I remember when I first wanted to swap a ZZ4 motor into my car. I was concerned that it would not pass NJ State emissions testing, being that NJ is one of the more strict states in the country regarding this issue. I posted on here asking if people thought it would pass or if anyone knew for sure that it would pass. Most everyone replied with things like "it should pass the cam is not that radical," etc. Some replied saying that it would not pass without being fine tuned. This post is to clear this up once and for all, and when people search for this, they will have an answer to their question.

I went through NJ emissions at DMV yesterday. My setup is in the signature but I will point out the key items right here. ZZ4 engine, with TPI (SuperRam base, SLP runners, stock plenum, 24# Accel injectors, 180 stat, external EGR similar to that of Corvette with aluminum L98 heads). MSD Districutor and coil, with MSD 6A box. Hypertech chip (read as, not finely tuned by any means). 3'' catco cat, SLP 1 5/8 jet coated headers without AIR.

Not only did this setup pass emissions, it passed with flying colors. I almost wish I pressed my luck and got the HotCam instead now, but hey, this setup haul's *** anyhow.

Here are the numbers that I got:
GAS STANDARD READING RESULT
NOx 1110 414 PASS
HC 148 139 PASS
CO% 0.83 0.80 PASS
CO2% 13.6
O2% 1.2

These standard numbers are based on the VIN number for the car... and my VIN number pulls up standards for the L98 engine, as that is what I had stock. If the standards are much lower for the LB9, maybe I would not have passed, but this I am not at all sure about.

Additionally, this emissions test was done with the Hypertech chip. This has (slightly) more aggressive figures in its tables. While they are only slightly more aggressive and the changes are minimal, it should have an negative effect on emissions. Basically, I feel those readings could have been even lower if the stock chip were put in first.

I hope that this information may be useful to somebody at some point. Now a search on this topic should yield some valuable data.

 

Years ago when I ran the ZZ3/ZZ4 cam I passed CA emissions (the sniffer at least) with ease. That's with a full Superram setup, AFR 190s, all emissions equipment intact, and a stock chip. Too bad I failed the visual, but that's another story.

 

Do you have visual? hows the corvette EGR system gonna pass. I would like to get some L98 corvette heads or vortecs and do the EGR off of the header like in corvettes but am afraid that aint legal.

 

As long as that EGR setup WORKS, they should have no reason to fail you as long as it is a working EGR setup I would think.

 

Thats what i thought. So does the corvette style work as good as the camaro/firebire style?

 

Hey what size cam do u have? also u r running ur car without the AIR and it still passed?
And one more question, I have edelbrock tubular exhaust and it has the AIR tubes and i wanted to know if anyone here off hand know what size threads the AIR tubes are where the valves mount on the headers? I want to cap those for now and get the car running and put them on later, but if L98iroc is saying he got his to pass without the air then maybe i dont have to hook it back up

 

Unless you live in California. Then it has to be original to the car. Whether or not it works, it makes no difference. Makes sense, eh?

 

I know of 3rd gen cars passing the egr test in California with the Corvette style EGR installed. It probably depends on who is doing the inspection. Allen

 

It doesnt have to be original to the car, it just has to work and pass emissions. In NY I know this for sure

 

In California the law requires that anything you use be original equipment on some car in the corporate lineup. You can drop Corvette heads on any third gen up to 1991, and if you are careful to run all of the Corvette smog equipment, you are legal. As far as California is concerned a Chevy is a Chevy. Technically you can't put the Vette heads on a 92 because in 92 the Vette was running the LT1, and no car in Chevy's line up ran the aluminum heads in 92, but most smog techs don't know that. One advantage of our cars is that they are old enough that we need to go "test only." Test only techs are looking at whatever car comes through, and they need to spot the difference between non oem parts that are CARB eo approved and non CARB eo approved parts. Some test only techs just refuse to pass anything that isn't stock. If you find one of those guys, you go elsewhere. The guy I went to (on DynoDons reccomendation) just lookes to see all of the smog equipment in place and working. Then if it passes the sniffer, you are good to go.