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Ca smog experts

bp71k5

bp71k5

3/4 ton status
Joined
Mar 31, 2006
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Location
Knoxville, TN 37922
I have a 1971, and so I'm well aware that technically I never need to smog my k5. That said, I'm curious on what I can legally get away with as far as larger engines, fuel systems etc. I'm well aware of all the basic rules such as:

1966 and earlier vehicles driven on the highway have no restrictions on aftermarket parts.

1975 and later have the smog check rules, and aftermarket parts can be installed if they have an appropriate EO.

But I'm noticing there seems to be a kind of "black hole" legally in the 1966-1974 vehicles with regards to smog legal engine builds.

For example: if I want to buy an intake manifold from Summit without an EGR port on it, I have to state to them that the part will not go on a vehicle 1966 or later. But my 1971 k5 did not have EGR in it. So I'm not breaking the rule about "removing" emissions components by installing it on my 1971. Even though I never have to get it sniffed, I'd like make a reasonable effort to be as legal and least polluting as possible. I'm fairly sure there's not much difference in the intake manifolds themselves, just that the company didn't want to bother with the expense of getting an EO exception for it. So it appears like I'm complying with the spirit of the law, but maybe not the letter?

Curious if anyone has any real world referee experience/knowledge. I'm curious if I can build a big block with as few ugly smog tubes, pumps, as legally possible realizing it might not be. So far it looks like an engine swap from a 1971 corvette might be the best way to accomplish that, if I wanted a carburetor.
 
While a 71 is exempt from bi-annual smog checks, it is still illegal to remove any of the original smog equipment. If you are stopped by a cop they can write you a ticket.

My buddy had a customer bring in a 68 mustang for him to put all the smog equipment on it. The customer smarted off to a cop and got a ticket for not having a smog pump, thermostatic air cleaner, and pcv valve.
 
ChrisPerry said:
While a 71 is exempt from bi-annual smog checks, it is still illegal to remove any of the original smog equipment. If you are stopped by a cop they can write you a ticket.

My buddy had a customer bring in a 68 mustang for him to put all the smog equipment on it. The customer smarted off to a cop and got a ticket for not having a smog pump, thermostatic air cleaner, and pcv valve.
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Exactly. I'm curious if there's any remotely legal way to keep my fuel injection without all the other stuff. All that came on mine originally is pcv, charcoal.
 
Are you going to run a factory style efi? If so, you are supposed to update the smog equipment to whatever year the injection came from.

If it originally only had pcv ( leave on, all motors should keep) and a charcoal canister, if they are there, most cops won't know the efi doesn't belong.

If you are looking at aftermarket efi, some are smog legal ( ie MSD Atomic)
 
ChrisPerry said:
Are you going to run a factory style efi? If so, you are supposed to update the smog equipment to whatever year the injection came from.

If it originally only had pcv ( leave on, all motors should keep) and a charcoal canister, if they are there, most cops won't know the efi doesn't belong.

If you are looking at aftermarket efi, some are smog legal ( ie MSD Atomic)
Click to expand...

It's got converted TBI on it now, and I'm pretty open on what I run, except I'd like it to look "old school" so some kind of electronic TBI seems to be the way to go. I suppose the GM TBI isn't technically legal (since I don't have EGR) even though I'm fairly sure I'm putting out less smog than the 1971 quadrajet. I have and would keep the PCV but would need to put the charcoal canister back in. I think that's all it had from the factory.

I like the atomic MSD, except I don't like their coil boxes which seem to be required with the atomic kit. But the EO for those kind of kits (howell has one too) sometimes have applicable year ranges that only goes back to 1975. Will have to check.
Preference would be something with a wideband O2 and timing control using a gm distributer. Holley terminator seems to fit that and a couple others too.

I wouldn't even mind adding a catalytic converter, just don't want the hassles of smog pump or EGR.
 
Honestly, if it were me and I was worried about it, I'd just make it "look" as stock as possible and run it. A factory tbi will pass by 95%+ of any cop looking. They look for a shiny Holley, headers, and big cams. If it looks, sounds, and smells stock, they tend not to dig.
 
ChrisPerry said:
Honestly, if it were me and I was worried about it, I'd just make it "look" as stock as possible and run it. A factory tbi will pass by 95%+ of any cop looking. They look for a shiny Holley, headers, and big cams. If it looks, sounds, and smells stock, they tend not to dig.
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That's probably what I'll do, but was interested in discussing what my "legit" options were. Maybe the Joe guy above might shed some light.
 
To make it 100% legit, whatever year bbc the tbi came from is what it has to be smogged as. If it was, lets say 91, you would have to have everything that came on a 91. Charcoal can, egr, cats, fuel cap, computer with factory tune, distributor, air cleaner, stove pipe, ect.
 
ChrisPerry said:
To make it 100% legit, whatever year bbc the tbi came from is what it has to be smogged as. If it was, lets say 91, you would have to have everything that came on a 91. Charcoal can, egr, cats, fuel cap, computer with factory tune, distributor, air cleaner, stove pipe, ect.
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Right. But since the mark IV bbc came on so many models, I can choose anything from 1971 up until the vortec came out. I'm pretty sure the raw block serial number doesn't matter but I could be wrong. But TBI wasn't added until ~1987 so I guess that would probably the year to go after.
 
ChrisPerry said:
To make it 100% legit, whatever year bbc the tbi came from is what it has to be smogged as. If it was, lets say 91, you would have to have everything that came on a 91. Charcoal can, egr, cats, fuel cap, computer with factory tune, distributor, air cleaner, stove pipe, ect.
Click to expand...

I don't know if I buy that. I think you can add EFI kits that are CARB legal as a carb retrofit/replacement. Consider the EFI retrofit as synonomous with a Carberator replacement.
 
Keitha said:
I don't know if I buy that. I think you can add EFI kits that are CARB legal as a carb retrofit/replacement. Consider the EFI retrofit as synonomous with a Carberator replacement.
Click to expand...

As far as I know, MSD Atomic is currently the only CARB approved direct replacement for chevy trucks.
Unfortunately Brian already said he didn't want to run a MSD box. He also wanted to keep the GM distributor ect.
 
Keitha said:
I don't know if I buy that. I think you can add EFI kits that are CARB legal as a carb retrofit/replacement. Consider the EFI retrofit as synonomous with a Carberator replacement.
Click to expand...

If you have any info to prove otherwise, that's why I made this thread. I'd love to have this be true. So far, replacing a carb with any fuel injection is not allowed per the anti-tampering directive unless it has an exemption. I do see the MSD instructions says you have to keep the stock EST distributer to keep the exemption, but the instructions also say I need to lock out the stock distributer and use an MSD box for timing control. I don't think you can lock out an EST (small cap) distributer? Maybe I can't do timing control and keep the exemption at the same time?
 
Erod or a Reffed swap from a similar gvw truck would be the only legal way. But as far as I know I doubt a ref would look at a vehicle that is exempt.. the smog shop won't even look at one??
 
sreidmx said:
Erod or a Reffed swap from a similar gvw truck would be the only legal way. But as far as I know I doubt a ref would look at a vehicle that is exempt.. the smog shop won't even look at one??
Click to expand...

Yea, that's kinda what I mean. It's exempt from any regular inspections, but sounnds like an officer could give me a ticket on a suspicion of modified equipment and then I'd be forced to get an inspection. It would be nice to pass that inspection of ever needed. Or I can just move to Texas...
 
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