Utah Emissions - Engine Swap

[tv_larsen]

I know Cache County doesn't have emissions testing, yet, but I suspect it will in a few years. I've never dealt with Utah emissions testing, so I have a question.

I'm installing a '91 Cummins into my '75 Dodge W200. What considerations are required to pass an emissions test? Is it possible or is it even required?

I've heard that pre-'90 only needs to pass a sniffer test with no visual inspection, but this is still a gas to diesel conversion.

 

[OCNORB]

You should not have any problems. The standards for vehicles that old are ridiculously lax. Because it is a diesel swap, I doubt you will ever have to pass anything more than a "smoke check". As long as you are below the maximum opacity you pass. (Opacity is the ability to see through the smoke with a light behind it.)

 

[wrnchplr]

It's been a long time but when I took my state smog class the general rule is like for like. if the truck had a 4,6,8 cyl. gas or what ever as long as it came as an option, you should be just fine. contact the davis county emissions inspector they are in layton and can give you the rundown on it all.

 

[scoutabout]

The rule is that your emissions must meet the standards for the chassis. So, if you took a 2005 Grand Cherokee and put a 70's 440 in it, it would have to meet the emissions standards for a 2005 (which it probably would not).

Not sure what you mean by not needing a visual inspection, but they will look at everything to verify any required emissions equipment and check for leaks.

I'd just take it to a shop, and informally ask them what they think will happen. The testing machines have a real-time mode where they can stick the sensor up your tailpipe and check the readings without going through the entire emissions test. Just be friendly, and find a place that isn't too busy, and they'll usually hook you up to the machine for free to check the levels.

 

[Meat_]

I know of 3 late 80's trucks running a Cummins swap in Utah county... 2 crew cab Chevs and one crew cab Ford

Now wether or not they are actually licensed in the UC, I don't know.

 

[tv_larsen]

You should not have any problems. The standards for vehicles that old are ridiculously lax. Because it is a diesel swap, I doubt you will ever have to pass anything more than a "smoke check". As long as you are below the maximum opacity you pass. (Opacity is the ability to see through the smoke with a light behind it.)

If that's all I have to pass, no big deal.

It's been a long time but when I took my state smog class the general rule is like for like. if the truck had a 4,6,8 cyl. gas or what ever as long as it came as an option, you should be just fine. contact the davis county emissions inspector they are in layton and can give you the rundown on it all.

That's the thing, a diesel engine was not an option on a '75 Dodge truck.

I'm asking more for curiosity than anything. I'm going to do this swap, I'll deal with the emmision later if I have to.

The rule is that your emissions must meet the standards for the chassis. So, if you took a 2005 Grand Cherokee and put a 70's 440 in it, it would have to meet the emissions standards for a 2005 (which it probably would not).

That is not what I've heard. From what I understand, technically, you can only swap an engine in that is the same year, or newer, and meet the emissions requirements of the year of the engine. I've never dealt with emissions, and I don't know how this applies to diesels.

Not sure what you mean by not needing a visual inspection, but they will look at everything to verify any required emissions equipment and check for leaks.

Only that this is what I've been told by someone that lives in Davis county. His truck is a '88 or '89 and lacks some emissions equipment, the inspectors told him it passed the tail pipe test so it was okay since it is older than '90.

I'd just take it to a shop, and informally ask them what they think will happen. The testing machines have a real-time mode where they can stick the sensor up your tailpipe and check the readings without going through the entire emissions test. Just be friendly, and find a place that isn't too busy, and they'll usually hook you up to the machine for free to check the levels.

I haven't started the swap, I'm just wondering what issues i'll have in the future when Cache county finally begins emissions testing.

 

[OCNORB]

Only that this is what I've been told by someone that lives in Davis county. His truck is a '88 or '89 and lacks some emissions equipment, the inspectors told him it passed the tail pipe test so it was okay since it is older than '90.


I haven't started the swap, I'm just wondering what issues i'll have in the future when Cache county finally begins emissions testing.

