Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums Modifications 3.0L Duratec Emmission Testing with 3L swap?

What happens when you have to goto the sniffer test after a 3L conversion? Are the numbers still low enough to pass even though you have another 1/2 a liter sitting under the hood? Do you have to tell them its not the same engine size?

What about a Ford dealership? What about selling the car afterwards? Do you have to tell DMV its "modified"?

These are just general questions ive thought about recently.. Anybody have any clue?

I hate to do this, but if you had searched, you'd find my post from April about my smog test.

Drink me

FWIW, I threw my pesky "Bank 2 Cat Eff" CEL on the way home from the test. And still passed with flying colors on the 15 MPH loaded (chassis dyno) test.

In PA, a motor of my type (hybrid) is supposed to be tested under the more stringent of the two conditions (2.5L 98 or 3.0L 01), but since they are the same here it didn't matter. I posted that later on in the thread. No way anyone knows what you did unless you tell them or they pull the heads (and realize the cylinders are much bigger than they should be).

Then Big Jim typed a big post in General about smog theory. Very interesting reading.

As far as selling, I don't see any reason why you'd have to tell the DMV about what you did. And even if you did, as long as you are smog legal there shouldn't be a problem. Disclosure to a potential buyer would be nice (I doubt "buyer beware" holds if you hide the fact that you have major mods like that, and it's probably a selling point anyway).

I personally wouldn't let a Ford dealer touch my motor because I don't have one near me that I trust that much. Many of them have trouble working on stock motors with a shop manual handy. If I can't do it myself I'd just take it back to the guy who built the motor in my case.

I remember reading your post about passing.. I just didnt recall if you told them you had a modified engine or if you just let them test you under the standard protocall. Thanks for answering and not going nuts because I didnt search.

I just worry that if I did the 3L swap, id have a hell of a time getting rid of it afterwards if I needed to. Whether it would be an offroad vehicle from that point or what. Im just being overly anal like usual! hahaha

Thanks again.

If you worry about mods of any kind, including engine upgrades I suggest you don't do it.But I'd be inclined to check your insurance if you are paying for a 2.5, have an accident and its found you have a 3.0 it could void your coverage.......

This is concerning, what do the stang boys do when they swap a V6 for a V8 or from a 302 to a 351? How about the jillion of Honda swaps? I never thought of this

Its not that I "worry" so much, I just like to look ahead 3-4 car lenghts to see whats down the road.. Even if I couldnt get rid of the car "legally", id still do this swap as Ill probably end up keeping this car untill it lives up to its (F.O.R.D.).

The shop that built my motor does my annual smog test. They left the 2.5L V6 setting in (probably came up as default when they entered my VIN), even though they know better. My mechanic's boss (shop owner) put it best: "That's one clean running car considering what you've had done to it."

LOL- but I found mine in my driveway!

Ouch! I hope it gets better soon.

I did my swap AND gutted the pre-cats. Then I took it to the emissions testing the day after the car was running. It passed with flying colors. You could put your mouth on my tailpipe and breath just fine...j/k

warmonger