im puttin 93 dodge 360 in my '77 jeep and want to use a fuel cell. is anyone running a fuel cell that is smog legal? i need to know what the smog laws say about using fuel cells.

never heard anything about fuel cells being part of smog equipment.
as long as you have the same number of lines running into it that you had in the old tank and all your emission devices are hooked up you should not have any trouble.
most shops only look under the hood anyway not the rear.(except to find the tail pipe)

Ever notice they even test your gas cap when you get a smog check! Those bastards check everything. You can't even buy a regular gas can anymore because of C.A.R.B.

I would say use the fuel cell and leave the stock filler (even if it goes to nothing).

tr, I like that idea but wouldn't it be a little odd if they picked up a reading of 0 when theres usually emmisions?

Originally posted by beerisgood
tr, I like that idea but wouldn't it be a little odd if they picked up a reading of 0 when theres usually emmisions?

They test the vacume on thecap not the vapor inside the filler tube.

I had an incident with a 98 vortec in a 86 cj, I put a trail quest tank in, with the GM fuel pump, and all the smog lines. Since TQ did not have a CARB #, they failed the engine swap.

Solution= Re install the stock tank, Install Sh*tty external pump, Take it to the Ref to pass it. Then put the TQ tank back in. It was only about 8 extra hours of labor (that was not needed) to get it to pass.

Unless your Fuel Cell has a CARB# you'll be SOL.

:flipoff2:

yeah i asked the ref today about it and he said all this shit about the stock tanks having expansion chambers and all this other stuff. He did say though that if it didn't have the CARB # then it was no good. Guess i could by the fuel sell anyway and just get it tested w/ the stock tank. :flipoff2: SMOG and :flipoff2: the refs

Originally posted by Home Built
never heard anything about fuel cells being part of smog equipment.
as long as you have the same number of lines running into it that you had in the old tank and all your emission devices are hooked up you should not have any trouble.
most shops only look under the hood anyway not the rear.(except to find the tail pipe)

This proves that you know absolutely nothing about legal engine swaps. I see that the question has been answered. Engine swaps MUST be taken to a referee, not your local hole in the wall garage.

In the town I live in they do not do any tests on the fuel tanks or gas caps like some of you have to deal with. I know what they look for under the hood, and what to do for an engine swap. maybe in the bigger cities where you have more population they have found new things to tag you on, but not here yet.

Originally posted by Home Built
In the town I live in they do not do any tests on the fuel tanks or gas caps like some of you have to deal with. I know what they look for under the hood, and what to do for an engine swap. maybe in the bigger cities where you have more population they have found new things to tag you on, but not here yet.

Redding is technically larger than Chico still (I believe) In any event, engine swaps are dealt with on a state level. There are only 2-4 counties in the state that have no smog requirements . They are Lake, Sierra and??? After completing your swap, it must be taken to a referre (way different than a regular smog) he checks everything from fuel tank, gas cap, emergency brake and makes sure that the swapped engine is:

1. Same year or newer than the original engine
2. Has all of the factory smog components for BOTH engines.
and everythign else in between. Some referees put the vehicle on a dyno to check the operation of the swapped motor (I believe Brandon had to do this for his 5.0 swap) I have even heard of instances where a swap was failed because the swapped motor originally came with an automatic and it was swapped in front of a 5 speed ( No one I know, but read it here).

Dude, you shoulda asked me wednesday night, I have class with the smog ref! I'll ask him tuesday and see what he says. I believe if its aftermarket it must have a CARB EO#. He told me awhile ago that they have no problem with any oem tank in any vehicle regardless of location.

Kevo

I guess I got lucky with my swaps in the past then..
but that was a while ago, I guess the state figured out a way to suck more money out of us.. and really make things alot more difficult on everyone who wants to do this.
Thanks for the info, I learned something new..

:D

Don't forget the properly functioning check engine light, properly configured factory style exhaust with the correct number of cats hooked up with the correct number of 02 sensors.

I worked at a shop that put a 97-7.?(454 equivalent) Vortec into an 88 Suburban that originally had a 350 in it.

Interfacing the two vehicle harnesses was a nightmare and then the referee would not accept the very nice aftermarket exhaust because the cats were on the wrong side of the rig.

We had to buy the factory exhaust for the Vortec motor, cut it apart, mirror image it to swap everything over to the correct side, and weld it back together.

The exhaust system wound up costing the customer something in the neighborhood of 2 grand. Just because GM decided to swap sides with the exhaust somewhere between 88 and 97.

The ref also forced something to turn on the check engine light to verify it's function.

hey kevin (ghetto fab) is the ref frank? if so i talked to him last week. Im thinkin since im gonna have to move my rear end back like 6" i could cut a hole under my rear seat and pull the fuel trank up. This is alot of work and i would rather use a fuel cell. mabee i could hide the fuel cell under the jeep w/ a skid plate so that nothing is showing. I need ideas!!!help

it all depends on which ref you get. some are anal and then
some are lazy ass mother fawkers that dont check shite.
the ones in sac are usually pretty lienient. once the ref
passes you then you may go to any smog station for
future test. just the original test must be done at the
ref. they put a sticker on the door jam with all the
necesary equipment the vehicle needs.. good luck maybe
you'll find a lazy one... the regular test guys dont check
for fuel cells, only the vapor line that goes to the
charcoal canister..

sloer

yes the ref is frank. he's in the cuesta autoshop.

happy trails
rich *ruger* :usa: :beer: