I almost have the new 77 F-150 4x4 up to code for the emissions equipment but ran into a couple more snags. I did end up talking to Mike from the CO air program and he was very helpful. He did say that to be sure he was giving me the right information he would need the DSO code. The drivers door is not original so the VIN tag does not match, the sticker inside the door jamb has a spot for DSO but nothing written on it. There is a metal tag under the hood with the VIN and other info but not sure if it has the DSO on it.

Besides the VIN the only number on the tag on the firewall is 21-27 right after the VIN. Is there anywhere else I could find the DSO?

Also, my book says "refer to engine decal" for the timing, the decal is long gone. What is the timing for a 77 351m? Also, is ther somewhere to buy the stickers?

Thanks!

 

SOME stickers are available from LMC, Dennis Carpenter, Jim Osborn, etc. you'll need to check to see if yours is available.
Marti reports will contain your DSO code along with other info. He also can reproduce your EXACT warranty tag (metal door tag) and the door jamb certification sticker. Both of these are near perfect. Marti Auto Works - Concourse Quality, Hobbyist Price
Just a note, you might want to check the frame VIN to be sure you have the right number.

 

Thanks for the info. The VIN on my title, the sticker, firewal plate, and frame rail all match. I know the engine is 351m but someone scraped the valve cover sticker off so unable to "refer to sticker" for correct timing.

I will try to order the warranty tag.

 

I know where you can get the proper diagram without all this extra work.

 

Why bother with all of this? Find a mitchel emission manual, replicate whats there on your motor, the smog guy will see its all there, problem solved. Autozone has these diagrams available on their website as well, in the repair section. The smog guy has the same book he will reference, as long as it looks like it does in the book and looks stock he will never look twice.

 

you don't need the dso.
Here's a little tip

the 77 351m trucks came with cats. The 400 trucks did not. SInce by law you're able to swap in any motor into your truck that was offered in it from the factory, it's perfectly legal to have a 400 in it.

go to the bronco graveyard and get one of their 400 stickers. It says "non catalyst" right on it, and has the rest of the emissions stuff on it. the 351m and 400 are externally identical.

your truck will get passed right on through with no cats (assuming you don't have any now) and you'll be good to go

 

The Smog tech wants the DSO Code so he can verify where the truck was made, and where it was destined to.

Depending on where it was made, and where it was destined to go, makes a difference in smog control devices. Most notably if it's 49 state or California specific.

To be legal in most states the truck has to have the original smog equipment that it came with from the factory at time of build.

The above is illegal, and in California that would get your truck impounded, you would be accused of tampering, and for every day the truck was on the road, you would get heafty fines and penalties and possible jail time due to being not able to pay the fines. Each state is different and has different penalties and rules.

 

LOL, don't educate me on smog laws...come one by if you'd like to learn something or two.

1. what I said, putting a 400 sticker on a 351m is technically illegal, sure. However, it could be a 400...I'm betting the owner is just assuming it's still a 351m.

what I stated about the which engines are legal to swap in is absolutely true. We'll assume at this point that the tag, and any relevant info with the dso code is long gone. What does that leave? Well, lemme see, a truck that's either smogged based on the motor in the vin, and the smog tech will have to "assume" the truck is from the state that it's in, or you put on a smog sticker for the smog tech to smog the damned thing from.

the owner of the truck right now should assume he's got a 400 since at this point, its so old and most identifying info is gone, anything goes. The truck will simply be smogged according the sticker that's placed on the valve cover.

He could always take it to a referee, who will attempt to find identifying info on the engine itself, which he'll use to figure if it's a 351 or 400, but then again, it's a crap shoot anyhow, as with no dso it's your word against his where it came from and what smog equipment was on it.

Put the damn sticker on it, smog it as a 400, and go on with your life. The is absolutely no way at this time to know what came on it, unless he comes across that magic dso #

 

Only the F100's and California trucks had cats in 1977. 351M in a F150 or F250 were non-catalyst in 49 state trucks.

 

great info Rockstone...i've been having difficulty finding all the info on this.

did the 400 trucks have cats too for cali? I plan on doing as I stated, taking my 77 in with a 400 sticker, and smogging it as a non catalyst truck (I've only had it 2 weeks).....

Regardless, any dso info and tags have sadly all been removed, so I may just tell the smog guy it's an out of state dso...

that's what happened when I had my 78 bronco....told him it was an out of state dso, and they smogged it through without cats

 

I'm pretty sure all of them had cats in Cal. Ford had the F100 and F150 for several years to get past the 6000 GVW requirement for cats. Not sure about the Broncos, they would probably follow the same rules as the trucks, over 6000 GVW = no cat.

 

Why are you having so much of a problem with emissions? It should just be a visual and 2 step idle test.

You aren't having to do the IM240 are you, I thought that was 1982 and newer?

Never heard of them asking for a DSO, if the truck matches 49 state requirements for 1977 it shouldn't matter.

Josh

 

No thank you, I know more about smog laws than it seems you do.

And your assuming its a 400? You know what assuming gets you.

It depends on which state you live in. Not sure in Colorado, but in California you have to jump through the hoops really good. To put a different engine in california, first it has to be avaliable in the year model of the truck, a 400 was avaliable true. Second the smog has to be factory original to the year as well. Third if the engine is newer and has EFI for example, you need to put the smog devices that match the year of the engine. If you put an 302 EFI engine from a 1988 in your truck that was originally a 300-6 in a 1977, it has to have 1988 smog on it, and the computer and controlling devices, check engine lamps the whole 9 yards.

Why junkyards around here sell the whole engines with their smog devices. Check the BAR if you have any questions.

You can get the DSO from the Vin Number, but it's a tedious process and you have to get the information from Ford, or Marti.

He shouldn't assume anything. You heard the old saying right? You need to know for sure.

It's your obligation to prove what it has or has not or what it needs, not theirs. If they tell you what it needs, no matter if it legally needs it or not, if you cant prove it doesn't, it has to have it.

Like I said, that is illegal to do, and up to the owner of the truck to take bad advise or not. I'd advise against it.

 

From what I gather, the smog tech is trying to determin if the truck is infact 49 state or California emissions, so he tells the owner the right information. The two systems are different and require different parts, and legally you cant swap california smog for 49 state, or visa versa in this state anyway.

The DSO number will tell you which Sales District bought it, originally, therefore which state it was sold to.

 

I understand that, but the smog test is just a 2 step idle test, the limits aren't any different for 49 or 50 state.

What it seems to me, the "tech" might seem to be a nice guy, he is really just sending the OP on a wild goose chase for some reason.

If it has the required parts for COLORADO then everything should be fine. If the registrar really wanted to be that **** about things they can easily look up the vehicle title history and see where it was originaly sold.

I know Denver is much stricter than they were in Northern Colorado, but they are implementing the AIR PROGRAM up here in 2011 and for the first ever in rural Weld County. I'm glad my truck is exempt, it would never pass now. It was a pain back in the day.

Josh