first years for cats???
Junior User
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 60
Likes: 0
78 and 79 are the years that normally had them at times from Ford, but could be earlier for like vehicles in California, as someone pointed out.
Smog on our vehicles and their age depends on the state and city you are dealing with. My part of Ohio got completely gun-shy when the EPA started fining people a few years back for installing exhaust without cats on vehicles that had them originally, so they have things they check for no matter what the owner says. If your gas gauge says "unleaded fuel only",... they are required to put on cats. If you have the gas snout that has the smaller unleaded entry with the little swing lever built into it for unleaded fuel, they are required to install cats. Those two things are their deciding factors here in my part of the country.
Gauges can be changed as well as fuel snouts to the regular fuel open design, you just gotta scour the salvage yards for the older parts and install. Maybe others could elaborate on this if there are other things they check in other states.
Smog on our vehicles and their age depends on the state and city you are dealing with. My part of Ohio got completely gun-shy when the EPA started fining people a few years back for installing exhaust without cats on vehicles that had them originally, so they have things they check for no matter what the owner says. If your gas gauge says "unleaded fuel only",... they are required to put on cats. If you have the gas snout that has the smaller unleaded entry with the little swing lever built into it for unleaded fuel, they are required to install cats. Those two things are their deciding factors here in my part of the country.
Gauges can be changed as well as fuel snouts to the regular fuel open design, you just gotta scour the salvage yards for the older parts and install. Maybe others could elaborate on this if there are other things they check in other states.
Junior User
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 93
Likes: 1
From: Newmarket, Ontario Canada
Since you said "other emissions junk" I can now assume you don't actually have a Canadian truck there. Where was your truck orginally built and sold? I should have been more clear, 79's destined for Ontario don't have cats. My truck although built in Michigan has been an Ontario truck from day one and never carried and emission system. My dad's '79 was exactly the same, destined for Ontario, no emissions. Though I'm sure the certifying officer isn't going to know the difference one way or the other. Does it have the "catalyst" sticker as berry1234 asked?
Logistics Pro
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 4,238
Likes: 21
From: Northern Illinois
This is strictly a Canadian thing if it is true.
Thread Starter
|
Senior User
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 334
Likes: 0
From: Residing in the shwa. On.
Since you said "other emissions junk" I can now assume you don't actually have a Canadian truck there. Where was your truck orginally built and sold? I should have been more clear, 79's destined for Ontario don't have cats. My truck although built in Michigan has been an Ontario truck from day one and never carried and emission system. My dad's '79 was exactly the same, destined for Ontario, no emissions. Though I'm sure the certifying officer isn't going to know the difference one way or the other. Does it have the "catalyst" sticker as berry1234 asked?
Thread Starter
|
Senior User
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 334
Likes: 0
From: Residing in the shwa. On.
MY truck is a 250 4x4 trailer special with a 351m and def. an ontario canada manufactured truck i checked the vin.
Elder User
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 518
Likes: 0
From: Mount pleasant, michigan
GVWR was the factor in determining our trucks from when they started, from 76 or 77 till 79, the F100 had cats because any vehicle under the 6000lb weight had to have them, then the F150 came out and it weighed 6050lbs, so was the F250 and 350. So they didnt have cats.
FTE Stories
Ford Trucks for Ford Truck Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Ford Trucks Ever Sold on Bring a Trailer
Joe Kucinski
2027 Ford Super Duty Buyer's Guide (Every Model, Engine, & Package)
Brett Foote
Top 10 Ford Truck Tragedies
Joe Kucinski
AEV FXL Super Duty - the Super Duty Raptor Ford Doesn't Make
Brett Foote
Lobo Vs Lobo: Proof the F-150 Lobo Should Be Even Lower!
Michael S. Palmer
Ford's 2001 Explorer Sportsman Concept Looks For a New Home
Verdad Gallardo
10 Best Ford Truck Engines We Miss the Most!
Joe Kucinski
2026 Shelby F-150 Off-Road: Better Than a Raptor R?
Brett Foote
2027 Super Duty Carhartt Package First Look: 12 Things You NEED to Know!
Michael S. Palmer
Logistics Pro
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 4,238
Likes: 21
From: Northern Illinois
Some 79 F-250's had catalytic converters, it all depended on the GVW. IIRC there were 3 seperate GVW's for the 4x4 250's, the lighter 2 got cats and the heavier model did not.
Junior User
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 93
Likes: 1
From: Newmarket, Ontario Canada
Here in Ontario it wasn't until '80 that full emission systems went onto trucks of any GVW. It's remotely possible a very late build '79 might have them but I know of none here.
The air pump is a common piece for the 351M but I think that was more an issue of Ford simplifying production because all the 351M / 400 cars had the pump and brackets regardless (I assume the US is that way too with cars of the era??). Cheaper to produce in the long run by putting the pump on everything.
Canadian and American trucks look the same on the outside the big majority of the time but are not always kin underneath.
The air pump was normal for a 78 F150-F350 everywhere in Canada
302 F100 / F150's did not get an air pump until the '80s
That isn't a true emission vehicle you have.
It has an air pump but, true, not a full emission vehicle
My '79 F100 is a small block C6 combo originally and from the factory had only a pcv valve. My Dad's '79 F150 (he bought new), identical truck and only a pcv valve. It's intersesting though that both trucks are unleaded fuel but neither had the restricted fuel filler, you could easily have put either unleaded or leaded fuel down the hole. Ford did go out of their way to put three "unleaded fuel only" stickers in various spots though
One thing bugging me I can't answer definitively, if a truck has an air pump would it not have the accompanying EGR valve? This may be a US vs. Canadian buildout deal thing but a curious question. Doesn't have to be this truck, just a musing in general.....
By the way, is it running now? Did you want to convert to duals or does it not have any exhaust?
