350 TBI in California

[DeskPop916]

Hey people, thank you for reading this.

I've been lurking for quite a while but don't know that I've posted. I have a 1987 R10 Longbed Fleetside that sat in a field for 12 years before I bought it for $500 after knocking on the door of the home that I saw it in front of.

I've done quite a bit of work and it is running and driving, passed smog, registered and ready to go.

I have just dropped off a 350 at a machine shop that is being built as a 383 with a roller cam.

My question is regarding the heads/intake manifold. I would love to use Vortec heads, but I need to pass visual inspection in California.

I am in California and I must retain all original smog equipment, including EGR.

Here is a link to an intake manifold that fits for my exact application but does not have an EO number and I can therefore get no input from GMPP regarding smog:

TBI Intake for Vortec Heads Chevrolet Performance Parts

Chevrolet Performance Parts - 12496821 - TBI Intake for Vortec Heads. Designed for swapping Vortec heads onto TBI engines and is EGR compatible. This manifold is primarily intended for use with Vortec heads on pre-1996 engine blocks.

paceperformance.com

Assuming I paint this intake manifold satin black/factory color, would you think that I would fail visual?

The alternative is that I change heads every 2 years, which I can do, but it would hurt the value and usability of the truck.

If you have an alternate suggestion when it comes to heads on a 350 in California that complies with smog, I'm more than happy to hear it.

I've attached a truck with the new suspension and tires that I put on, because I've heard its required.

Thanks,
Joe

 

[SirRobyn0]

I don't think anyone can answer your question definitively. It's probably going to depend on who does your visual inspection. But the emissions laws state factory, so you know they are going to be looking for a EGR valve and smog pump. I doubt that most of the guys looking under your hood are going to realize it's got vortec heads on it and even if they did IDK if they'd actually fail it for that. But certainly it needs to have an EGR, smog pump and cat. All of which you could run full time, all the time and it's not going to hurt anything or rob you of any power if done correctly. Good luck with whatever route you decided to take.

 

[skysurfer]

Having been a Cali smog equipment compliance inspector at one point in my life, I’d say the chances of a tech noticing the different heads are practically zero. Unless the tech happens to be a hardcore square fanatic, he probably wouldn’t know a Vortec head if you dropped it on his toes. These stations get paid a set amount for each test and the quicker it’s done the sooner he’s on to the next one.

I do like the idea of painting the intake, just dont make it look too nice. Stock appearance valve covers are a good idea as well. The inspector will be under the hood just long enough to verify the basic pcv, egr, fuel evap, etc, and as long as you don’t have something under the hood that screams “Hey, look at me!” he’s going to be done in less than a minute.

Inside tip: Don’t hover around watching the under hood inspection. Act like you don’t care, maybe mess with your phone instead. I always glanced at the owners and the ones that were trying to hide something were usually the ones that couldn’t look away.

 

[DoubleDingo]

You'll be fine. Can you tell this engine has vortec heads on it?

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[DoubleDingo]

It passes emissions with flying colors.

 

[hoagster]

There are some counties in northern CA, I don't live in one unfortunately that don't require smog checks. Siskiyou, Modoc, Lassen come to mind. Find a friend in one of those counties and change the registration address!! As long as it passes and you have all the requisite parts as @DoubleDingo said you should be fine, and bite your tongue when you get it checked.

 

[DoubleDingo]

There are some counties in northern CA, I don't live in one unfortunately that don't require smog checks. Siskiyou, Modoc, Lassen come to mind. Find a friend in one of those counties and change the registration address!! As long as it passes and you have all the requisite parts as @DoubleDingo said you should be fine, and bite your tongue when you get it checked.

He won't have any problems. It'll burn cleaner, run better, and as long as it looks factory, they'll never ding you. If I were the OP I'd just do it. I never thought of emissions testing when I did mine, and after three separate checks (6 years), I finally asked the guy that owns the test facility if the vortec heads matter. He said they do not. It has all the factory parts on it, it passes visual, and as long as it passes the sniffer, no problem.

 

[Ricko1966]

There are better heads out there than the vortecs and will work with your factory manifold and egr valve. I'd buy good aluminum heads for less than what you're going to spend on vortecs, the manifold, and all the other neccesary pieces. Paint the heads.

