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Blazer K5 1985 SMOG story

ChrisAwesome

ChrisAwesome

1/2 ton status
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Location
San Jose, California
Hey, I got myself a nice Chevy Blazer 1985 K5. The previous owner removed original carburetor and vacuum lines and used old school mechanical Quadrajet carburetor instead. Car works fine and I still have valid SMOG that was done before these modifications. However, I will have a problem doing SMOG in future.

How do I tackle this problem? I'm considering buying TBI engine from newer Blazer and doing either:
a) swapping whole engine
b) preserving my engine but swapping all TBI components

Any suggestions? Anybody knowledgeable in California SMOG rules around here?
 
I would at least try to smog it the way it is.... Make it look bone stock. Find the CC carb if possible and swap that. Dont talk about the truck with the smog guy. Most techs around here dont even want to touch an 85...(I know, I have one that passes that takes about an hour to smog if you can find someone willing to do it). 1985s didnt come with TBI stock, so you would be going to the referee to have a modified emissions sticker for the tbi engine if you went that route.

Do what I did, buy an 84 k5 diesel, register it, and build that instead...way cheaper and you dont have to worry about smog again.
 
I run some numbers. To get my car as is to pass SMOG I would have to spend about $1200 for CC carb and other missing parts.
I'm in touch with one Blazer owner who would sell TBI engine with all components for $400. On top of that I would have to add some extra parts, like fuel tank and who knows what else.

The benefit of engine swap is that before putting it in, I could tune it/refresh/modify etc.

But then, maybe I could swap just TBI parts? That should be quick and easy.
 
for the TBI swap you would need to visit the referee for a legit sticker for it.
 
I understand that visiting referee will happen for both, a) and b). The only way to avoid that is to do $1200 job with CC carburetor.

I don't mind visiting a referee as long as at the end I am passing SMOG.

How do you see my options? Should I just do $1200 and go CC carburetor way, or go TBI way?
 
The carb option is much simpler, the TBI will be more time consuming but it’s obviously a better setup. Choose your poison.
 
Admittedly, zero experience with Kommiefornia rules...but wondering if they have any kind of exception deal like we do here in Arizona - put collector car insurance on the thing, and that gets you out of all emissions check requirements. Doesn't absolve you of the _legal_ requirement to have the equipment, but I've yet to hear of anyone being cited for it.
 
urbex said:
Admittedly, zero experience with Kommiefornia rules...but wondering if they have any kind of exception deal like we do here in Arizona - put collector car insurance on the thing, and that gets you out of all emissions check requirements. Doesn't absolve you of the _legal_ requirement to have the equipment, but I've yet to hear of anyone being cited for it.
Click to expand...

it's different here, exempt vehicles are:
  • Gasoline powered 1975 year model or older
  • Diesel powered 1997 year model and older or with a Gross Vehicle Weight rating (GVWR) of more than 14,000 lbs
  • Electric
  • Natural gas powered with a GVWR rating of more than 14,000 lbs.
  • Motorcycle
Or you can live in a smog exempt county ;)
 
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Did the prev owner leave the computer and wiring intact?
Smog pump there?
Cat exhaust intact?
Will the gas tank hold pressure?
Cause they pump them up till the sender leaks on pre obd2 vehicles and fail you for evap.

That Computer controlled quadrajet is an s.o.b. to get to pass smog.
My friend Owen is a smog tech out there in the concrete pond.
He hates those years.
Slow system combined with 30 year old parts that were questionably reliable when new.

I'd vote to swap to tbi but get a donor truck because you are gonna need everything.

Or, drive it out here to Wyoming and sell it then buy an 87 or later which had tbi.
No smog in Bighorn county.
We love old (rust free) trucks here.
 
urbex said:
So you do what half of the people here do....register it in a different county? :haha:
Click to expand...

those counties are pretty small but many of us do if we have property there. Squarebody guys will use 75 or older cabs or diesel cabs too.
 
I believe here in MA if you swap a newer engine in an older vehicle,you must be able to pass the emission test that the engine would face if it were in its original vehicle..in other words,if you swap an LS into a 1990 GM truck and the engine came from a 2005 truck,it would have to meet the 2005 emission standards..

