When to desmog?

[wngrog]

I just picked up a 1984 Fj60 that is 100% stock. The truck runs perfect.

I have owned 8 2F equiped Cruisers and none of them have ever had the smog equipment.

My gut says leave it alone until I have carb problems.

Just wondering what the 60 masters say.

 

[jelliottoregon]

I'm beginning to have carb problems I think with my 87 60 series. Is it better to go without the smog stuff after having the carb rebuilt?

 

[wngrog]

The last FJ60 I had ran like hell so I took the carb off, sent it to JimC and stripped and plugged everything.

If it was running bad I thing I would just desmog when I rebuilt the carb, but man, this thing is so stock and runs so well, I don't think I should touch it.

 

[Waggoner5]

Don't do it. Next week when you want to sell it, you will wish you had left it alone.

 

[Mace]

Don't touch it till you have a problem. Gary's right, chances are, it won't die before you decide to get rid of it, and it will be easier to sell complete.

 

[ElliottB]

Is California the only state where desmogging would be against the law? I don't know if emissions tests are done in CO. I am definitely considering desmogging mine.

 

[HR-OLIFANT]

It varies from state to state, but my understanding is that if it came smog equipped, it should remain so. Here in my part of VA emissions testing is not required, but more than one inspector have led me to believe that they would fail the rig during a regular state inspection if smog equipment were missing. I do know other places I could take it and pass if it were desmogged, on the shady side of town, so to speak.

 

[Elbert]

in all states its against the law technically to remove emissions equipment. The enforcement tools vary from state to state....and then within the counties. Some have zero enforcement tools, some require safety and visual inspections, and some require the full "9-yards" to include a snifer test + every thing else. Of course its a given the CA has some of the toughest rules, standards and inspections that most all of the other states. So yes, it you remove or disable emissions equipment its "against the law"... Kind of like speeding in my book..... generally ok until you get caught. Some times you have to weigh the odds of getting caught.

Then you get into areas where they have waivers on verhicles over 25 years old or older by some measure of time....they are exempt from inspections. Of course the big pain in the but is when you get about 15 to 20 years out on a low production vehicle, like the LC where its hard to get parts and hard to find folks who generally know how to work on them.

All depends on where you live as to how stirct the rules are, and how they are enforced.

 

[Trapper50cal]

I was under the impression (at least in Colorado) that once a vehicle hit 25yrs of age, that it was exempt from needing to retain emissions equipment. I live in a county that doesn't have emissions testing at all so I don't know for sure. Can anyone clarify...

 

[Mace]

Emissions equipment is a federal thing. Cali has additional requirements past the federal levels tho.

It is against the (federal) law to tamper with emissions equipment. The problem is that the fed laws are enforced by the states/counties. And if they do not check for smog stuff, then you don't have anything to worry about.

However, if you move the car to another area, smog may be an issue.

My 84 FJ60 requires all of it's smog equipment intact in Las Vegas.
The 72 FJ40 is just a sniffer test here. But would be smog exempt in Cali..

Which is why I said leave it stock. If he desmogged it, I could not register it here.

 

[Trapper50cal]

I wonder if its that you are not required to have an emissions TEST or STICKER after it's 25yrs old in Colorado.

 

[rusty_tlc]

Emissions equipment is a federal thing. Cali has additional requirements past the federal levels tho.

It is against the (federal) law to tamper with emissions equipment. The problem is that the fed laws are enforced by the states/counties. And if they do not check for smog stuff, then you don't have anything to worry about.

However, if you move the car to another area, smog may be an issue.

My 84 FJ60 requires all of it's smog equipment intact in Las Vegas.
The 72 FJ40 is just a sniffer test here. But would be smog exempt in Cali..

Which is why I said leave it stock. If he desmogged it, I could not register it here.

When I had my 84 FJ60 smogged the guy couldn't even find the emissions decal much less tell if the smog equipment was intact.

 

[Mace]

When I had my 84 FJ60 smogged the guy couldn't even find the emissions decal much less tell if the smog equipment was intact.

Just because they are stupid does not mean that it aint the law

 

[Elbert]

if it runs fine then I would leave it alone... later on if you can't find parts or whatever...then might consider desmog. I removed the smog pump and air rail when I had my I-6 with no negative impact...but I had planned on heading towards a v-8 and did not care of the re-sale of the truck.
I generally hate all the smog crap, espically on the old carb engines.

 

[wngrog]

Elbert...what tranny did you use when you did the Vortec conversion?

 

[Elbert]

https://forum.ih8mud.com/60-series-wagons/186275-5-7-vortec-v-8-swap-86-fj60.html

new yota 5 speed h55f from American Toyota. See my engine swap thread.. Its long and covers some time...including a little bit of my good and bad experiences with the swap. I'm not sure any things shifts better than the toyota products. If I had some serious torque / HP..I would run the GM NV4500 5 speed or GM automatic. It might be worth going with the NV4500 anyway if so inclined. I went with the setup I had since it did not require mods to the drivetrain or new crossmembers or mounts, other than the new V-8 engine mounts.