Finally took my car in for a smog test and it passed with ease at a test only place. this 82 originally was a LG-4. but has a 90 L-98 with 1990 electronics and throttlebody injection and stock TPI exhaust. Nothing was questioned on the car and no it has never went to a referee, heres how it did keep in mind this 350 is using 305 injectors and 305 prom

15mph

%co2 meas. 14.2
%o2 meas 0.9

HC meas. 57 max 130

co meas. 0.12 max 0.94

no meas. 303 max 1106


25mph

%co2 meas. 14.1
%o2 meas. 1.0

hc meas. 27 max 103

co meas. 0.04 max 0.74

no meas. 240 max 936


My car was below all but one of the average measured test but not by much. So by these numbers is this car running good ?

 

So, basically, you put a 1990 305 (L03) TBI intake system and computer on a 1990 L-98 engine?

Hey, if it works, it works. I would think that the O2 sensor is probably reigning things in quite a bit to keep you squared up on the light-throttle emissions tests. How does it run just driving it around?

 

the smog technician obviously was not doing his job, because the car should have a carburetor. and a modified engine shouldnt pass

 

Thats kinda funny because here in TEXAS we tell the machine what size the engine is, what fuel system is on it, what ignition setup, etc. Mine is set in as a Fuel Injected 5700 with a Conventional distributer. Passes with ease. Never even been questioned.

 

Cali is a strange place, a lot of left wing liberals out there you know.

if it didn't come on the car from the factory for that year, its illegal. seems you almost can't even swap the air filter housing unless its got a CARB number on it,.. LOL

i have no problem with mine either Fast355, TPI in a 83 M/C would be a big no out in Cali.

Fast355, you know what iatn is?

 

Keep everything FACTORY appearing, paint everything flat black, and most techs won't even take notice, as Jproz1167 just demonstrated.

International Automotive Technicians' Network (IATN)?

 

I passed my smog yesterday, but yes one has to put the stock Thermac air cleaner back on, crankcase evap has to be there, etc etc, list goes on.

And it really depends on where you get it smogged too, some areas where they don't do the checks as often (i.e. lack of customers, maybe more expensive living area) actually bigger chance of failing.

 

Fast355 yes, thats the place.
thats where most of what i know about Cali emissions came from.

i don't know if they are required to lift the air filter housing out there are not, it may be like here in Texas with missing lugs nuts/studs & hub caps, don't pull the hub caps unless you have a good reason to. if so, then it would up the chances of passing with TBI out there when it should have a carb.

it seems from what i have heard & read they don't worry too much about exhaust leaks out there, loosening the exhaust joints sure won't fly here.

a question Fast, my new boss took the inpection classes 2 weeks ago & said that now at least one of the door handles must work on the drivers door, you hear anything about that up there?

 

Some places don't bother going around with a mirror underneath the car, so slight exhaust "leaks" could probably work, if needed .. sometimes

 

Its only logical, one needs to work for easy "escape" if you need to get out.

 

it just hit me as strange that they would start requiring a working door handle, but still don't require the driver side seat to be bolted down for inspection.
my state rep avoids me, she says i ask too many strange questions,.. LOL

 

The car passed all visual tests for the simple reason smog techs don't have pictures of every motor, all he was interested in was what a 82 had. this car has every possible 1990 part on the motor. Therefore with a test only nothing looked out of place, timing wwas set at the LG-4 6 degrees and with stock air cleaner housing and ducting they can't tell it's not a 4 barrel.

test onlies aren't allowed to remove the air cleaner so it was a visual pass. Now if it had the TPI on it chances are very good it would have been a automatic visual fail which is why I went back to TBI.

I even tossed the edelbrock headers to give the tech the idea this was just a stock LG-4 so you see if it looks stock and nothing seems out of place and or hacked up chances are very good it will pass. The car was on california's IM240 as well. If it had failed on visual a trip to a referee would have made it a legal swap anyways since all 1990 emmisions components are on the car and properly working and since the 350 is identical to the 305 they can't tell it's not a 305. I don't want you to think it was a simple swap and passed this car had every possible wiring replaced in it right down to the engine, dash, tail light harness. it even now has VATS, air bag, electronic speedo.

I even left the serpentine belt drive on, electric fan, cowl induction. and nothing was questioned keep in mind like I said nothing is out of place in this engine compartment and has the stock appearance.

and in case you were wondering yes the L-98 can run circles around the stock LG-4 with ease and can light the tires up in second gear but the car does have 373 gears too. I think getting 350 injectors and prom and other related 350 electronic stuff should wake the motor up more but for now it's a blast to drive it just the way it is.

So to any of you 4 barrel owners out there give it a try it will pass LOL and best of all you won't have to pump the gas pedal 20 times for it to start and way better fuel economy.

 

Damon

The car runs very strong however it does have rpm/speed issues where it tends to crap out but this is in the rpm range of 3500 and up. However I don't believe it to be prom related I believe it to be a lack of a VSS signal. This is the only code the car ever has but yes I believe 350 injectors ETC> ETC would greatly help.

The motor itself is a 1990 corvette shortblock with 1989 F-body 083 heads. 1990 LO-3 intake and TBI unit. internally the motor is completely stock. 1989 TPI precat exhuast, high flow cat and flowmaster catback.

 

I bet it is 100% fuel/prom related. A VSS affects TCC and idle more than anything. It is VERY EASY to get a VSS signal for the TBI ecm, just splice into the output from the VSS buffer behind the dash.

 

They externally are visually similar, and with all smog equipment in place, it would be hard to tell with the stock air cleaner on unless you where actually looking for it.