Well?

For those of you lucky SOB's who don't have it, no need to rub it in

I'm just wondering, cause it seems like alot of people swap in hot 350/383 motors w/o much any emissions equipment on it and use it as a daily driver.

Do you "pay" to get your sticker.

Are there guys out there with 450+HP motors passing emissions?

I see guys swapping in turbo and supercharged engines.

So whats the deal?

 

Got mine to pass with just a cat and a high temp thermostat.

 

it $20 for up to 3 tries currently in this part of OH, but the swap should burn cleaner thatn the origonal engine that was in it.

 

A strict visual will cause more problems than the sniffer in most cases. If you keep it looking like what it's supposed to be and only use emissions-certified replacement parts, that will make it a lot easier.

I had my first inspection in Nov '99. Their print-out said "2.8l" based on the VIN, but I had all of the '86 LG4 stickers under the hood. They never looked at them. It passed visual because all of the required V6 equipment was there on the V8. It barely passed the dyno sniffer. In Nov '01, next time it was due, same thing, didn't look at the stickers, barely passed sniffer. I took it home, parked it in the garage, drained the radiator and started on the mods in the sig.

In Nov '03, they looked at it a lot more closely. They even looked at the underhood stickers for the 1st time - actually spent more time doing that than the rest of the inspection. Then he closed the hood, pulled it onto the dyno, shut it off, set it up, started the engine up, idled, ran it up for the low speed cruise test and the screen popped up, "Stop test. Fast pass criteria." Cleanest it's ever been. Still said "2.8l" on the printout (one thing I haven't determined is which has the stricter requirements - '82 2.8 V6, or '86 LG4 305 V8).

If they pushed it, I'm not really legal. I have TPI headers on there (no EFE valve), and no factory carb'd V8 came with 3" cat.

I would imagine I would get similar results if I had a 350 or 383 in there. Perhaps even better, because the 305 shortblock is a little worn. I don't know about the 450 HP part, though; now you're starting to get into high overlap cams that can cause problems meeting the idle criteria. The HO 350 ZZ4 conversion put out about 310-315 HP with exhaust manifolds, would be a little better with headers. But it was clean enough to meet requirements.

The easiest way to have 450 HP and pass emissions starts with "nitrous" and ends in "oxide".

 

If you live in a state requiring Emission Testing and swap engines and as much as you may dislike it, keep all the emission controls on the car if its a daily driver and need plates. Former Ohio resident.

 

Well to tell you the truth this will be the first year for a visual inspection on both of my cars so I can't rub it in. The good news is I am keeping some of the visual emmisions stuff so that will make things easier. My main concern is the cats or lack of them. I can't wait to see the look on the guys face when he pops the hood and sees the LS1.

 

Just remenber the look on the guy's face when he says No Cats and stamps failed on your paperwork.

 

Two words:

Collector Plates!!!

 

Well NJ doesn't do visual inspection (you have to have a muffler/cat) but they is no sticker checking or anything like that.

How about guys who are putting turbos and such on their cars....does that not effect the sniffer test alot?

I'm hoping that with a brand new cat and some tuning I can get my new 350 to pass in August but I'm already thinking about another motor swap in like a a year or two involving some kind of forced induction (no nitrous)

 

This topic keeps me awake at night, crying. I live in PA, so we now have visual inspection and gas cap checks where I live. All emissions equipment must be intact and appear to be in working order. I have absolutely nothing emissions related on my Camaro. Now, if you drive under 5,000 miles a year you can get an exemption (YEAH!). BUT the equipment must be still be there to pass the regular state inspection, thanks to a new bill. Really "exempt" then, huh?

I could get it retitled as a collectable, but you must provide all receipts, a declaration of what was done to make it collectable, and you can only drive it one day a week. Most mechanics I have talked to say that an engine swap alone won't be enough to consider it collectable, even if they don't make them anymore. You can also try for a modified vehicle title, but the emissions equipment must be there according to the year of the chassis used.

No easy way around it, so many people like me suffer and drive our stuff at night illegally on back roads....

 

I don't understand the whole visual inspection thing. Who cares what's under the hood if it passes the sniffer? I mean, that's what matters, right?

 

The rule of thumb in MI is, you can only swap in a motor that is newer than your car, unless you replacing it with the same thing. Lt1 and ls1`s should be totally legal here, as long as they have all thier original emissions. Cat`s are legal to remove after 10 years old, but only by the owner, repair faciliates must replace them if removed. Most exhaust shops won`t even put pipes on a car that doesn`t have a converter. The state of MI had testing about ten fifteen years ago but, stopped the testing because of too much fraud. They decided they were going to open thier own inspection centers(ha,ha) but never went thru with it. Even under the old testing, after you spent more than 200.00 in repairs or retested three times with out passing, they handed you plates anyway 27.50 a test as I remember. Even with the few laws that are in place there is really no one to enforce them, as Kandied91 says, "You see ten second cars around here all the time" and you do. Mine is almost to that point now, it`s cool and all but with power like that, you can`t really lay into anywhere any time

 

I got a friend at the inspection station .

