I have one year left at college here in Montana and then I am planning on moving back to my hometown in Butler, Pennsylvania. I drive a '77 F-250 and I really want to bring it back to PA with me. It has no cats, air pump, or egr that i can see and it says on my "under the hood sticker" that it is a "non catalyst" engine. My question is for anyone that lives in PA...What are the emission laws there nowa days? I heard they have changed quite a bit over the last few years. Are they any special laws for vehicles over 25 years old? I need to get some info on this. We don't have emissions and inspections out here and I just want to know what i am going to have to do when I get back there. All Info is very appreciated. THANX.

 

I have a 77 f150 and live in pittsburgh. I am under the 5000 mile limit so I do not need emissions testing done, but I was told that the truck would need whatever emission parts that came with the vehicle. My truck does not have any emission stuff left on it and nobody has said anything to me about it. good luck

 

Odds are your truck is equipped the way it was from the factory. Early on, heavier trucks were exempt from emissions laws. As long as you don't have a wild cam or obvious changes (headders etc), you're probably fine.

 

I live in warren, and nobody would inspect my 76 until I got classic plates. Now I am exempt from the emissions part of the inspection and It is registered forever. The funny part is they couldnt tell me what it had from the factory for emissions, Their books said "if equipped" I told them it was never equipped but they wouldnt buy it. So now with the classic it doesnt matter.

 

Each county is defferent in PA. I am in Erie PA, and all that is required is the gas cap test and a visual. Now as far as emmision equipment on the older vehicles, they differer from year to year. Your 77 F-250 should have an EGR and a PCV valve. That is it. Your truck should not have cats, smog pump or any other crap.

I have always had 1979 trucks, but since these laws have gone into effect, I have move back a year to 1978, as they do not have the equipment that the 79 trucks do. Federal government made changes to emmision laws in 1979. If you have a "Non-Catalyst" sticker and there is no marking on the factory gas guage that reads "Unleaded fuel only" then there are no cats or smog pump.

Steve S.
To many to list

 

'78's had everything according to the Motors manual.

 

I live in western PA, about 30 min north of Butler, and have a 77 F250 with a built 460. I just got it inspected (project finally done) about 2 weeks ago, and the station I was at was kind enough to slap on an exempt sticker. It's not what you know.... You can get classic plates, (kind of a pain from what i understand) or you can register it as a 1 ton with a GVW over 9,000 lbs, as any vehicle over 9k is exempt. It will cost you a little more $ for registration, but it may be your easiest bet. I was also told that if you can prove you have driven the truck less than 5000 miles since you've owned it, you're exempt. If that's true, you may have the same problem I did... the mileage on the Title is listed as exempt. Hope this helps...... if not and u decide to sell her.... let me know; my wife would love to see another highboy sitting around here.

 

Federal emmisions laws stated in 1974 that all vehicles 6000lbs GVW and under required cats, egr, smog, etc. Ford introduced the F-150 with a GVW of 6200 lbs to get around this. The Feds fought back in 1979 and passed a law stateing that all vehicles under 9000 GVW required emmisions. So, up until 1979, unless you were in Cali, the only emmisions requirements were PCV. This is the reason I have gone back to 1978 or older trucks.

Also, in PA, if you have owned the vehicle for more than a year, and you drove it less than 5000 miles since the last inspection, it is exempt. Luckily, my inspection guy knows a bit about the 70's trucks out there.

Steve S.
To many to list

 

I have a inspection license and I go by the required manual as I stated and I will not put a sticker on a 78 that has no cats period. My book says so.
and there is NO 5000 mile exemption in craford we are visual.
I have to tell customers at my job about this. I have to go by the required book, not someones opinion or some stickers or fuel gage.

 

In Dunmore Pa. I just got a exemption for under 5000 miles on my beater Honda car. It must have a Cat but the exemption must be by county.
Glen
05 F-350 4x4 Reg Cab PSD 6Spd.

 

In Erie County it is a gas cap test and visual. In Erie County there is a 5000 mile exemption. I will tell you that for a fact, my truck (1978 F-150 4x4, GVW of 6200) did not come from the factory with cat convertors or smog pump. I would fight it to the top if an inspection station told me that I had to install cats and a smog pump on my vehicle that did not have them from the factory.

In my county, and by federal law, the emmision equipment that was installed on your vehicle at the time of build must be present at all times. The laws have changed since the purchase of the vehicle, but that does not mean previous year vehicles have to meet these new laws.

Just to qoute the Pennsylvania law for emmisions in all counties that have just the visual emmisions laws.

"The visual anti-tampering check is a visual inspection for the presence of emission control components that were installed on a vehicle by the manufacturer".

Most 1978 and older F-150 thru F-350 did not have cats or smog pumps. Notice I did not include the F-100. These were lower GVW and did require these emmisions parts.



Steve S.
To many to list.

 

I'm not looking for a fight so you can put your guns down. Hell, I'm on your side. I think its all b.s. too. But the book says your truck has to have them. like I said I can't put a sticker on a '78 in crawford without cats. My hands are tied. Unless a inspection cop tells me it's ok, which I know he wont. I have to go by the book. I don't make these stupid laws,I didn't rite this stupid book either,& i'm certainly not going to argue on the states behalf.

 

Not trying to start any wars just trying to help. I had a 77.5 F-250 4x4 (For all who don't know the 77.5 had 78 running gear with 77 wiring, Only two driveshafts) Anyway this is what I was told not sure if it will help. If the gas gauge says unleaded fuel only you need cats mine did not so I never needed or had any type of emissions stuff.
I think it's stupid also the old trucks should not need to carry emissions. I don't think my truck should since every Bus,Train,Plane and emergency equipment doesn't and they make more pollution than any of our trucks.
Hope you get to bring the F-250 home
Glen
05 F-350 4x4 Reg Cab PSD 6Spd.

 

Not tring to flame or fight, just stating the facts. I have worked in the automotive field for many years and emmisions really burn me, esp with what this state does.


They are telling me that the mini van going down the road with all of the emmisions stuff in place, and a brand new gas cap, but belching gobs of blue smoke out the pipe passes emmisions, but my sports car with a brand new motor and a couple of modified pcs does not.

I have taken this to my local State Police inspection station and inquired about it. It took a little bit of research, but he informed me that my truck would and will pass in its current condition (bone stock, which is rare for me). He was concerned upon first inspection due to the fact that there is no cats or smog pump, but after looking at the emmision stickers on the valve cover (Non Catalyst), then a little research in his reference books, then back to my data plate (6200 GVW), it was in compliance with laws for 1978.

As stated before, Federal laws only pertained to vehicles under 6000 GVW until 1979. In 1979 the GVW raised to 9000 lbs. Recently the GVW has been raised again to 11000 lbs GVW.

Again, I feel for anyone that has to go through with emmision, as the 70's is a confusing time period.

Not meaning to start anything

Steve S.
To many to list

 

You want to hear a good one ? Say a car comes in the shop with a check engine light on. I scan it and get lets say an egr code, now I know the egr isn't working. I call the customer and tell him, he says forget it for now but go ahead and put a new inspection sticker on it, guess what ? I have to. Because it's only a vsi inspection in crawford. It only has to have the required junk and it appear to be in working condition. Makes a lot of sence.