I gota 98 f150 with 5.4 pushing 35s and is used for hauling hay wood dirtbikes and towing horses up in the mountains. And once i get out of school i wana get a early 2000s f250 with a 7.3 so i wont have to make my f150 work so hard. And as i go through school in the automotive program im learning more and more on how to make my next truck bullet proof for heavy hauls and playing. But my mainly question is smog, how much of an advantage is it to get a pre smog diesel ? because i know in gas motors its really nota big deal because the newer motors run so efficiently. And wasnt sure if same gos for diesel

 

The best forum to ask this same question on is in the 1994 through 1997 diesel forum, because the only 7.3L engines in a Ford pickup that are exempt from smog checks in CA is model year 1997 or older. The early 2000's 7.3L must comply with the CA smog check requirements, including biennial inspections in the most populous counties, and an inspection on transfer or sale.


Some would say that the 7.3L, of any year, doesn't need to be "bullet proofed"...which is a aftermarket cottage industry marketing term more often applied to the 6.0L

 

oh sorry i should have been more clear on that. I preferably want a early 2000s but if there was some big pluses to the pre smogs i would get one of those. And what i meant by bullet proof was just more in the drive train like brakes, lockers, gearing for tires, trannys, axles and suspension.

 

I have an early '99 F250 Diesel, have to smog it every other year.
Routine: Pull chip out, put cat back in, disconnect batteries, reconnect batteries, run for 2 days prior to smog check. Pass smog check, put it back the way it was for the next two years.
I had flanges put on the exhaust / pass thru pipe / cat. converter for easier swapping. No one ever says a thing about it............although it is obvious what I'm doing. They are much more concerned with my digital boost / temp. readout and controller than the pass thru pipe (that they don't see). Chip removed controller acts ONLY as a display, nothing to control.
I had warn hubs put on it a few years back and love my 6 speed manual. Just did the first part of the Rubicon yesterday. No Dents. Lived here for >20 years. Hard to start in the cold thou.
Keep saving your quarters for the truck you want, be patient, don't buy the first one you find, wait for the "Right" one. You'll be happier that you waited for exactly what you wanted.
Ron

 

oh yeah i am lol itll take me a year or 2 of workn befor i get started unless i take a car loan out and i can sell my truck for 5.5k. I ran the numbers and for 15k to 20k i can get the truck i want, buy one for 10 or 15k then put 5k of the goodies i want when i can afford it as time gos by. And i was learning in school that if u smog ur truck at like a ford dealership and they really wanted to get some money out of u or if its under warrenty. They can actually go into the RAM of the ECU and can see if there has been changes to the stock programing and wont smog it even if u disconnect the battery. just a heads up i dont know how common that is.. but yeah im just seeing theres much of a difference like cats being really restrictive for example, and yeah i can just take them off and on

 

Smog in California for diesels is not that complicated or difficult to pass.

1) Over 14,000lbs GVWR exempt.
2) Pre 1997 Exempt.

There are three "Tests"

1) CEL check (also pulls silent codes)
2) Snap test to check for smoke. Some smoke is okay per the policy.
3) "Obvious" non CARB legal modifications.

The most common question is "is my exhaust/intake CARB legal?"

The answer is yes. All intakes and exhausts are legal, the only exception is if your truck came with a catalytic converter, only few did, then that has to stay.

If you have any questions feel free to PM me. But myself and thousands of other powerstroke owners in CA mod away and do just fine. When I go to get smogged I turn the chip to stock and no big deal. Heck now my work does the smog check for me, so they would probably even let me get away with some other stuff too.

 

It's not a big deal (unless you decide to try and make a sled puller out of it and keep it on the streets) except I have to shell out about $50 every two years. Like A/Ox4 said above, it's not a hard test. The hardest part is the OBD II test if you have modded your truck. Mine is mostly stock but as long as there's a filter on the intake tube and the exhaust has a muffler I'm good to go. I don't even take my chip out, I just set it to stock. Mine is a CA model but has a "NON-CATALYST" sticker under the hood so cat required for me. Other than that, the "snap test" is three revs of the engine and the tech looks in your rear view mirror to see if you make "too much" black smoke. For the 7.3 on the OEM tune it's nearly impossible to get any black smoke out of the exhaust unless something is wrong.

 

Alright cool thanks guys between your 2 comments i got my answer. I know i didnt quit word it right because i honestly didnt know how. I just mainly wanted to see how restrictive the smog diesels were and sounds like the non catalyst smoged trucks are really not that bad and i get the newer body style i like, so yeah i got my question answered thanks guys. now what years did they come like that

 

The hardest part is finding a smog place that knows the requirements. I've been to a couple that did me a "favor" by not even starting the inspection because I have a non-OEM intake filter (the common 6637 mod). This is perfectly acceptable since I have the original intake tube and they maintain that it is not legal even when I show them the printout of the smog requirements. I have one place I go to every time now that knows the requirements and does a great job. 95% of the test is subjective and the only purpose seems to be is to get CA more money. I even asked them about an exhaust (I have an MBRP sitting in my garage waiting for the time for me to put it in) and they told me as long as it has a muffler and doesn't terminate under the cab I'll pass.