Small block Jeep emissions? - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

Martian · 04-12-2006, 05:43 PM

This one goes to all my fellow Ontarian TFP'ers.

A friend of mine has a Jeep. Specifically it's a 92 YJ; it had an 82 Chev 350 under the hood and full Chev drivetrain (TH400, 205 transfer case), but the engine was in rough shape. Recently it failed emissions and we decided to scrap it and replace it with another 350, stroked to a 383. This is a freshly rebuilt engine; one of the best shops in the area is doing this one for us and is handling everything right up to the burn-in. We just have to drop it in and go.

He's worried, however, that the new one won't pass emissions either. He thinks that they're going to test it as an I6 and that the big V8 with more than half again as much displacement just won't be able to put out acceptable numbers.

I'm good at the technical parts of it, but I don't know much about the legalities; however, my thinking is that it should pass okay and that even if it doesn't normally there has to be a way around this; there's just to many small block Jeeps on the road for it not to be possible. Hell, I know three in my town alone, there's probably more all over the place.

Anybody know a little more about the hows and whys of e-testing? IT'd be helpful to get some light shed on the specific process.

THGL · 04-13-2006, 04:44 AM

My suggestion is to talk to the shop that's building it for you and chase down one of the V8 Jeeps you've seen and ask them.

Also, look at the forums at jeepsunlimited.com. When I had my TJ, I was able to get any and all questions answered over there.

DEI37 · 04-13-2006, 02:49 PM

One problem is if they do a visual inspection. You're screwed before starting it up. Another would be that even if they don't mind the V8 conversion, the engine is older than the vehicle. That's yet another no-no. If you don't have cats on the vehicle, you probably don't stand a chance.

Martian · 04-13-2006, 06:31 PM

Well, we know that much from past experience. The small block being in the Jeep isn't an issue, neither is the year. The only concerns are a visual inspection to make sure the engine has all necessary equipment (ie EGR etc) and the levels of emissions coming out of the tail pipe.

DEI37 · 04-13-2006, 06:34 PM

Really? That's cool. If you've got proper emissions controls on the vehicle, I don't see why you'd have a problem. Does the vehicle have catalytic convertors and oxygen sensors on it?

Martian · 04-13-2006, 06:44 PM

Cats, yeah, but it's carbuerated. No computer, no sensors. We tune that baby by hand.

It's not the the motor has poor emissions controls or anything... I guess the biggest concern is that we don't know if they'll take the new engine into account when they do the testing. Running a 383 V8 on a test for a 4L I6.. the odds seem stacked against us.

EDIT - Also, this is his daily driver and not a project car. That's why it's so important. If this were just a weekend toy it wouldn't be so important that he get it to pass the first time, but he's lacking transportation of his own until we get it back on the road. He borrows his dad's car for the time being, but it's a 95 Monte Carlo and he hates it.

DEI37 · 04-13-2006, 07:30 PM

AH, I get it. A little slow tonight...sorry. I don't think that they take engine size in to account, do they? I thought they had a set limit for the emissions, and if a little 40CID engine makes it, great, and the same applies to a 632 CID Big Block Chev, and if it passes, that's great, too. If you've got cats, that will help a ton. It only has to pass for a 1992 model year, if I remember right, too. Maybe lean it out a little bit before you go.

Plaid13 · 04-17-2006, 10:03 AM

The engine size dosnt matter at all they test by percentage not by amount. But... being that its stroked to 383 most of the time when thats done its done for performance and when going for performance they tend to use a more aggressive cam shaft alot of cams are not street legal and will pollute more. so make sure the cam thats being put in the engine is something thats ment to be drivin on the street not just as a race part. other then that just as long as you have catilitic converters and the carbs mix is tuned right and the timing is set correctly so all the fuel is burning it should pass. as far as visual inspection goes thats really dependant on the area you live in as to what they look for or if they even look. most of the time where i live the visual inspection is just them walking past with a mirror on a stick under the car/truck to make sure the cats are still on. If it dosnt sound like its a race engine the most likely wont even pop the hood. If they are real picky they might want to see a egr valve on the intake but personaly i wouldnt worry about that. Try putting a stock looking air intake on top of the engine with the hose and everything big black metal ugly thing with the air filter in it and a few vacume hoses comming off and the big air tube going to behind the grill to the intake. When they see that they will most likely assume everything under it is where it belongs for that engine. If they see a big chrome intake they will tend to think its ment for performance instead of daily driving and might start to wonder just whats going on under the hood a bit more.
Good luck with the testing. I have always wanted a jeep with a V8 =)

