Smog guys really not smart or what?
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 4,689
Likes: 4
From: Yucaipa CA
Smog guys really not smart or what?
I was talking to my friend the other night and he said he took his 91 camaro 305tbi car in with some 454 tbi engine in it and the car passed a california emissions test. This got me thinking on my 82 vette possible run cfi on a 454 with a custom intake. How does a smog tech not notice the valve cover difference though lol. I have a 84 cfi air cleaner on my 82 vette and it covers the valve covers pretty good so wonder if I could pass a rat for the 350.
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 1,349
Likes: 34
From: Porterville Ca
Most smog techs are young kids who've never had real world experiance with big and small blocks. They're ricers or into newer cars with complete engine covers. They wouldn't know how to set points, or diagnose a bad condenser...SO glad I was born in '65 and lived through the eighties in my 68 stang and 78 T?/A. The only new car I could see myself in is a Z06 .
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 5,086
Likes: 787
From: Lebanon Township New Jersey
Do you really expect the smog tech to recognize that the engine in a 20 year old car is a big block instead of a small block? What about the hundreds or thousands of other types of cars produced in the last two decades?
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 8,877
Likes: 3,556
From: Fernandina Beach FL
2023 Restomod of the Year finalist
2020 C3 of the Year Winner - Modified
Not naming names...but there are people on this Forum that couldn't tell a big block from a small one....
Richard
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 5,116
Likes: 5
From: Livonia MI
Dont live in CA, but know they're pretty tough on emissions. The mentioned 20 years on a factory installed BB is more like 40, and not many out there have a clue what to look for. Add in, hardly any V8's of any kind on the road any more.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 1999
Posts: 5,768
Likes: 3
From: San Diego CA
It surprises me somewhat to be honest, I'm not sure I would hang my hat on the premise that the same thing is likely to happen if you try it.
Its an awful big expense to hang ones hopes on, but then I've heard of folks who had a smog engine and a driver engine, they do the engine swap every two years, smog it, then swap back to the driver engine. There was a time when i did that with exhaust systems.
I wish you luck if you decide to try it.
Its an awful big expense to hang ones hopes on, but then I've heard of folks who had a smog engine and a driver engine, they do the engine swap every two years, smog it, then swap back to the driver engine. There was a time when i did that with exhaust systems.
I wish you luck if you decide to try it.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 17,676
Likes: 201
From: Who says "Nothing is impossible" ? I've been doing nothing for years.
Some of them are idiots that don't know squat, some know their stuff so as mentioned above do you want to take the chance.
If it were me and it could be one day I would get all the smog stuff and buy myself the 400ci block that has the same amount of freeze plugs as a 350ci and stuff a 434 or bigger rotating assembly in it. Then I would buy iron heads that flow north of 320cfm and make the entire engine bay look correct ( we only need a visual ).
I have seen an engine bay that looked stock with all the pollution stuff their but none of it functioning. I would then have 2 sets of exhaust pipes. One would be an inexpensive aluminized stock setup and the other a full 3 inch system. As it stands now I can remove my entire exhaust system, headers back to mufflers in 1/2 hour, you just have to design it to be easy to swap.
If it were me and it could be one day I would get all the smog stuff and buy myself the 400ci block that has the same amount of freeze plugs as a 350ci and stuff a 434 or bigger rotating assembly in it. Then I would buy iron heads that flow north of 320cfm and make the entire engine bay look correct ( we only need a visual ).
I have seen an engine bay that looked stock with all the pollution stuff their but none of it functioning. I would then have 2 sets of exhaust pipes. One would be an inexpensive aluminized stock setup and the other a full 3 inch system. As it stands now I can remove my entire exhaust system, headers back to mufflers in 1/2 hour, you just have to design it to be easy to swap.
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Michael S. Palmer
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,118
From: Crossville TN
He thought your car/engine was 
, ran it "as is" on the equipment and it passed....so he "stamped your ticket". Apparently, the boss wasn't around. Luck of the draw... 
P.S. Don't expect the same result next year.
, ran it "as is" on the equipment and it passed....so he "stamped your ticket". Apparently, the boss wasn't around. Luck of the draw... P.S. Don't expect the same result next year.
Advanced
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 50
Likes: 1
From: So. Cal. CA
California-wise, there's nothing that prevents you from putting a newer motor in a car. You just need any emission controls and related electronics for that motor, and need to pass the sniffer using the test specs that cover the year of the newer motor.
Mike
Mike
