I need to know how i can mod my engine while still keeping most of my emissions stuff, and the computer. I want to get a cam, intake and headers, and i need to find some way to get a vacuum advance distributor while still using my LG4 computer, or a chip for it or something. Please dont tell me to just take the emissions stuff off, because I cant here in dallas.

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1983 Pontiac Firebird SE
LG4-Based Chevy 400
700R4 Tansmission
Modified 4 Barrel Q-Jet Carb
Accel Super Stock 8mm Wires
Edelbrock Pro-Flo Air Cleaner
3.23 Posi Rear
14X7" Cragar SS/T Wheels
35X4 CD/AM/FM Head Unit
100WX2 Amp
2 Pioneer 12" Subs in Custom Box

 

Pretty easy to do, really.

Get a catalog from: Jegs; Summit; and PAW.

In there, they list parts that are 50 state emissions legal.

Also, visit the mfg'rs websites or look in their catalogs. They will tell you what parts are emissions legal.

It is easy to build a high HP, emissions legal engine. It just costs lots of bucks $$$.

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FORMULA 350 TK
Southern California 3rd Generation F-Body Organization©

 

im alomst done building mine, and i live in california. i put in a 350, intake and a bunch of other crap i dont wanna take the time to list. as long as you keep the smog crap(i.e. air pump, egr, ESE, and o2 sensor) u should be fine. i havent passed smog yet cuz of bad timing. but that will get fixed wednesday. i bought a bunch of edelbrock stuff cuz it advertises "50 state legal", we'll see. ill let u know what happenes.

i also bought most of the crap from summit.

daniel

 

One thing to keep in mind is that just because it says "50 state legal" doesn't mean that it will pass out the pipe.

Please don't think that all these parts won't pass. ALOT will. (just alot of the guys on this site) I do get cars with these parts and its all good. You just have to watch how high perf. you are going to get.

Just some food for thought.


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ASE Mechanic/Machinist/Smog Tech

1999 NBM T/A, flowmaster,FRA,Pro Kit,BMR STB, polished calipers.
1986 Chevy 3/4 ton pick up,flowmasters,4.10s,
1981 corvette FOR SALE
1995 ZX6R,Yosh,D207s

GO #3

[This message has been edited by Engineboy (edited September 11, 2000).]

[This message has been edited by Engineboy (edited September 11, 2000).]

[This message has been edited by Engineboy (edited September 12, 2000).]

 

Ward,

Both Tom and Dan are correct. Also, they have a bit of a jump on some of us since they've been living under CAFE for some time now. They know the tricks. Tom has a lot of skill in this area and has the numbers to prove it.

As they stated, keep the AIR, EVAP canister, PCV, cat converter(s), EGR, and oxygen sensor. If you build your system right, you'll need most all those items to make more power, anyway. The PCV costs nothing to operate and keeps the engine clean internally. The EGR can help reduce detonation and let you get away with a little more timing advance. A typical AIR pump might take a maximum of 2 HP with the engine spinning at 6,000 RPM. Big deal... The cats can actually help if they flow freely, and the EVAP canister costs nothing to operate but does eat a little space under the hood. Everything else is wide open. Remeber, the most powerful engines are usually the most efficient engines. If you recover as much power as possible from every fuel charge, you'll be wasting less fuel. You should also be burning more completely, reducing emissions.

An LT1/LT4 is a LOT cleaner engine than the old L98, and makes more power on less fuel. The LS1/LS6 is even better. Does that give you a hint?

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Later,
Vader
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"Make Me Bad"
Adobe Acrobat Reader 4.0

 

I will touch on the issues that the others did not. First off, forget about using a vacuum advance distributor on that LG4 (unless you want to ditch the emissions stuff, which no-one on this thread recommends). Your CC distributor with an Accel, MSD, or DUI ignition and coil will handle mostly anything you toss at it (mod-wise). A chip is really not necessary, maybe for advance timing and Mixture Control. These CC-carb'ed engines' computer don't control much else that can be modified with a chip like FI. Second, for cam, intake and headers this is what I recommend.
Cam (this is for a non-roller): I would use a cam no larger than 215/225 duration @ .050", no more than .480/.500 gross lift, and (very important for emissions vehicles) a +112 LSA to keep the chamber "cleaner", and it also provides a smoother idle.
Intake: Anything that has an EGR, doesn't really have to be "50-state legal" (but it's prefered), so long as all the emission stuff is retained.
Headers: They must have the air tubes. You can get 1-5/8 SLPs (I will be needing these in the future) which have the air tubes already, or do what I did. I purchased some PAW headers (no air tubes) and installed air-tubes. While not technically legal, they do retain the OEM emissions equipment in the OEM locations. These "can" fall under the "stock replacement" catagory. And yes, I have passed visual inspections like this.
Good luck.

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George P. Lara
1994 Z28 LT1 T56
1984 Z28 High Output
Member: SCCA, SCFB, SC3GFB

 

Okay, that sounds easy enough, but will the computer still function right with things like a performer intake, .465/.465 cam, headers, and a 400 block? BTW, the reason I wanted to swap the distributor is because the computer uses a 305 spark curve.

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1983 Pontiac Firebird SE
LG4-Based Chevy 400
700R4 Tansmission
Modified 4 Barrel Q-Jet Carb
Accel Super Stock 8mm Wires
Edelbrock Pro-Flo Air Cleaner
3.23 Posi Rear
14X7" Cragar SS/T Wheels
35X4 CD/AM/FM Head Unit
100WX2 Amp
2 Pioneer 12" Subs in Custom Box

 

ward,

on the computer issue, i just bought a JET chip. people on the board say that it will spark the fuel curve into what the mod'd engine needs. so far i havent run upon a code, but like i said, it still hasnt passed smog yet. hopefully tomarrow it will.

daniel