There are some exemptions--most vehicles 15+ years old aren't required to have an emission test,but if the inspector sees a late model LS under the hood,you may be forced to go to the RMV's own "Inspection station" and they may pick it apart..

Some hot rodders who put newer engines,transmissions and rear axles in old cars and trucks have had to go there and get their vehicles gone over with a fine tooth comb,and some had to be re-titled and issued new VIN numbers due to them being "altered from factory stock equipment"..
It seems they will go to any length required to discourage any older vehicles from being on the road lately..:(
 
diesel4me said:
I believe here in MA if you swap a newer engine in an older vehicle,you must be able to pass the emission test that the engine would face if it were in its original vehicle..in other words,if you swap an LS into a 1990 GM truck and the engine came from a 2005 truck,it would have to meet the 2005 emission standards..

There are some exemptions--most vehicles 15+ years old aren't required to have an emission test,but if the inspector sees a late model LS under the hood,you may be forced to go to the RMV's own "Inspection station" and they may pick it apart..

Some hot rodders who put newer engines,transmissions and rear axles in old cars and trucks have had to go there and get their vehicles gone over with a fine tooth comb,and some had to be re-titled and issued new VIN numbers due to them being "altered from factory stock equipment"..
It seems they will go to any length required to discourage any older vehicles from being on the road lately..:(
Click to expand...
In California we don't have safety inspections so if it's smog exempt no one will ever see what engine it has.
 
ChrisAwesome said:
I run some numbers. To get my car as is to pass SMOG I would have to spend about $1200 for CC carb and other missing parts.
I'm in touch with one Blazer owner who would sell TBI engine with all components for $400. On top of that I would have to add some extra parts, like fuel tank and who knows what else.

The benefit of engine swap is that before putting it in, I could tune it/refresh/modify etc.

But then, maybe I could swap just TBI parts? That should be quick and easy.
Click to expand...
If I had to choose I would go away from 85 system. They are the worst so spend $1200 and still have a crap system is no fun.
 
I'm tempted with TBI option. It is because a) I know that donor engine is good, b) I already have a buyer for my current engine (also good and strong), c) having TBI engine pulled of the car, I could consider tunning/refreshing it. I know some places that brag they can tune/rebuild 350 engine to do 300hp+. I also have seen some online tutorials on how to DIY that, e.g. this one:
http://www.superchevy.com/how-to/project-cars/sucp-0706-small-block-chevy-stroker-kit/

If I went TBI option + rebuild/tuning it would obviously be more than $400, but I would end up with "brand new" and strong engine.
 
TBI is good stock. Start getting away from stock (in terms of engine modifications like cam, headers, etc) you can start to have issues. Don't need to get into the technicalities, but it cannot adjust fuel accurately outside of a small window where the O2 sensor is used, not when you need more fuel.

I would certainly choose TBI if it was that or trying to re-install the CCC system. CCC system has all the electronics, and none of the benefits of TBI. IMO a no-brainer.
 
I see some people on craigslist sell crate engines, e.g. this one: https://www.summitracing.com/parts/nal-12681432/overview/
How can such a crate engine be SMOGed? Do 1985 rules still apply, or some other year? In other words,
- if I pull TBI engine from 1991 Chevy Blazer K5 and put it into mine - then I do SMOG my vehicle as TBI 1991 Blazer K5
- if I get the crate engine - do I smog as carburetor 1985 K5 or something else?
 
ChrisAwesome said:
- if I pull TBI engine from 1991 Chevy Blazer K5 and put it into mine - then I do SMOG my vehicle as TBI 1991 Blazer K5
- if I get the crate engine - do I smog as carburetor 1985 K5 or something else?
Click to expand...
The Blazer would fall under 1991 smog rules. the 91 will not have the smog pump requirement. It will need all the smog required for the 1991 year and smog verification will have to be done by a smog referee.
 
But how do you know it's 1991 and not 1992 or 1993? There is bunch of crate engines around and the thing with them is that hey don't originate from specific year vehicle.
 
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