waltert · 04-18-2006, 12:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Plaid13

The engine size dosnt matter at all they test by percentage not by amount. But... being that its stroked to 383 most of the time when thats done its done for performance and when going for performance they tend to use a more aggressive cam shaft alot of cams are not street legal and will pollute more. so make sure the cam thats being put in the engine is something thats ment to be drivin on the street not just as a race part. other then that just as long as you have catilitic converters and the carbs mix is tuned right and the timing is set correctly so all the fuel is burning it should pass. as far as visual inspection goes thats really dependant on the area you live in as to what they look for or if they even look. most of the time where i live the visual inspection is just them walking past with a mirror on a stick under the car/truck to make sure the cats are still on. If it dosnt sound like its a race engine the most likely wont even pop the hood. If they are real picky they might want to see a egr valve on the intake but personaly i wouldnt worry about that. Try putting a stock looking air intake on top of the engine with the hose and everything big black metal ugly thing with the air filter in it and a few vacume hoses comming off and the big air tube going to behind the grill to the intake. When they see that they will most likely assume everything under it is where it belongs for that engine. If they see a big chrome intake they will tend to think its ment for performance instead of daily driving and might start to wonder just whats going on under the hood a bit more.
Good luck with the testing. I have always wanted a jeep with a V8 =)

^^^ very good and accurate post.

04-12-2006, 05:43 PM	#1 (permalink)
Martian Young Crumudgeon Location: Canada	Small block Jeep emissions? This one goes to all my fellow Ontarian TFP'ers. A friend of mine has a Jeep. Specifically it's a 92 YJ; it had an 82 Chev 350 under the hood and full Chev drivetrain (TH400, 205 transfer case), but the engine was in rough shape. Recently it failed emissions and we decided to scrap it and replace it with another 350, stroked to a 383. This is a freshly rebuilt engine; one of the best shops in the area is doing this one for us and is handling everything right up to the burn-in. We just have to drop it in and go. He's worried, however, that the new one won't pass emissions either. He thinks that they're going to test it as an I6 and that the big V8 with more than half again as much displacement just won't be able to put out acceptable numbers. I'm good at the technical parts of it, but I don't know much about the legalities; however, my thinking is that it should pass okay and that even if it doesn't normally there has to be a way around this; there's just to many small block Jeeps on the road for it not to be possible. Hell, I know three in my town alone, there's probably more all over the place. Anybody know a little more about the hows and whys of e-testing? IT'd be helpful to get some light shed on the specific process. __________________ I wake up in the morning more tired than before I slept I get through cryin' and I'm sadder than before I wept I get through thinkin' now, and the thoughts have left my head I get through speakin' and I can't remember, not a word that I said - Ben Harper, Show Me A Little Shame

04-13-2006, 04:44 AM	#2 (permalink)
THGL Psycho Location: Louisville, KY	My suggestion is to talk to the shop that's building it for you and chase down one of the V8 Jeeps you've seen and ask them. Also, look at the forums at jeepsunlimited.com. When I had my TJ, I was able to get any and all questions answered over there. __________________ "The truth is merely an excuse for lack of imagination." - Garak

04-13-2006, 02:49 PM	#3 (permalink)
DEI37 Go faster! Location: Wisconsin	One problem is if they do a visual inspection. You're screwed before starting it up. Another would be that even if they don't mind the V8 conversion, the engine is older than the vehicle. That's yet another no-no. If you don't have cats on the vehicle, you probably don't stand a chance. __________________ Generally speaking, if you were to get what you really deserve, you might be unpleasantly surprised.

