Looking at a clean F350 a couple states away. Guy doesn't know much about it except it was owned by a utility but doesn't know what one, frustrating to say the least. He sent pics and it has mass air meter down by the air box and a couple other clues lead me to believe it is a CA truck and will enable me to buy it, smog it, and register it in California.

I need to know if it was California trucks ONLY in 96/97 that had mass air. I have heard MA had it but just rumor.

I have owned several 96/97 F350's and all were mass air Cali trucks but if I bought this one and it was from the one other oddball state that got mass air I may not be able to register it here. I believe it is a Cali truck and has CA emissions (any other way to tell from engine pics? cant see the decals) and will do my best to buy and never sell this thing.

My next step is carfax that will answer all my questions but I want to sleep tonight so if anyone can throw an answer out it would be much appreciated.

 

Both of my 97 f350 460 Cali. trucks are Speed Density.

 

Can you get a pic of the door jamb tag?

Look for a 'DSO' (district sales office) code.
This code will tell you what regional hub it was delivered through.
Or it might just tell you it was ordered by a large fleet like the forestry service.

 

It was only CA trucks in 96/97. I believe they ran EEC-V pcm's also.

 

I see the mass air sensor in the pic and the guy selling sends crappy pics so a door jamb pic will probably be a waste of time. My biggest worry is rolling the dice on a truck that is out of state and the CA DMV telling me nope on registering it here.

Crewcabber do they have CA emissions? Every CA emissions truck I have had either bought new or used was mass air. It's funny to hear people on boards talk about how rare it is and never seen one when that is all I have seen out here.

It's a big gamble but I threw the guy a reasonable offer, we shall see if he is a reasonable guy.

 

My 97's were both obd1 speed density. They both had 460 in them. As far as California smog goes on these trucks I went rounds on this forum about obd1 and obd2 . I also argued with two smog shops on how to smog it. The year of these trucks would make them obd2 but the weight makes them obd1 easiest way to tell is the obd plugs. The obd1 is under the hood by the hood hinge driverside. The obd2 plug is under the dash in the cab. So where I'm going with this in California the obd1 test is visual to make sure your smog stuff is there and a sniffer test only no dyno and diagnostic test. So if you have your egr system in tact and a working o2 sensor and cat then it's up to the emissions of the truck. Where in California are you.

 

Cali trucks with the 460/E4OD tranny, 96/97, were mass air, they used EEC-V. All other 460 trucks (Cali with C6 or manual, other states regardless of tranny) are speed density, EEC-IV. Other states with the same emissions as Cali those years, AND the 460/E4OD combo, may also be mass air/EEC-V.

 

Incorrect. Both of my 97 f350 460 e4od 4x4 trucks were speed density obd1 trucks.

 

I seem to remember that there were some exceptions for the F350's. I don't doubt that they were SD. I will rephrase my previous statement, All 460/E4OD Cali F-250's from 96/97 were mass air.

Now back to the OP's question. If it truly is mass air, you should have no problem with Cali emissions as long as all of the original smog equipment is in place and functional.

 

He shouldn't have a problem either way as long as he has a cat the egr system he will pass the visual side. Then it's upto the truck to pass the emission side.

 

Orange county

 

What did you end up doing 7D?

 

The guy stopped responding to emails & text so I have an inlaw near there and he went to check it out. Super clean and has CA emissions, owned by an airport maintenance company. The seller said he has received so much interest in it he doubled his price to $12k. I'll wait him out. I offered $5,500 after I received the info but got zero response. The hunt continues...

 

Wow what an ***. 12 grand I do not know what he is smoking but I want some. 5500 for it wouldn't be bad as long as it is clean low miles. How did you find it? Be patient it took me 8 months to find my first one. I got so frustrated at one point I almost pulled the trigger on a super clean crew low miles new tires blah blah blah buy it was 2 wheel drive. A month later the same dealer got my first crew in and now it's history.

 

Found it in a classified section of a trucking magazine it is supposed to be private party but after my in-law looked at it he said the dude is a dealer.

I've had four CCLB's and one F250 CCSB, two of the F350's I bought new in 96 & 97. About a year ago I found a sweet 96 and bought it swearing never to sell but some dirt bag wanted it to go on a crime spree and stole it. It was totaled so I'm looking again and have found a few local to me and in my price range so hopefully I'll be in a crew again shortly, the IRS will just have to wait I am sure they will understand.