manual on the computer and the referee. The issue with the GM computer is that it looks for the automatic computer and will throw a code (and thus not operate the emissions system) if the TCM isn't talking to the ECM. My buddy is starting a 6.0 LQ9 swap in a Toyota and has figured out that he can reflash the PCM with EFILive to the parameters of a manual 6 Speed truck/car and pass the ECM scanning. Short of scanning the .bin file in the memory (which the referee does not have the equipment to do) there is no way to track this change.

I can only speak from my experience, that the referee did not check the physical computer. If EEC-IV controlled the transmission, it would obviously throw a code if it weren't connected and thus; fail. There is no specificity regarding the transmission on an engine change, so you may be correct, or I may be correct depending on which referee you get.

I went to the Ref at Salinas, I had heard he was more forgiving... Sounds like I should have gone to San Jose. I went to Evergreen a number of years ago when I did a TBI on my 77 FJ40. The old guy there grumbled alot, but he could not make me put a cat on it because it did not come that way from the factory. But he told me after I put a few thousand miles on it, I would have to put one on to pass smog... He was right.