04-13-2006, 06:31 PM	#4 (permalink)
Martian Young Crumudgeon Location: Canada	Well, we know that much from past experience. The small block being in the Jeep isn't an issue, neither is the year. The only concerns are a visual inspection to make sure the engine has all necessary equipment (ie EGR etc) and the levels of emissions coming out of the tail pipe. __________________ I wake up in the morning more tired than before I slept I get through cryin' and I'm sadder than before I wept I get through thinkin' now, and the thoughts have left my head I get through speakin' and I can't remember, not a word that I said - Ben Harper, Show Me A Little Shame

04-13-2006, 06:34 PM	#5 (permalink)
DEI37 Go faster! Location: Wisconsin	Really? That's cool. If you've got proper emissions controls on the vehicle, I don't see why you'd have a problem. Does the vehicle have catalytic convertors and oxygen sensors on it? __________________ Generally speaking, if you were to get what you really deserve, you might be unpleasantly surprised.

04-13-2006, 06:44 PM	#6 (permalink)
Martian Young Crumudgeon Location: Canada	Cats, yeah, but it's carbuerated. No computer, no sensors. We tune that baby by hand. It's not the the motor has poor emissions controls or anything... I guess the biggest concern is that we don't know if they'll take the new engine into account when they do the testing. Running a 383 V8 on a test for a 4L I6.. the odds seem stacked against us. EDIT - Also, this is his daily driver and not a project car. That's why it's so important. If this were just a weekend toy it wouldn't be so important that he get it to pass the first time, but he's lacking transportation of his own until we get it back on the road. He borrows his dad's car for the time being, but it's a 95 Monte Carlo and he hates it. __________________ I wake up in the morning more tired than before I slept I get through cryin' and I'm sadder than before I wept I get through thinkin' now, and the thoughts have left my head I get through speakin' and I can't remember, not a word that I said - Ben Harper, Show Me A Little Shame Last edited by Martian; 04-13-2006 at 06:46 PM..

04-13-2006, 07:30 PM	#7 (permalink)
DEI37 Go faster! Location: Wisconsin	AH, I get it. A little slow tonight...sorry. I don't think that they take engine size in to account, do they? I thought they had a set limit for the emissions, and if a little 40CID engine makes it, great, and the same applies to a 632 CID Big Block Chev, and if it passes, that's great, too. If you've got cats, that will help a ton. It only has to pass for a 1992 model year, if I remember right, too. Maybe lean it out a little bit before you go. __________________ Generally speaking, if you were to get what you really deserve, you might be unpleasantly surprised.

04-17-2006, 10:03 AM	#8 (permalink)
Plaid13 I want a Plaid crayon	The engine size dosnt matter at all they test by percentage not by amount. But... being that its stroked to 383 most of the time when thats done its done for performance and when going for performance they tend to use a more aggressive cam shaft alot of cams are not street legal and will pollute more. so make sure the cam thats being put in the engine is something thats ment to be drivin on the street not just as a race part. other then that just as long as you have catilitic converters and the carbs mix is tuned right and the timing is set correctly so all the fuel is burning it should pass. as far as visual inspection goes thats really dependant on the area you live in as to what they look for or if they even look. most of the time where i live the visual inspection is just them walking past with a mirror on a stick under the car/truck to make sure the cats are still on. If it dosnt sound like its a race engine the most likely wont even pop the hood. If they are real picky they might want to see a egr valve on the intake but personaly i wouldnt worry about that. Try putting a stock looking air intake on top of the engine with the hose and everything big black metal ugly thing with the air filter in it and a few vacume hoses comming off and the big air tube going to behind the grill to the intake. When they see that they will most likely assume everything under it is where it belongs for that engine. If they see a big chrome intake they will tend to think its ment for performance instead of daily driving and might start to wonder just whats going on under the hood a bit more. Good luck with the testing. I have always wanted a jeep with a V8 =)