Smog controll

[mattopia]

I need to know what nonCalif. emision controlls were on a 1981 Chevy truck with a 350ci w/ a 350 turbo trans from the factory. Any help or even a diagram would be help.

[1FaastC10]

do you guys have smog inspections down there? we dont have any here. i just eliminated all emissions equipment on my 86. it had cats, AIR, ESC, and an EGR valve.

[1FaastC10]

is this a 4x4? or 3/4 ton+? if its not, you'll probably have trouble passing whatever emissions that you have to pass, because 350s werent available in C10s in the early 80s.

[mattopia]

Yes its a 1/2 ton swb 2wd. According to what I have read. The 350's were put in 2% of the trucks like mine that year. They were also put in the sub. and in bigger trucks. The reason I'm asking this is that I'm thinking about buying this truck. It is in great condition and is at an unbeatable price but there is a really good chance that Indianapolis is going to start doing polution controlls next year. So, I'm trying to figure out what would be needed to make it legal. Thanks for any help.

[KShortell]

The way the pamphlets in MD describe it in terms of the Federal Clean Air act is that the engine has to be part of a "certified" configuration for that year. You also can't install a "heavy" emissions engine into a "light duty" application-- i.e. no Top Kick truck motors in an S-10...

Think of it this way: drivetrain packages are certified, not necessarily individual vehicles. It's having a certified drivetrain package that is the key.

This is why you can't technically install dual pipes and cats on a truck if there was no engine package certified by the manufacturer that year in that configuration. Note that this does not prohibit swapping an engine from one model to another. You can still put a V-8 into an S-10 for example. However, if there were no factory emissions-certified vehicles with duals for that engine in the year the engine was made, you'd have to stick with the stock exhaust layout up to the catalytic converter.

This is also why 350 swaps are indeed legal and certifiable-- as long as all the emissions-related equipment is swapped over as well.

Also note that this is all Federal Law which is, in most cases, left up to local jurisdiction for enforcement. It's this enforcement that varies widely. However, the Federal statute still legally applies.

Hope this helps...
Kevin

[rfmaster]

Gents


I have similar problem, except that here in CA it is very tough to do anything about existing emission equipment. California requires that all original emission equipment must be functional. However, if you perform a swap the rules change. It gets rather interesting. My truck is approaching 30 years old and shortly I will not have to go through bi-annual smog inspection. De-smoging is only allowed for of road vehicles in California. With all said and done I would keep all emission equipment in one box and take plenty of pictures just in case if you have to put it all back together. Emission laws are known to change over time. Just because you can run smog-less today is no guarantee few years from now. Just the same, I heard several “Eco-Nazis” wanting to put catalytic converters on cows in order to reduce green house gases!

My C-20 is a heavy-duty truck. I have a tough time locating emission label for it (GM 362620). Difference is substantial. Heavy-duty engines in 1975 did not require cats and were equipped with AIR, PVC and non EGR 4BBl carbs. Light duty 350s and cars were equipped with AIR, PVC, EGR, Evap, Pre heat and Single stage cat. Big difference!

[1FaastC10]

if that time comes, i'll be buying a 1 ton and putting my 1/2ton components on it.