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Joined: Mon Nov 13th, 2017
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I lived in Colorado, Denver metro area AND California
My conversions are legal because:
Engine comes from same year or newer vehicle
I retain ALL emissions equipment for the new engine, no corners cut here. Even the canister purge solenoid and fuel tank pressure sensor are used. They can talk to the PCM and see all emissions equipment in place and it passes a visual inspection. The only thing I delete is the secondary cat converters and the referee (engineer) passes. The secondary cats are only required federally not for state emissions.
Now CO and CA have the most stringent emissions testing in the country (CO Metro area has adopted CA style emissions)
I have built 6ea 5.0L Ranger based trucks that have passed emissions in CO, they get a special certification paperwork that goes with the truck allowing you to complete the simple dyno/tailpipe sniffer test without seeing a referee again. V6 conversions (Like 2.5L to 4.0L) require nothing because they pass visual and dyno tests no referee needed as long as the PCM is happy and they can talk to it)
Now the last year of the 5.0 was 2001. So in CO or CA the referee is not going to sign off on this conversion...no way no how. If you own a 2002-2011 Ranger and want a 5.0 you will have to check with your local emissions referee/engineer I KNOW CA and CO will not sign off on this.
You would have to use a later model drivetrain, same year as the truck or newer and retain all the emissions equipment. They are really cracking down on this, which is silly
I have emissions papers for my Bronco II that show the tailpipe emissions as a 2.9L, then as a 4.0 and now as a 5.0L. The tailpipe emissions is less then half now what it was with the 2.9L...the 5.0L fuel injected engine with all the emissions stuff is WAY MORE efficient then the original 1988 2.9L even with two extra cylinders and 100+ more horsepower.
In SOME STATES this may be acceptable to them, meaning if you have a 2008 Ranger lets say with the SOHC 4.0L and you want a 5.0 as long as you retain the EVAP system for the fuel tank, the 02 sensors and cat converters, and the 5.0L PCM is happy under the hood and able to talk to the OBCII scanner then they may allow the conversion.
No way would a carbed engine pass in place of an EFI engine in emissions counties..... not places that do OBDII and tailpipe sniffer tests.
Now I live in Idaho which has no emissions testing!! WOOHOOOO!! However I still do conversions the same way. I am a big fan of complete conversions, no tuning needed a complete factory style conversion retaining all emissions equipment. That way somebody from CA or WA or wherever can still come buy one of my builds.
The requirements for your area and what can be done with your truck are up to the decisions of a handful of people, the referee is who you want to talk to. A 5.0 conversion may be 100% legal in your area, you just need to make the time to go talk to them. The referee in CO and I became friends of a sort, he would see me coming and be like "oh boy lets see what you brought me this time, he was a car nut so he liked our creations, a breath of fresh air compared to some of the hokie stuff people try to get him to sign off on.....
To do emissions legal conversions into 2002+ Rangers I am not afraid of using a 4.6, the new DOHC 5.0, or ecoboost, BT4 diesel or whatever. If you have the entire donor vehicle to work from, and permissions/list of requirements from the emissions ref, then it can be done.......time and $$$$ time and $$$$
Sorry for hijacking the thread momentarily. This was what I meant by legally. Lots of us live where emissions are required and we just want our swap to be hassle free without registering at a relatives. By legal I mean you go through a smog check just the same as before the swap.
Thank you 410customs
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I know my crazy! Do you?
2007 Sport 4door 4x4 4.0L SOHC V6 Ranger