I am about to buy a super coupe for an unbelievably low price... it is complete front to back, with some bang-up damage to the right front body... BUT the entire drive train is untouched... except for 120k miles... I have designs on rebuilding this motor and doing a motor and tranny swap into my 2001 F-150 XL with the 4.2 ltr (direct motor swap as far as the block and tranny go)... BUT I am not sure if I can get it to pass emissions after I do this. I have been warned that they are REALLY stepping up the emissions standards in harris county and that I may have a hard time with this... has anyone else done any forced induction work in or around the houston area to their truck??? Has anyone else heard about the new smog laws???

JT

 

I'm up in the DFW area; we have the same emissions standards as Houston. Yes, the new standards are tough! They will put it on a chassis dyno and sniff it while doing 40MPH or so - along with the visual inspection. I gave up on trying to get my 85 Grand Wagoneer through it, and all that has been done to it is an emissions calibrated Edlebrock carb and EGR performer intake, and a set of headers... which is one of the reasons I bought the '64 F100 - too old to sniff! I'd doubt you would get an older motor to pass it unless you invested in a closed-loop fuel injection setup for it of some sort. good luck getting it through the visual inspection...

Which kinda hacks me off, because I see a bunch of junk on the road around here that I KNOW didn't pass the sniffer by all the crap they are puking out, while my Jeep is in good shape. Somebody is paying someone else off; just wish I knew who to pay off!

 

Well, I understand exactly what you mean about the standards being skewed... My thing is this... the motor is a "recent" ford product... fuel injected 3.8 ltr v-6 from a super coupe t-bird. Makes about 270 hp from the factory, and about 380 lbs ft torque... nice upgrade from the factory specs... plus its fuel injected so my economy wouldn't suffer (or at least be any worse than it is now)... Herein lies the rub... I know they have after market kits available for the 4.2 ltr engine to put a vortech blower on it... it is "street legal"... but texas doesn't use carb numbers (right or wrong??? ... i thought they were cali. only)... so where is the legislation that regulates what kind if motor I can or cannot install into my vehicle and or what kind of aftermarket parts I can put on... and if i do so does it change my vehicle standards on the emmisions test... Basically I am looking to see if anyone has any hard facts on what is or isn't legal and by what standards...

With that said, I appreciate your time and input... JT

 

From what I understand (which isn't anywhere near official), the engine involved in a "swap" would have to meet the emission standards of the vehicle (if the vehicle is newer) and have all of the Emission Equip. in place for the newer truck. For better info' you might find someone in the local Emissions Testing places who could give you the "straight scoop". Good luck, sounds like a great idea though!

 

OK, I'm old... don't ask where my mind went when I read 'super coupe'.... gezz.

I'd check with the DMV, but I believe Texas recognizes California's CARB exemptions; I know a lot of other states do. The Vortech setup would probably end up costing you less and being easier to install than trying the Thunder-Chicken swap, but either way a supercharger of one type or another is fun to have under the hood... If worst comes to worst if the Vortech isn't legal it wouldn't be that hard to bypass the plumping to it to get it through an inspection - try that with the hair-dryer swap!

 

This may be a good start:

http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/vi/act.htm

I think this is the info you were looking for (you got me curious about what was and wasn't legal...):




Engine Swaps
Rules regulating engine swapping are not make/model specific. The simple rule is that a vehicle must have all emissions components that were present when it was manufactured, which may include:

PCV - positive crankcase ventilation
ACL - air cleaner (thermostatic air cleaner)
AIS - secondary air injection
EGR - exhaust gas recirculation
EVAP - evaporative emission
CAT - catalytic convertor
SPK - spark control
FR - fillpipe restrictor
O2S - oxygen sensor

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Reconstructed or Rebuilt Vehicles

All vehicles used on the public highways are required to meet all of the state equipment laws and requirements; therefore, reconstructed or rebuilt vehicles which are using the public highways are also expected to meet all of the state equipment laws and regulations. Reconstructed or rebuilt vehicles in many instances fail to meet state requirements and, therefore, are not legal for use on the public highways.


All reconstructed or rebuilt vehicles (sand or dune buggies or hot rods) must comply with inspection requirements for the class of motor vehicle it is being inspected as, such as car, truck, motorcycle, or motor-driven cycle.


Be sure to check reconstructed or rebuilt vehicles for all required items of inspection with particular attention to the lighting devices. Head lamps shall be of a type acceptable by the Department. No modifications are allowed that will change the original design or performance of any lamp. Only acceptable automobile head lamps may be used on cars and trucks. Either the 7-inch head lamps or both dual head lamps (type 1 and type 2) may be used. Only acceptable motorcycle head lamps may be used on motorcycles, motor-driven cycles, and mopeds.


All lighting devices must be of an acceptable type that meet Department standards and must comply with the mounting heights as specified in the inspection requirements.


The year model of a reconstructed vehicle will be the same year in which it was reconstructed and not the year of original manufacture. Therefore, the inspection requirements would be for the model year of the vehicle (same as the year of reconstruction) or the year model of the engine itself, whichever is the later model.


Motor vehicles used for competitive racing, such as modified stock cars, dragsters, and hot rods may be inspected. When such a vehicle is presented for inspection, all rules and regulations regarding the inspection of the vehicle will apply. This applies to brake requirements, exhaust systems, as well as any other item required in these provisions.


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Kit Kars
Vehicles have to meet the emissions standards for the year the vehicle is assembled. Vehicle manufacturers have to certify that their vehicles meet EPA emissions standards. A lot of kit car manufacturers also comply with this requirement. If you purchase one of these kit cars, follow the instructions on assembly, including the emissions components, you should be able to pass an emissions test just like any other new car.

Just as the EPA does not allow an individual to reverse engineer a vehicle to defeat emission standards, they do not allow an individual to build a brand new "old" vehicle to bypass emissions standards. It is possibe if you actually use old parts (like a 1965 engine, or complete 60s frame and powertrain) that the vehicle will be registered as that model year (replica), but this is a TXDOT issue. However it is registered, is how DPS inspection stations will test it.

 

OK guys I'm not an expert but if you do the swap are you swapping the engine and computer or just the engine. Either way you are out of luck. If you swap the engine and computer then when you go to get checked they are going to hook up to the diagnostic port on the computer. The Thunderbird was not OBDII back then and your truck is. Now if you were to just swap in the engine and not the computer then you are out of luck because your computer won't control things right on the 3.8, like your computer has instructions for the duel runner intake and the like, you are just going to get an error message.

What I would do is get a vortech or an old truck.

Austin