Emissions Control Swap '76 into an '82?

[LXCRSR]

I have two vehicles, a '76 FJ55 (donor) and a newly purchased '82 FJ40. The 40 has been de-smogged. The 55 still has its the majority of its smog (minus a few vacuum switches and all hoses).

Since the vehicle now resides in Utah County, Utah, I need to pass an emissions inspection prior to registering it. Pulling together the emissions for an '82 seems like a daunting and expensive task, so I am wondering if it is possible to use my donor 55 and take its emissions and tranfer it all over to the 40 in order to pass emissions.

Has anyone ever done this?

What are the pitfalls of going this route?

 

[Pin_Head]

What are the pitfalls of going this route?

It probably won't pass a visual inspection because the '76 smog gear is quite different from a '82. An 82 should be easier to find smog gear for because it was the same or similar for many years and the gear from a FJ60 should work too.

 

[LXCRSR]

Pin_Head,

What do you think the chances are of the guy at Jiffy Lube knowing the difference between a '76 and an '82 emissions control?

I will look into the differences/similarities between a 40 and 60's emissions.

I was just thinking that since I had a '76 donor and wouldn't have to pay for most of the emissions components that this might be a good option to try.

 

[Pin_Head]

If he is a smog technician, the odds are pretty good. The 82 has a catalyst, which is pretty obvious.
The tail pipe standards for an 82 are stricter than a 76, so the 76 may not meet the standards even if it is running properly.

 

[LXCRSR]

Pin_Head,

Your bursting my bubble. I was hoping just to transfer the air cleaner, vacuum tubing and associated valves, smog pump, and EGR from the '76 and be done with it.

Not such a good idea, huh?

 

[AATLAS1X]

Oregon has no visual on an 82. Only sniffing the tail pipe.

Also my CCOT '79 restoration came with 77ish smog. In fact the doors, hood, windshield frame and hard top pieces were all from other trucks.....Yes there was paint over paint on this Foremost Restoration..

Shane

 

[numby]

Despite the general visual similarities such as the smog pump/EGR/ABV there are numerous small differences such as (but not limited to): different computer, different VSV, different distributor and vacuum module (advance and retard), different vehicle speed sensor, different carb (and vacuum ports), blah blah blah. All these are basically "smog" components and I'd think that anyone with average intelligence and a schematic would immediately see the difference.

I guess you could still give it a try. If you fail you'll be no worse off than you are now and would have to find all the right stuff. Years ago in CA we used to get exemptions when components were no longer available.

One word of caution: As I see it all this smog stuff was designed to make the engine as lean as possible without wrecking it.

 

[Pin_Head]

CAFE fuel mileage standards were driving it too.

 

[numby]

Forgot about the whole cat thing.

Also my CCOT '79 restoration came with 77ish smog. In fact the doors, hood, windshield frame and hard top pieces were all from other trucks.....Yes there was paint over paint on this Foremost Restoration..

I wish I had a nickel for every time I've heard this kinda thing about CCOT.

How much rust was painted/undercoated over on the frame and in unobtrusive spots like behind the front door pillars or inside the rockers?

 

[Pin_Head]

Not such a good idea, huh?

I really don't know how things are in Utah. It wouldn't cut it in CA. It is a lot of work to take the risk of having to do it over. I would talk to your state smog guys about it. 20 years ago, it was possible to slip the smog guy an extra C note and get a pass, but now the state sets up stings for guys that do things under the table.

 

[LXCRSR]

Ok, I am one who likes to look at all the options, but when all is said and done, I am not one to do things half-assed.

I didn't want to have to break it to the wife that I was going to have to invest a bunch of money into the vehicle, especially when she was gracious enough to let me get it in the first place. But in order to do this right, I am going to have to work on putting back the original smog and emissions.

I have put up a posting in the wanted section.

I hope to find someone with everything so that I won't have to piece the system together (I know, slim chance).

Thanks for being my conscience guys and helping me get to the right decision. I knew it, I just didn't want to face it.

 

[Pin_Head]

There is a lot of desmogging going on in the FJ60 section, so maybe you can hook up with one of those guys that has the parts.