 

You said it. Sniffers would be welcome around here for many...

some day our lawmakers might realize that loud and fast cars aren't necessarily polluters. enthusiasts might get a break someday.

...and there will be much rejoicing.

 

Phil, here in PA if you have a car that is 15 years old or older, you can apply for "classic" plates. All you need is to send in pictures of all four sides of your car, and it must look "original". Cars with classic plates are exempt from emissions. The driving restrictions are not so tough for cars with classic plates. If it 25 years old, you can get "antique" plates, and the car is exempt from emissions AND safety inspections.

When I get my 87 on the road, I am going to put classic plates on it.

 

yes, thanks for the input, I know all about that, too. I have examined many options. but mine isn't that old yet, 91.

 

easy, you just have to be the one who does the inspection ..... hee hee hee

 

i want do do a swap, but i'm too broke right now. where i live in tennessee there is no emmision check, and i'm damn glad or i'd be screwed with no cat on the car.

 

Such "friends" have been known to lose cash, license, shop, and freedom.

I've explained that before, but here's the Reader's Digest version: The sniffer is only one small part of the total requirements, while the factory certifies a vehicle based on passing the full-up testing. The sniffer is performed on the certified vehicle as an indicator of the full-up results for testing of the masses. The inspection shows that the equipment that was used for the certification is there (and assumed operating) on your vehicle.

Loud isn't an emissions issue, as the EPA doesn't care about what happens after the cat. That's a safety and nuisance issue. As for getting a break, enthusiasts tend to be their own worst enemy by their own actions (such as obnoxiously loud exhaust, excessive speed on public roads, and "displays of power" at stoplights).

Emissions laws are federal (with California being allowed to impose stricter requirements because of a worse problem). When you disable emissions equipment, you aren't breaking local law, you're breaking federal law. Enforcement just happens to be local/regional/state.

 

Five-Seven has said it again-

Federal law requires any engine swapped in to be the same year or newer than the vehicle it's going in to. And all the swapped in engine's emissions equipment has to be functional.

The laws are just not enforced everywhere, CA and NJ are some of the stricter states.

And he is 100% correct about us "enthusiasts" being our own worst enemies. Going back ten years ago some street races a friend of mine was spectating in Ft. Lauderdale FL got broken up. They moved in and cut off all access roads to the small area in a sting operation, they had undercover officers there for weeks posing as spectators.

Was anyone fined for racing? No, but several cars were siezed and owners arrested for removed cats-violation of federal law.

Is my S10 in my sig legal? NOPE! Don't think the 1974 block and Q-jet qualifies it as a legal swap. But I live in a small city where there isn't any current testing done.

Eric

 

Live in IOWA the sweetcorn is great and there is NO inspection. Run what ya BRUNG state!:rockon:

 

I "Fast passed" Marylands dyno test recently (no visual inspection, not even for converter presence). All you really need is an engine in good tune and condition and a properly functioning catalytic converter. I have both. I have deleted the AIR injection, EFE valve, and EGR system. Still running the CC QJet.

 

-NJ DMV

I have yet to call, but I will eventually.

In NJ it's 3,000 miles a year for a classic car. I was sent info by the DMV, but they didnt' say how old the car has to be.

I got info on historic plates as well, but again, I was given no information on what requirements to become "historic".

In 3 years my car will be 20 years old so I should be eligible for something.

Marc: You passed with the XE274 cam?

 

I would think that (if there's no visual inspection) the turbo or supercharger doesn't really come into play much during an emissions inspection. At least going by what's done in Maryland and Virginia where it's a "dyno" type of inspection, the inspectors are basically looking for how the car functions under normal driving conditions. So think of a car running on the dyno at an easy 60 mph with the boost gauge sitting at "0".

When my car(s) have been inspected in Md. and Va., the inspectors seemed to just bring it up bring it up to speed at half throttle at most. It wasn't like they were planting the gas pedal and shifting at redline. Going by how my old '00 Lightning was, the boost gauge wouldn't go above "0" during easy driving.

Pat

 

Check out GM Hi-Tech performance this month, I am covereing emissions as I go through the LT1 swap on "Project Snowball".

I designed an EGR adapter with help from Stainlessworks to make it easy to keep the LT1's EGR.
I will address the a.i.r. pump routing in a future issues.

John Ulaszek
GMHTP "Project Snowball"

 

and this is about the easiest way to pass everytime ...lol...

 

Which we are not going to promote on this board.

Non-legal swaps are recommended "for off-road use only."