Author Topic: Buying First full size Chevy; Smog Question before I buy it.  (Read 7277 times)

Offline jwill226

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Buying First full size Chevy; Smog Question before I buy it.
« on: December 29, 2009, 09:28:16 PM »
I am looking at buying a 1984 Chevy Scottsdale C-20 4x4 LWB with a 350ci granny low 4spd.  It has a mild lift giving a total of 3 or 4 inches of lift (guessing) with 33in tires for $1,000 it will need new tires in the next year but I can line out a deal on those.

The body is in great shape.  No bad rust at all.  Light surface rust on the back side of the bed panels and front fenders is all I can find. The frame looks great.  Current owner has been slowly using rust stop and rustolum (sp?)paint on the under carriage. Nothing is wrong with it he is just wanting to prevent future problems.  I have known the truck since he got it a few months ago.

The reason he is selling it is because he lost his job and he can't afford to get it to smog.  This is my question.  It was most recently an Oregon truck and over the years someone took all the smog equipment off.  I am in California and I want to know what to do I need for it to smog?  All the hoses are in place for the smog pump but it is gone and it has duel exhaust with no cats.  The current owner replaced the stock carb for a holly of some kind because he "wanted the brand name" but the truck will come with the stock carb in a box.

Also about 30k miles ago the stock 350 was rebuilt with an "RV" cam.  Other then that I believe it to be stock.

He is telling me that I would need just the smog pump and switch the carbs according to a shop he talked to (this shop is known for pulling scams and less then satisfactory work so I won't be going there).  Is he right?  Or will I need the cats?   If I get the cats put on can I do with out the pump?  Could the cam make this a very costly or imposable truck to smog?

I have always wanted a truck like this, mechanically everything looks great on it for the year.  New fuel pump and splitter for the duel tanks and a couple other little things. Its just the smog that is holding me back.  I am willing to do the work to get it to smog I just don't want to spend a lot of extra money on things I don't need to.  Or even worse do all the work and find the cam is going to hold me back. Any tips or advice would be great.  I'm looking forward to using this great site to help me with my new project truck if I end up with it.

Also is there anything I should be checking out as well that could be a problem specifically found is this year of truck?
« Last Edit: January 03, 2010, 09:57:31 AM by jwill226 »

Offline VileZambonie

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Re: Buying First full size Chevy; Smog Question before I buy it.
« Reply #1 on: December 29, 2009, 09:42:34 PM »
An axle flip would lower the truck. Is the VECI label under the hood still in tact? Basically you need to follow what's on that sticker as that is all they have to go by. So this should include Cats, EGR, and obviously if it had A.I.R. Injection it needs to be hooked up.
 

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Offline jwill226

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Re: Buying First full size Chevy; Smog Question before I buy it.
« Reply #2 on: December 29, 2009, 09:50:53 PM »
I am just going by what i see.  The front axle sits under the springs while the rear rides on top of them. 

Also I will look for the label.  Will this even matter because it was never a California truck as far as I have been able to find. 

It has a new EGR already. 

I am guessing that if it came with the pump then thats needed and cats are required on just about everything in CA.  Do you think the cam could cause problems?  Sorry if these are noob questions but I have always treated smog tests like I gamble.  Pay my money and hope for the best.

Offline VileZambonie

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Re: Buying First full size Chevy; Smog Question before I buy it.
« Reply #3 on: December 29, 2009, 09:58:50 PM »
That interesting. Got any pix?

There is no need to do anything other than what's on the emissions label. As far as I know only new vehicles need to be California emissions in Cali. So if your truck came iwth EGR, CAT, A.I.R., EVAP, EFE then hook it all up and you should be fine.
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Offline beastie_3

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Re: Buying First full size Chevy; Smog Question before I buy it.
« Reply #4 on: December 29, 2009, 09:59:23 PM »
All the truck needs is what is on that sticker. Trucks FIRST sold in Cali might have more smog stuff, but as long as it has whats on the sticker, then your good. Unless black smoke comes out the tail pipe.... A cam wont screw with your smog unless its radical or the tail pipe sniffer doesnt like it.

Offline jwill226

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Re: Buying First full size Chevy; Smog Question before I buy it.
« Reply #5 on: December 30, 2009, 06:23:23 AM »
OK, I got to look at the truck tonight.  The emissions sticker dose say CA on it so it was originally a CA truck.  All it says on the sticker is A.I.R./EGR.  So thats it?  I'm not used to having a CA vehicle that doesn't need cats on it.

Also on the suspension I was wrong.  I looked at several trucks at the same time.  The flipped axle setup was on a different truck.  I am a little confused on this truck still though.  The front axle rides directly under the lief spring.  The rear axle is also under the lief spring but with a 4in lift block between the axle and spring.  The odd part is the back of the truck is only and inch or 2 higher in the back.  The springs are all good and stiff so I am guessing the front could be replacement lift springs while the back is stock with blocks.  I don't have plans to do any extreme four wheeling so for the time being I'm not to worried about it.

Thanks for the advice, you all have been most helpful.

Offline VileZambonie

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Re: Buying First full size Chevy; Smog Question before I buy it.
« Reply #6 on: December 30, 2009, 08:03:31 AM »
Take a pic of the label if you can It should say Catalyst especially being a CA emissions vehicle. It should also show a diagram of the emissions components.

As far as the suspension goes, yes the front springs were most likely replaced or an add a leaf was used while the rear received blocks.
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Offline jwill226

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Re: Buying First full size Chevy; Smog Question before I buy it.
« Reply #7 on: December 30, 2009, 09:24:36 AM »
It doesn't say Catalyst.  It just says A.I.R/EGR.  I even looked at a couple other cars that I know the smog set ups for to make sure I was reading the sticker right.  I have never really had smog problems before so I never really paid attention to the sticker before.