Sorry for wandering a bit!
The air pump is a common piece for the 351M but I think that was more an issue of Ford simplifying production because all the 351M / 400 cars had the pump and brackets regardless (I assume the US is that way too with cars of the era??). Cheaper to produce in the long run by putting the pump on everything.
Canadian and American trucks look the same on the outside the big majority of the time but are not always kin underneath.
The air pump was normal for a 78 F150-F350 everywhere in Canada
302 F100 / F150's did not get an air pump until the '80s
That isn't a true emission vehicle you have.
It has an air pump but, true, not a full emission vehicle
My '79 F100 is a small block C6 combo originally and from the factory had only a pcv valve. My Dad's '79 F150 (he bought new), identical truck and only a pcv valve. It's intersesting though that both trucks are unleaded fuel but neither had the restricted fuel filler, you could easily have put either unleaded or leaded fuel down the hole. Ford did go out of their way to put three "unleaded fuel only" stickers in various spots though
One thing bugging me I can't answer definitively, if a truck has an air pump would it not have the accompanying EGR valve? This may be a US vs. Canadian buildout deal thing but a curious question. Doesn't have to be this truck, just a musing in general.....
By the way, is it running now? Did you want to convert to duals or does it not have any exhaust?
Sorry for wandering a bit!
Thread Starter
|
Senior User
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 334
Likes: 0
From: Residing in the shwa. On.
Here in Ontario it wasn't until '80 that full emission systems went onto trucks of any GVW. It's remotely possible a very late build '79 might have them but I know of none here.
The air pump is a common piece for the 351M but I think that was more an issue of Ford simplifying production because all the 351M / 400 cars had the pump and brackets regardless (I assume the US is that way too with cars of the era??). Cheaper to produce in the long run by putting the pump on everything.
Canadian and American trucks look the same on the outside the big majority of the time but are not always kin underneath.
The air pump was normal for a 78 F150-F350 everywhere in Canada
302 F100 / F150's did not get an air pump until the '80s
That isn't a true emission vehicle you have.
It has an air pump but, true, not a full emission vehicle
My '79 F100 is a small block C6 combo originally and from the factory had only a pcv valve. My Dad's '79 F150 (he bought new), identical truck and only a pcv valve. It's intersesting though that both trucks are unleaded fuel but neither had the restricted fuel filler, you could easily have put either unleaded or leaded fuel down the hole. Ford did go out of their way to put three "unleaded fuel only" stickers in various spots though
One thing bugging me I can't answer definitively, if a truck has an air pump would it not have the accompanying EGR valve? This may be a US vs. Canadian buildout deal thing but a curious question. Doesn't have to be this truck, just a musing in general.....
By the way, is it running now? Did you want to convert to duals or does it not have any exhaust?
Sorry for wandering a bit!
The air pump is a common piece for the 351M but I think that was more an issue of Ford simplifying production because all the 351M / 400 cars had the pump and brackets regardless (I assume the US is that way too with cars of the era??). Cheaper to produce in the long run by putting the pump on everything.
Canadian and American trucks look the same on the outside the big majority of the time but are not always kin underneath.
The air pump was normal for a 78 F150-F350 everywhere in Canada
302 F100 / F150's did not get an air pump until the '80s
That isn't a true emission vehicle you have.
It has an air pump but, true, not a full emission vehicle
My '79 F100 is a small block C6 combo originally and from the factory had only a pcv valve. My Dad's '79 F150 (he bought new), identical truck and only a pcv valve. It's intersesting though that both trucks are unleaded fuel but neither had the restricted fuel filler, you could easily have put either unleaded or leaded fuel down the hole. Ford did go out of their way to put three "unleaded fuel only" stickers in various spots though
One thing bugging me I can't answer definitively, if a truck has an air pump would it not have the accompanying EGR valve? This may be a US vs. Canadian buildout deal thing but a curious question. Doesn't have to be this truck, just a musing in general.....
By the way, is it running now? Did you want to convert to duals or does it not have any exhaust?
Sorry for wandering a bit!
Junior User
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 93
Likes: 1
From: Newmarket, Ontario Canada
Yes its running, 'rough' till its warmed up. It only has the down pipes it had duals once apon a time due to the hangers, however they were only two inch pipe, I was thinking of steppin upto 2 1\4 unless someone convinces me differently. its a stock 5.8 with an HEI dist.
Go with the 2.5" duals. The truck will breathe nice and any future changes will only add to the efficiency. The pipe size isn't too big for a 5.8 and you'll find the vast majority of custom exhaust jobs are done in 2.5" pipe. Yes, the 2 1/4 pipes will do a fine job but I bet if you ask the muffler shop to price it both ways the difference will be miniscule. Either way you will need to study up on the many variations of mufflers and get ones suited to you.
Oh, and if you are still concerned about the air pump, get the truck certified and then take it off after. You don't need an e-test and it's not originally an full emissions truck. The rough running could be something as simple as a vacuum leak but definitely fix that up.
Junior User
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 56
Likes: 0
i have my 2 79's i bought a uniersal sport cat from summit think 2.5'' pipes and thrink andretti endorsed the cat anyway it was like 35 2 years ago...and it works great to get trough smog in california...
a trick to see if they are bad is heat up the truck to normal operating temp...then shoot the laser from the heat gun on the pipe before and after the cat and then the shoot the cat itself..
the cat should be much hotter then the pipes on either side....then u can see if its working...
my cat was burnt out n was coller then the pipes on either side
a trick to see if they are bad is heat up the truck to normal operating temp...then shoot the laser from the heat gun on the pipe before and after the cat and then the shoot the cat itself..
the cat should be much hotter then the pipes on either side....then u can see if its working...
my cat was burnt out n was coller then the pipes on either side