390 Questions
Junior User
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 65
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From: Plymouth USA
390 Questions
I've been asking a lot of questions over in the '72- '79 trucks discussions and they finally sent me over here. What I'm trying to do is get my 1974 F250 4X4 smogged in CA. I believe the VIN on the truck (F26YRU21425) indicates that it should have a 360 2BBL. The people who gave me the truck tell me that they swapped in a 390. What I'm trying to figure out is, what smog equipment is required on this engine. According to my research, it should have PCV, EGR, evap system, heat riser, and spark controls. It definitely has no EGR and I'm not sure what spark controls a 1974 should have, the rest is accounted for. I found a 352 cast into the block under the front of the left head and read elsewhere here that that means it's a 1973 or earlier block. What other ways are there to ID this engine? also the guys in the other discussion mentioned a calibration number. Where can I find this number? Any help would be much appreciated.
Post Fiend
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 6,624
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From: Missouri
390 Questions
Not sure what the calibration number deal is but you can get the casting number from the passenger side of the block. It will say something like C6ME-A or another code of the same nature. If it is a C6ME-A that means it was a 1966 casting hence the C6 in the first two digits. If it says C7ME-A then it would be a 1967 casting and so forth. They are right about the 352 number which is on the block not on the head. Anything 1973 or higher will have either no number or a mirror image 105. 99 out of a hundred times it will be the mirror 105. I have no idea about your emmisions problem since I have never had to pass the sniffer test and I always rip as much smog equipment off as I can.
Junior User
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 53
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390 Questions
When I had my truck in California "76 F250 390" I had the EGR, PCV, SmogPump, Charcoal canister, I had headers that were smog legal, and the spark device was a little check valve inline to the vac advance canister. If memory serves correct that was it. Good Luck with it.
Junior User
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 65
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From: Plymouth USA
390 Questions
So if I can acquire an EGR manifold, can I just bolt it on or will I have to replace the heads also? I understand that the EGR valve gets the exhaust gas from a crossover in the intake manifold and then passes it into the intake flow via a spacer plate under the carb. What year did the heads start having an exhaust port for EGR? Does anyone know where I can come up with a vacuum diagram so I can figure out how to plumb all the vacuum lines?
Elder User
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 962
Likes: 2
From: Collierville, TN
390 Questions
>Not sure what the calibration number deal is but you can get
>the casting number from the passenger side of the block. It
>will say something like C6ME-A or another code of the same
>nature. If it is a C6ME-A that means it was a 1966 casting
>hence the C6 in the first two digits. If it says C7ME-A
>then it would be a 1967 casting and so forth. [SNIP]
Just a little nitpick, RS -- those numbers don't tell you when the block was cast. They just tell you when the design for that particular block was first released from engineering to be put into production. Thus, a "C6" code only means it could not have been produced BEFORE 1966. A C6 block may have been cast in 1966, but it also may have been cast much later. I have a C7ME-A block, and it was cast on June 9, 1969.
It's all academic, of course, because the blocks are essentially interchangeable and have no impact on the emissions controls.
>the casting number from the passenger side of the block. It
>will say something like C6ME-A or another code of the same
>nature. If it is a C6ME-A that means it was a 1966 casting
>hence the C6 in the first two digits. If it says C7ME-A
>then it would be a 1967 casting and so forth. [SNIP]
Just a little nitpick, RS -- those numbers don't tell you when the block was cast. They just tell you when the design for that particular block was first released from engineering to be put into production. Thus, a "C6" code only means it could not have been produced BEFORE 1966. A C6 block may have been cast in 1966, but it also may have been cast much later. I have a C7ME-A block, and it was cast on June 9, 1969.
It's all academic, of course, because the blocks are essentially interchangeable and have no impact on the emissions controls.
Post Fiend
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 6,624
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From: Missouri
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Junior User
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 61
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From: Riverside USA
390 Questions
Why do you have to get it smogged? This was my last year to smog my 75 F150, since your's is a 74, should not even require it? Ca resident!
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Elder User
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 962
Likes: 2
From: Collierville, TN
390 Questions
I guess I don't understand what you mean when you say "the casting is a 1966." A C6 code doesn't even guaranty that a part was first put into production in 1966. Depending on the revision, it may not be until much later.
