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Sky_Render wrote: In Maryland, anything with an OBD-II port gets its emissions tested that way. The hood isn't even opened. As long as you have no codes, you pass...
True, BUT. The OP's vehicle is a 95 and OBDII didn't start untill late 96. I am fairly certain that MD goes by the year of the vehicle. So his vehicle would fall into the treadmill and sniffer test group.
I think the best route is to keep the car looking a stock looking as you can. The 302 block will look the same regardless if its a Mustang or explorer, so why bring it up to the inspector? He can't see inside it, so if it can be made to pass do as you please. As for the outside, well that's gonna depend on what state your in. California? forget it. It seems there mission is to make everyone drive a Nissan Leaf or a Schwinn. Elsewhere else, as long is it looks factory Ford go for it. Every states different of course, but most won't look too hard I bet. Of course you've gotta pass the sniffer, etc.
Okay time for a new plan; Explorer short block and intake with all the smog nonsense Ford wanted me to have from 1995. Mild cam, the Edelbrock heads (or similar with an E.O. number attached) and a 49-state exhaust. Obviously the California smog squad won't love the thing but as long as I stay out of there it shouldn't be a problem. As for the MS, well, since the car is OBD-I I just need to make sure the check engine light is glowing when I do have to get this thing checked should that ever happen.
Who's with me?!
p.s. this has been fun and I think I learned some good info along the way.
In MA 95 and newer have to pass the OBD2 test. They dont care what motor etc as long as when they plug in the OBD2 reader it does not through any codes. This ahs been a real PITA for motor swaps in 95 and newer cars.
In reply to dean1484:
If that was the case my stock car would fail since it's an OBD-1 car. Are you sure it isn't 1996 and up?
Here in PA the Explorer would title and regester as a station wagon. so you could do the swap and assuming you get no codes when you hook it to the testing machine it would pass.
BoneYard_Racing wrote:Here in PA the Explorer would title and regester as a station wagon. so you could do the swap and assuming you get no codes when you hook it to the testing machine it would pass.
In terms of emissions rules, that's not what's important. PA does not emissions cert the car, EPA does Federally, and Calironia does for the Green States- so it's how they see the car that says if it's a car or a light duty truck.
Funny thing, though- EPA will not enforce their rules on a single person (unless it's really bad polluting)- but will leave that up to the individual states. California, clearly, does do their enforcement. Other states do thiers in their own way. So even IF the the swap is not legal, it still may not ever be found. Heck, some states just use a simple sniffer, so if you have catalysts, and a decent calibration, you may not have much of a problem passing. Especially with an OBDI car.
One more thing- this whole area is pretty gray, until you do this swap for business, particularly selling the product over state lines. That's exacly when the EPA will step in with thier enforcement.
pres589 wrote:In reply to dean1484:
If that was the case my stock car would fail since it's an OBD-1 car. Are you sure it isn't 1996 and up?
You are corect. I just looked it up. I thaught it was 95.
From the mass DMV web Site said:1.What is the Massachusetts Vehicle Check? Massachusetts introduced its "next generation" vehicle emissions testing and safety inspection program on, October 1, 2008. Vehicles 1996 and newer will be tested for emissions (On Board Diagnostic test) every year along with the annual safety inspection. Motorists will be able to choose which inspection station they use as long as the station is licensed. The cost of the test is among the lowest in the nation for this type of program. The Mass Vehicle Check will continue to cost $29 annually.
What this means is I will be getting 95 and older cars as toys. 
dean: Indeed.
I think at this point my plan of getting an Explorer 5.0 is solid, I'll need to swap on the EGR and air pump stuff but with the air pump isn't supposed to be much of a performance hindrance and I don't think it causes the weird issues that EGR does. Right now I plan on using a previously mentioned "SSB3" function modification on the EGR and grab one of the EGR elbows for a factory Explorer intake from MAC or one of the other companies that sell these things for use in an SN95.
car-part.com list Explorer 5.0's in local yards for around $500 so I'll start with getting on of those into my garage as well as getting my old engine stand from my parent's farm. There seems to be a good selection of camshafts that aren't too aggressive, the Crane 2031 (probably has some new part number) caught my attention, and I'm hoping for an easy 300hp at the crank with straight from the box Edelbrock heads and a good exhaust, etc etc. Will start a build thread if people actually want that but it won't start for a while.
It just dawned on me that if you bring a 49-state car to CA from the outside world, all it has to pass is the 49-state rules. If your emissions sticker doesn't say "...and the State of California," you're okay with a 49-state car. They'll even run a different smog test for you. However, you do have to comply with all the rules regarding 49-state cars so all emission controls must be in place.
In the past, CA used to charge $500 for the "importing" a 49-state car in and plating it as a CA car. That fee was struck down by the CA Supreme Court as unconstitutional so it's a freebie. It was a worry back in '89 when I moved here but I owned a SAAB 99 and all SAABs were 50-state cars back then.
dean1484 wrote:kinda tough on some .. since not all '95's have OBDIIIn MA 95 and newer have to pass the OBD2 test. They dont care what motor etc as long as when they plug in the OBD2 reader it does not through any codes. This ahs been a real PITA for motor swaps in 95 and newer cars.
edit:... oops ... came to this party late... seems as others got there before I could 
Here in MO they would never smog it. 96 and lower are exempt.