Offline jwill226

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Re: Buying First full size Chevy; Smog Question before I buy it.
« Reply #8 on: January 02, 2010, 08:38:03 PM »
Thanks once again for all the help but sadly I will not be buying the truck.  I am unable to get a straight answer from either of the 2 smog shops I am able to work with.  So far I have 4 different answers from 2 shops ranging from $500 to $1500+ if they do the work.  I'm not going to bother if I don't know what I am getting into.  Both of these shops have a long history of over charging and scamming people on smogs.  I have decided that from here on out as long as I live in this area I will never own any thing made after 1975 so I don't have to worry about it.  One of them even told me to put in the A.I.R and EGR then only put in 1 cat and they will only test that side of the exhaust.  Now I know that not right but it was the cheapest.  On the other end I was told that only a shop can install the AIR/EGR and cats and they also wanted to completely scratch build an entire new exhaust system;even the mufflers witch are OEM and in good shape.  The exhaust I have is stock size pipes exiting in the stock location and look original to the truck.  There reason is that there "MIGHT" be bad emissions stuck in the pipes and the sniffer will not pass it.  He said it would be at least $1500.  I said "Are you crazy? (edited to keep it PG in here)" and walked out

Just another reason to stay the heck out of California.
« Last Edit: January 02, 2010, 08:54:41 PM by jwill226 »

Offline eventhorizon66

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Re: Buying First full size Chevy; Smog Question before I buy it.
« Reply #9 on: January 02, 2010, 11:41:49 PM »
That sounds like a load of BS.  Don't let these crooks psych you out of buying the truck you want.  Look up the local smog laws yourself, then do the work yourself.  If there is a dispute when you go to have it inspected, there are referee stations.
« Last Edit: January 02, 2010, 11:43:33 PM by eventhorizon66 »
'85 C10 SWB 350 700R4 TKO600

Offline jwill226

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Re: Buying First full size Chevy; Smog Question before I buy it.
« Reply #10 on: January 03, 2010, 09:53:35 AM »
The fights not over.  Tonight I went to see the owner of the truck.  When I left I had the air filter housing that has the CARB endorsed sticker on it (says just A.I.R./EGR are needed for the 1984 5.7L), and pictures of the door jam sticker that says the truck meets all Federal laws, as well as the VIN# and I am going to see a customer from my work that dose smog tests in Oregon (20mi away).  He says he can't make official tests for CA at his shop but he will check the housing and sticker; then he will tell me exactly what I need to do.  The owner of the truck is as mystified as I am as to why this is turning in to a big deal and has vowed to hold the truck till we get this figured out and not take any other offers on it till I give a for sure yes or no based on this smog situation.

I should know Monday where I stand.  The owner of the truck is waiting on some papers from the DMV on it then its all up to the smog testing.  If things work out it will be mine.

I know I'm right in the end.  Here is a pic of the emissions requirements part of the emissions sticker it is for a 1984 CA sold 5.7L C20 Scottsdale. I know its a fuzzy cell phone pic but you can clearly see it dose not say CATALYST like other cat requiring engines.  Also I checked the VIN engine code and the truck came stock with a 350ci.

Offline eventhorizon66

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Re: Buying First full size Chevy; Smog Question before I buy it.
« Reply #11 on: January 03, 2010, 11:00:54 AM »
Maybe because it's a C20 it doesn't require cats, but a CA vehicle built after the 70's that doesn't require a cat is surprising.

Good luck.
'85 C10 SWB 350 700R4 TKO600

Offline VileZambonie

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Re: Buying First full size Chevy; Smog Question before I buy it.
« Reply #12 on: January 03, 2010, 08:35:20 PM »
There should be another label on the radiator support... is nothing there?
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Offline beastie_3

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Re: Buying First full size Chevy; Smog Question before I buy it.
« Reply #13 on: January 04, 2010, 12:02:40 AM »
For the future in California, it is the SELLERS responsibility to get the vehicle smogged for the buyer. So if you want to make sure there isnt anything going on under the table when its smogged, you can meet him at the smog shop.

Offline jwill226

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Re: Buying First full size Chevy; Smog Question before I buy it.
« Reply #14 on: January 04, 2010, 08:00:36 PM »
Well I went to a good shop today armed with my info.  Both the smog tech and the owner of the shop say the same thing.

The truck is a 3/4 ton so it is considered a heavy duty truck.  In 1984 the smog laws for heavy trucks was more relaxed then for light duty trucks (1/2 ton, and S-10's).  So the sticker is correct.  I don't need to put cats on it.  The smog tech did tell me that he was going to be double checking on his computer to check what he will be required during the visual inspection.  But for now it looks like it will just need the stock sized carb, EGR, and A.I.R.

I priced a new A.I.R. and it looks like its going to be about $60 and a little more for the belt and other little things.  This shop also offered to smog the truck when I get it.  I spoke to the owner and he will have the new title sometime in the middle of next week.  Thats the soonest I will be able to get it.  So now I play the waiting game.

Thanks once again for all the advice and letting me bounce questions off all of you.  If I find that anything changes when I go to do the smog I will update this thread so hopefully my headache will help make things easier for any one else in my position.  Until then I will keep reading on the forums and getting ideas for my build.  Not that I don't already have more plans then I have money at the moment.

**UPDATE**  Not sure what the year cut off points for this are but for 1984 in CA if you have a GVW of 8501lbs or more you do NOT need cats
« Last Edit: January 06, 2010, 09:08:24 PM by jwill226 »