 

[GXPWeasel]

This is coming from a guy that doesn't have to worry about that inspection crap, thankfully, but why would it matter what it looks like, or came with? If it passes the so called "snif" test (I'm assuming it calculates the amount of un-burnt fuel coming out of the exhaust) then who the hell cares what it has on it for engine parts? I guess I don't see the reasoning behind it. Then again, I'm just a dumb redneck from KS, so I may be completely missing something obvious.

 

[Ricko1966]

This is coming from a guy that doesn't have to worry about that inspection crap, thankfully, but why would it matter what it looks like, or came with? If it passes the so called "snif" test (I'm assuming it calculates the amount of un-burnt fuel coming out of the exhaust) then who the hell cares what it has on it for engine parts? I guess I don't see the reasoning behind it. Then again, I'm just a dumb redneck from KS, so I may be completely missing something obvious.

The difference is the manufacturer had to go through a process ,hot,cold,operating temperature, highway speed,idle,cruise,etc etc, and be able to pass after so many cycles 10 hours 9f constant driving etc., I can cheat an exhaust sniffer based on what fuel I'm running and how I have the timing set,but just for a short period. And the inspector and the car owner don't have the time or resources to prove your modifications still meet all those standards, so some aftermarket manufacturers will take the time trouble and expense to prove their products are suitable,carb. compliant. You don't have the time money or resources. Volkswagen got in trouble for this not too long ago,setting cars up to pass epa,but not be emissions compliant in real world circumstances.

 

[pduffyd]

About the only way you are gonna know is the center bolt rocker covers. Get the adapters and go to the edge bolt and your done. Like these.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00QY3SEKK/

 

[Craig 85]

I lived in California my whole life until 2 years ago. I remember when smog tests started in 1984. The rules up until two years ago was you can add newer engine/parts, but could never go back. You still had to use the equipment your vehicle originally came with or fully update to the new replacement engine.

About 6 years ago I went to sell my '79 K15 truck. It would not pass smog because it was running lean due to the warped factory intake. I spoke to the referee and explained there was no way I would find a junkyard factory intake that didn't have the same problem my current one did. I explained that Edelbrock made a Performer Intake with and EGR location, but it not longer carried the emissions legal tag, although my older catalogs showed it did have it. The referee told me they stopped using the emission legal green diamond.

He referred me to the BAR smog check manual. I had used the 2014 version back then, but I saved this 2017 version (Printed January 2021). In that manual, I was able to change my intake to an aftermarket one even though it did not have an EO # because it still had everything required to connect all emissions parts and at the time was it labelled as a replacement.

If you look at the last few pages it tells you what can change. Some of the issues I see in your case are if you are going from the V6 in your title, to the 383. You can add the small block, but you have to have everything the OEM 350 did for emissions. A 383 my cause issues for the 350 programmed computer. If I've read correctly, now in California, you have to have an approved tune. You're probably not going to find many pull and play chips from back in the day.

I had an '87 K20 with a 350 back in 1989. I know my truck had single exhaust with a big pancake cat, a muffler, then a second honeycomb cat behind the muffler. Not sure if the 1/2 ton light duty emissions had the second cat, but you exhaust system will probably have to be similar to this.

https://www.bar.ca.gov/pdf/smog-check-manual.pdf

 

[Ricko1966]

About the only way you are gonna know is the center bolt rocker covers. Get the adapters and go to the edge bolt and your done. Like these.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00QY3SEKK/

TBI trucks are centerbolt 193 heads not perimeter bolt.

 

[Rusty Nail]

+yawn+

 

[legend57]

I'm in the same boat with smog, but my truck is a '76, first year requiring smog in CA. (I'm in San Jose, CA). I'm using the AFR heads, which are some of the best out there (IMHO), and they have a CARB EO, #D-250-2.

SBC - Eliminator High Performance Cylinder Heads

AFR - Eliminator SBC High Performance Cylinder Heads

www.airflowresearch.com

Note, they have a Vortec version as well, if you want to go that direction.

When I built my 400 engine, I worked closely with a local smog guy to make sure I was going to pass. He emphasized that the necessary equipment needed to be there (air pump, air pump rails, PCV, etc), but also make sure you don't have anything that shouldn't be there. If your truck didn't come with cats, they can't be added.

All of the speed parts on my engine have a CARB EO# (headers (with AIR tubes), intake, carb, heads). The only area I deviated was with the cam. I went roller with specs similar to an RV cam.

Externally, it looks 100% stock, except for the headers. Everything is black, with the stock valve covers and air cleaner.