That's the thing- when Cache valley starts their emmisions testing program it will have to make exception for vehicles brought into the county prior to testing. That is why Davis has the older than '90 cut off. I say you have zero worries on your particualr swap.

 

[tv_larsen]

That's the thing- when Cache valley starts their emmisions testing program it will have to make exception for vehicles brought into the county prior to testing. That is why Davis has the older than '90 cut off. I say you have zero worries on your particualr swap.

Ahh, so you mean Davis started testing in '90, makes sense. Thanks.

 

[scramble this]

the way it works for salt lake county (assuming cache will adopt similar guidelines) is that engine swaps can be ok given the following:

The engine being swapped in is the same year or newer than that of the original

The vehicle in most cases must retain and have all functioning emissions devices that are listed on the emissions sticker for that vehicle.

The vehicle must have better emissions than that of the original engine.

All engine swaps are at the discretion of the commisioner, and must be tested at the county health department offices

thats the short version of SLC laws

 

[tv_larsen]

In that counties that currently do emissions testing, how does the diesel emissions test differ from a gasoline emissions test?

 

[scramble this]

right now in SLC all diesels are tailpipe tested as far as i know, and the emissions levels are set different of course, but im not sure to what, we really dont test any diesels at my place

 

[Meat_]

Diesels are tested on a dyno, and I think the only thing they test for is opacity.... Utah County just quit testing diesels last December

 

[Mac]

I'm gona put a Mercedes OM617 5 cylinder diesel in my 1990 YJ.
What kind of problems do you all think I'll have with emissions and this swap in Salt Lake County?

 

[skippy]

This thread is only 8 years old..... Im sure the info gathered here is way out of date by now anyways. There are about 4 threads asking this same thing in the last couple months. other than that I have no info to add

 

[Mac]

This thread is only 8 years old..... Im sure the info gathered here is way out of date by now anyways. There are about 4 threads asking this same thing in the last couple months. other than that I have no info to add

I know the thread is old, I was just trying to see if there was any info out there I hesitate to go to the county health department with the question, I don't wish to shakeup any potential hornets nest.

 

[Kevin B.]

I'm gona put a Mercedes OM617 5 cylinder diesel in my 1990 YJ.
What kind of problems do you all think I'll have with emissions and this swap in Salt Lake County?

Call the county air/health/pollution/whatever department and ask them directly. I can tell you what the guy told me while we were chatting, is that for the county to sign off on a swap the motor had to be newer than the vehicle, the vehicle has to have all the emissions equipment that was stock for the old vehicle and the new motor, and it has to pass emissions standards for the vehicle the new motor came from. He specifically said that second bit was what makes swapping a diesel into a gas vehicle problematic, and that the older the vehicle and motor were the easier it gets.

But don't listen to me, I might have heard wrong. Call the county and ask.

 

[blznnp]

When we moved here, I talked to the health department. They told me as long as the new engine was the same year or older and a chevy engine going into a chevy and met the emissions for the year of the vehicle it was going into, I was fine. Actually, not really sure if it had to be a chevy. I'm sure it did though. So I put a egr on it and all I needed was a sniff test for my 95. They told me I would have to go to the health department since it was changed to propane, but when I did it and had it ready, I called them and they told me it didn't matter where I went.

 

[74highboy]

I just helped a buddy get his diesel swap registered in his Sami going to diesel in a vehicle older then 97 is easy you just have to provide the dmv with proof you put a diesel motor in and now you are exempt from emissions testing

 

[SAVAGE]

switch the title of your rig over to diesel. No diesels older than 1998 have to be tested in slc. thats by far the easiest way to do it anyway. then you never have to deal with any emissions testing, ever. I know they stopped dyno testing years ago. Sniffers on tsi tests are for 1998 and newer diesels and 1995 and older gassers. They only do opacity testing on heavy diesel trucks, something like gvwr 16,000lb and up. Also I'm a certified Salt lake co. inspector.

 

[chans]

Dammit now you got me thinking of putting a VW TDI in my 94