Peoples Republic of California SMOG legal and illegal modifications 1986 SVO Mustang

[scorp_lover]

Greetings SVO enthusiasts,


I just recently acquired an 1986 SVO Mustang which is bone stock. I want to know what smog legal mods I can do to my motor, turbo and exhaust system on the SVO as I live in the peoples republic of California. What mods can I do and still pass stringent smog laws, this is a shout to SVO owners in CA. who have modified but, smog legal SVOs. Please don't refer me to CARB/DOT GOV website with numerous nomenclature, etc. I want to know what parts you are using, what parts passes and, which ones don't that you still use and slide under the radar with. Even tricks to use certain parts you're not suppose to but still can with a little finesse. A list of available parts and subterranean smog subterfuge (if need-be to pass) advisement please? Ranger roller cam/followers? Larger intercooler and injectors? BOV valve? Larger turbo and wastegate? Stinger? PiMP? What darn exhaust system? How about a list?

[gbeaird]

Wow, an SVO STILL has to pass smog?!? That kind of sucks, since a lot of OEM pollution control parts no longer exist. That silly crap stops at 25 years in Texas! Yes, they still need to pass a visual, but that's not a very detailed visual inspection.

[SVOeric]

Yeah Gene, the state California wants everything over 10 years old off the road. this is the easiest way to accomplish it.

So I'm NOT in CA, but I can give you some ideas from what I've seen over the past few years...
some of what you can get away with will vary form check station to check station.


I'm assuming here that you have to have visual and roller test.

• Ranger roller cam/followers? -- Probably get away with this.
• Larger intercooler -- yeah you wont likely be able to get away with this. you MIGHT sneak it past some visual inspection if the checker is nice.
• injectors? -- no, if you increase injectors size without a tune, you'll fail roller smog. getting anything more than a very limited tune to pass is going to be hard to pass the roller.
• BOV valve? probably not going to pass roller test, you can likely get by with a bypass valve. -- BOV dumps air the computer has calculated fuel for, So you run rich after letting off. BYpass puts that air back in.
• Larger turbo -- should be fine, long as it looks fairly stock.
• and wastegate? -- wont make any difference, so long as it's internal. not likely an external would pass visual
• Stinger PiMP? probably not--- no EGR system I'd ask stinger if he's has had anyone try
• What darn exhaust system? -- any damn exhaust system you want, so long as it keeps cats, mufflers, and stock appearing tail-pipes. Stick with the, 'only replacement available for a 30 year old car' excuse. you won't likely get away with dumps of any kind

How about a list? -- ok

• replace intake filter box --- NO-- the vent tube for the gas tank runs into the stock box. will likely fail visual.
• charcoal canister -- same as above
• boport cams -- smaller 1.x cams you MIGHT get past a roller test, larger ones, forget about it.
• header -- probably not -- they will see it in visual, know it's not stock, and ask for a DOT cert for it. -- advantage of the stock intercooler, it does hide that area fairly well.
• throttle bodies, -- possibly, if they look stock enough. if it requires adapter plates, they will see, and ask for your DOT papers.
• quarter-horse & other ECU tuners, MAYBE -- they don't connect to the computer (they do look for CEL) on EEC-IV cars. (odbII some do connect) -- depends on the amount of changes in the tune. if it's close to stock, and maybe just a injector change, you may get lucky.
• MAF conversion -- not likely to pass visual or roller test.

that's all that comes to mind at the moment

[dagenham]

So basically he's screwed by the sounds of it.

[svono50]

I have a feeling there isn't much that can be done due to CARB requirements. Best bet would be to consult a local CA shop to confirm what can/cannot be done to our cars under the current emissions requirements out there.

So glad Illinois stopped looking at pre-OBD-I vehicles for emissions...they likely figured the number of those vehicles on the roads would be very minimal due to rust atrophy. All they do for OBD-II vehicles is check the non-vented gas cap and plug into the OBD port to verify no codes or outstanding readiness tests.

[ciscokid]

We are fortunate here in Tennessee. Any car that is 25 years old or older can get an "antique auto" tag. One time registration, never have to renew, never have to smog or inspect. That is what I have on my SVO and also have the motorcycle version on my 1982 Honda GL500 Interstate bike.

In California, one has to wonder if there isn't some way around the smog stuff. Whenever I see Jay Leno's Garage show he is always out running around in some old car of one sort or another on the city streets somewhere near LA. How does he get away with that other than by being a celebrity?

[SVOeric]

Does make you wonder, don't it CiscoKid

[gbeaird]

The Kalifornia smog laws are weird, indeed! I don't pretend to know them, but there ways around the laws for older cars, since later-model cars can, somehow be legal with engine swaps, etc., but I don't know how they do it. I _think_ older cars have to be able to pass inspection based on the body, so a '67 Mustang has to have the smog equipment in place based on a 67 Mustang, so PCV valve, ported vacuum for the distributor, if it has one and EGR, but that's about it. Not sure how one would pass a visual with a Coyote in a 67 Mustang, though.