Post Fiend
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 8,238
Likes: 3
From: Oregon
390 Questions
[updated:LAST EDITED ON 05-Jun-02 AT 03:03 PM (EST)]A 1966 casting is created from a mould made in 1966. But, the block could be poured in 1970 utilizing the older cast making a 1970 block. So it would be a 66 casting, that was cast in 1970. Does that make it as clear as mud? In essence, you are both right. The C6ME-A tells you that it was a mould ID'ed as a 1966 Mercury engine...but it really has no bearing on the year the block was poured or what it neccesarily went in. My buddy has a stock '74 F-250 with the stock 360...which has the casting #C8ME-A. Just one of the many things that make FEs notorious to ID.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 1,483
Likes: 273
From: Tulare U.S.A.
390 Questions
I gave you a reply on the other board I gess you dident like my reply. Here lets try this I have a Calif smog license and the year is 73 and older are excempt 74 and up have to be smoged every two years
unless your county has special exception with the state and theirs only a hand full that do. What you need to do is go down to your local shop that you like that does smogs and ask them what you need to have on this truck to make it pass get it in writing dont tell them its a 390 let them decide and when thy tell you what you need put it on but only what they tell you and have them smog it.
I hope this helps and I hope you take my advise .
Leadmic
unless your county has special exception with the state and theirs only a hand full that do. What you need to do is go down to your local shop that you like that does smogs and ask them what you need to have on this truck to make it pass get it in writing dont tell them its a 390 let them decide and when thy tell you what you need put it on but only what they tell you and have them smog it.
I hope this helps and I hope you take my advise .
Leadmic
Junior User
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 65
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From: Plymouth USA
390 Questions
leadmic, I appreciate your advise and that is what I'm going to do. I just want to be sure that the smog tech won't laugh me out of his shop when I show up with a truck with no emission control devices on it. I did call some local shops yesterday and all but one of them were absolutely no help at all. Obviously, the one that helped me will get my business. Because the truck has not been registered since 1994, it is a major hassle (going to DMV for a moving permit) to get the truck to the smog shop. When I take it there, I'd like to be fairly confident that it is going to pass. I am also fascinated by how much I can learn about the history of my truck just by asking questions about #'s on the ID plate and cast into the block. As for as the question about why I am smogging a 1974; DMV wants a smog certificate and the area that I live in requires a vehicle to be smogged upon change of ownership. Once it passes, it won't ever have to be smogged again as long as I keep it. That is unless California changes the current vague smog laws and requires my area to smog more often.
Post Fiend
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 6,624
Likes: 8
From: Missouri
390 Questions
That rule sucks man! After you go through and put all that smog equipment on you don't even have to keep it. Why make people do it at all? That's government for ya! Well at least you will have the stuff on there if the law changes.
Junior User
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 65
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From: Plymouth USA
390 Questions
I couldn't agree more. Smog laws have nothing to do with clean air and everything to do with stealing money from people. I work as a mechanic on a fleet in Sacramento and I've seen where we actually had to make a vehicle (early '80's F250 460) run worse to get it to pass smog. Unbelievable!!
Laughing Gas
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 1,047
Likes: 22
From: Lacey, WA
390 Questions
DHH,
Good luck with your smog stuff. As for your block ID, look at the block right around where your oil filter adapter mounts. There should be a code found there. Something resembling 8C15. This is the "Date code" for your block. 8C15 would equal March 15, 1968. This will pin down when your block was made.
You may find the same thing I did on my 390. I have different date codes on just about everything under the hood. From 1966 to 68. Your basic "mix and match" engine.
Good luck,
Lee
Good luck with your smog stuff. As for your block ID, look at the block right around where your oil filter adapter mounts. There should be a code found there. Something resembling 8C15. This is the "Date code" for your block. 8C15 would equal March 15, 1968. This will pin down when your block was made.
You may find the same thing I did on my 390. I have different date codes on just about everything under the hood. From 1966 to 68. Your basic "mix and match" engine.
Good luck,
Lee