 

[AATLAS1X]

This was my 1979 Restoration from CCOT.

That is NOT 1979 air cleaner nor emissions, but it did pass Oregon DEQ.

The fuel neck was still in when they painted it...

 

[numby]

This was my 1979 Restoration from CCOT.

That is NOT 1979 air cleaner nor emissions, but it did pass Oregon DEQ.

Definitely the wrong air cleaner. Not enough nipples. The carb looks wrong to me as well but I haven't looked at '79 emission stuff since I sold my last one in 1990 (it was a 55 and, Yes, I'm even dumber than I look).

Portland Metro seems fairly easy to pass though you must have had the cat for the minimal visual they perform.

It was nice of CCOT to not bother selling you what you paid for.

 

[AATLAS1X]

I still own the Ford Super Crew in the left back ground!

That's odd.

 

[numby]

The '79 looks OK from a distance but that wheel well shot says something bad was going on. Drilled out spot welds mean they were forced to replace the rear bed or??? Hope you didn't have too much bondo.

I bet McClung didn't make you sign a "first right of refusal" contract. I think it used to be a pretty fair barometer of vehicles he actually considered to have value. Nowadays they probably make everyone sign one to not play their hand, so to speak. Doesn't cost them anything to say "No, we don't want your rust heap back".

I won't ask how much, but you must have lost money when you sold it as you're obviously the kind of guy that would have been honest with any potential buyers.

 

[AATLAS1X]

CCOT sold it to 1st owner, then second was psychologist close by me. I had found it in the Truck Trader after I bought a "Restored" blue 81 that was at first my dream truck being a late model and Nordic blue and when I got it a piece of s***! So I lost $2,000 in shipping and wire transfer fees to get my $20K + back

Anyway, I rolled over to this cats house and next to the Fixed Roof Coupe Z06 was this '79 FJ40. I was besides myself. So I bought it. It was quick and drove well with the Weber carb. Had CCOT A/C and was bright red. This was 7 years ago when i had it. I was buying the house I was in now and had to loose some loans to get this new loan so I sold the CCOT and my boats and R1 and turned around bought an '83 of eBay the week after we closed. This was from AZ and a one owner truck. To be flat out honest I would rather spend top and I mean top dollar for an original unmolested FJ than restore one again. Did anyone see this one on eBay or bid on it? was 6-7 years ago.

This one the one that I really studied and got me hooked again on restoring them. It was a late model '83 with the ultra rare wing windows with P/S and A/C. 111k on the clock and by far the best over all FJ40 I have ever had the pleasure of owning. That thing was baby quiet, quick for a 40 and ran perfect!

Getting back to the '79 I was in love with it way after I sold it. It wasn't till years later after studding the pics that I found out the emissions were all incorrect and it was a s***ty restoration. So no I had no idea it was incorrect at the time I bought it or sold it. The whole rear bed had been replaced as they sell all the metal parts on their site. But this was in no way a Texas truck like they say they only buy.

It was the most I have ever paid for one.

 

[3_puppies]

Tom, I responded to your wanted post.

Shane, I do remember that rig, I thought it was Colorado, but it was super rare. One of the last ones brought in. Was it stock PS on the 79? wonder why they have power steering fluid in big letters on the resevoir.

Paul

 

[numby]

To be flat out honest I would rather spend top and I mean top dollar for an original unmolested FJ than restore one again.

Getting back to the '79 I was in love with it way after I sold it.

It's good to hear that you liked the rig. Beauty is and SHOULD be in the eye of the beholder. Sometimes it's the flaws that make something precious. Not all the time, but sometimes.

I never really look at ebay for purchasing anything of value but I agree with your thoughts on purchasing restored vs. unrestored. I've done both and I've come to liken buying a restored vehicle to owning a coloring book that someone else already scribbled in.

About 2000 or so an unmolested late '78 popped up out in Beavercreek in a local paper. It has been sitting in a barn for 20 years so and only had something like 20 or 30K mi. on it. Yeah, you would've had to replace every seal and piece of rubber but it would've been a blast. Some guy bought it for his kid who promptly blew the engine. Still wish I'd bought it.