I am in California trying to get my 1976 F150 smogged. It came from Texas, how can I find out if it was originally fitted with Federal or California emissions equipment?

 

Just take it to a smog station....... They will tell you.

Hobo

 

Most stations tell me they don't work on that age truck. They also say I have to find out whether it was built to conform to California or just Federal Standards. My main question is how can I find that out? I can't seem to find where a tag is with that information.

 

The tag on your drivers door end near the latch. It'll have to be decoded. It has all that info.

 

No stickers under the hood?

The smog station might not do any work on it, but he should be able to tell you if it's 49 state or CA.

 

The decal on the valve cover will usually tell you .

 

If they're making you guess and you can't find a hard answer just go with what data you have and say its Federal and not Cali regs. That should make things a bit easier at the very least.

Like all things in life, work and entertainment its that thin veneer of credibility that gets you over the line. Clean engine bay, tidy hoses and wires, polished tags, clean & quiet motor... these things are your friends.

- boingk

 

My 1976 F250 was originally sold in California. The engine exhaust emission control information sticker on the engine valve cover says at the top "This engine conforms to U.S.E.P.A. and California standards applicable to 1976 model year gasoline fueled heavy duty engines." The engine is a 460.

 

Additionally, the Marti Report, will also tell you if so equipped. As of Monday 2/1/21, they are back up and running. I ordered my report, '75 Hiboy, in the morning and had it in my email later the same day. In the options field it lists, "California Emissions System" as included when sold new at Jim Wilson Ford in Yreka, CA. Of course, I've got none of that "system" still in place!

 

Jen Truck,
Bought my 1977 Ford F-150 back in May 2016 out of Casper, Wyoming, though the truck was built in the former San Jose assembly plant, it was originally sold in Denver. Took the title and bill of sale to my local Ventura, California AAA office with their DMV service. The AAA DMV representative looked up criteria for registering and advised me to get it Smog tested and get a certified weight ticket. Prepare ahead of time before you get your truck weighed, i.e., run it low on fuel, remove tailgate, spare tire, clean out your bed, remove items from within the cab, glove box, under / behind the seat and jack. Take your truck in for Smog test, if it fails (expect it will), then go to DMV office with the failed results and DMV will refer you to a California Smog Referee. You'll be issued a temporary registration from DMV. DMV will provide you a method either a phone number or E-mail address to make an appointment with the Smog Referee. The Smog referee will inspect, record your VIN, engine serial number in California's DMV website. All vehicles have a DOS code which delineates if your truck was built for sale in California (equipped with California emissions) or if it was manufactured for Federal emissions, the California Smog referee will check your truck's DOS code and use that DOS and your truck's GVWR to determine what emission components are required on your truck, i.e., a smog pump, a CAT, an EGR valve. If your GVWR is 6,050 and higher, you will not be required to have an EGR valve, a CAT and a smog pump. But regardless of your truck's GVWR, you will be required to have an original Ford OEM air cleaner.
Lastly, like "Boingk" mentioned above, a clean engine bay is beneficial through the above process. Know the stories you may of heard and the above may be a little intimating, it's not actually. Just prepare yourself mentally for the inconveniences and take it in stride. The California Smog referee I dealt with was up front with me and that I appreciated.

 

A few years ago, I bought a '77 F-250 out of state. Like mentioned earlier, it had to be weighed and the VIN had to be verified (either by the DMV or the CHP). I took the info down to the DMV and received a temporary registration sticker to keep in the rear window. I went to two different smog shops, and received slightly different advice for getting the truck to smog. It had a four barrel and aftermarket intake, which is a no-no. One shop wanted to rebuild my stock carb and the other shop wanted to purchase a new carb, with the stock intake being put back on. I ended up going with the rebuild option and it worked out great and no cat needed. Good luck.

 

If it came from Texas I don’t think it had the California Emissions equipment, maybe Federal but since it wasn’t sold in CA doesn’t makes any sense to have CA Emissions..! Mine was built in CA but sold in WA so again, no CA Emissions equipment in it.