What's new
By:
Filters

Opinions: smogging an 81 pickup

makya

Member
Joined
Nov 18, 2020
Member Number
3062
Messages
8
I bought an 81 pickup from a tow yard a while back, and it was owned by a tweaker, so the smog equipment and vacuum lines are fucked up or missing. I'm in California, so there's way too much going on there to replace it all, because I can't find most of it anymore.

What do you guys think the odds are that I can get away with the Canadian layout? there are 10 vacuum lines vs. Close to 40 for the California version.

I mean, as long as I have the pcv valve, vacuum advance, charcoal canister, choke, and it runs clean i might be able to get away with it, right?

photo34945.jpg
 
:lmao:
First the vin will spit out the wrong calibration if you try that (my bet).
Call the referee, ask for the parts locator s #.
They have to have components ,as it is req. You smog it.
Or strip a newer system and bar it.
newer think 83 up (less crap involved than the 82 calibration) they interpret it as "newer or cleaner" so you can run the vin and check calibration and go from there.
Oh and
Good luck, stay calm, and carry on.
 
Clb said:
:lmao:
First the vin will spit out the wrong calibration if you try that (my bet).
Call the referee, ask for the parts locator s #.
They have to have components ,as it is req. You smog it.
Or strip a newer system and bar it.
newer think 83 up (less crap involved than the 82 calibration) they interpret it as "newer or cleaner" so you can run the vin and check calibration and go from there.
Oh and
Good luck, stay calm, and carry on.
Click to expand...

Dont know about 81 -->83 calibration or equipment differences but if that is the case, find a wrecked 83 and swap the VINs and plates.

I did that going backwards on a CJ5 while dropping a TPI Corvette motor in back when I was leaning gay and had a Jeep!! :flipoff2:
 
Well, if it turns into a PITA then I might take it to TX and register it there.
 
makya said:
Well, if it turns into a PITA then I might take it to TX and register it there.
Click to expand...

That sounds l the winner right there.

I had an '81 Cali emissions truck and the vacuum lines were an absolute nightmare. I just swapped to propane.
 
dntsdad said:
Dont know about 81 -->83 calibration or equipment differences but if that is the case, find a wrecked 83 and swap the VINs and plates.

I did that going backwards on a CJ5 while dropping a TPI Corvette motor in back when I was leaning gay and had a Jeep!! :flipoff2:
Click to expand...

:lmao:
 
I have a bunch of smog stuff I took off my 81 Toyota that I’m 3rz swapping if your interested. I’m in the east bay
F4F0204B-46A8-4EC4-B5D6-6F6F4D4B84FA.jpeg
 
Fuck, I smogged my 80 and it didn't have everything hooked up. I didn't realize it till a few months later when I pulled the intake off. There was shit under there without any hoses going to it. Smog guy never saw it either. Guess he had plenty of other shit to look at.:lmao:
 
I passed smog on my 83 a few years ago with a non cali legal weber and lce header. Probably depends on what smog tech is working the day you bring it in. I had all of the components but still failed visual the first time because pcv was not hooked up right and I needed the heat riser that's normally on the exhaust manifold to the Intake. I probably just got lucky but my guy accepted a piece of coped tubing hose clamped to the header with some flex pipe running to the stock air cleaner as a solution. The pcv was plumbed to a t-fitting that I think was shared with the brake booster. The weber did not have as many vacuum ports as the stock carb so I got creative with the lines and t-fittings. Seems like as long as everything is going somewhere they accept it. I stripped everything off a few days after so I'd have to dig for pictures of how everything was routed.
 
559Fj40 said:
I passed smog on my 83 a few years ago with a non cali legal weber and lce header. Probably depends on what smog tech is working the day you bring it in. I had all of the components but still failed visual the first time because pcv was not hooked up right and I needed the heat riser that's normally on the exhaust manifold to the Intake. I probably just got lucky but my guy accepted a piece of coped tubing hose clamped to the header with some flex pipe running to the stock air cleaner as a solution. The pcv was plumbed to a t-fitting that I think was shared with the brake booster. The weber did not have as many vacuum ports as the stock carb so I got creative with the lines and t-fittings. Seems like as long as everything is going somewhere they accept it. I stripped everything off a few days after so I'd have to dig for pictures of how everything was routed.
Click to expand...

having the right tech can definitely make a difference. I imagine any reasonable one will be a little more understanding when it comes to a 40ish year old truck that probably won't be driven enough to be a gross polluter.

I am going to see if my 85 on propane runs clean enough to pass here. I've been lucky and never had a tech pop the hood on my vehicles given they pass the roller test first.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Back Refresh