California smog test

Hello
So I’m planning on moving to California. I have an 84 f150 302 5.0 and wondering what exactly needs to be done for the ca smog regulations. If anyone has an idea or info on this it would be greatly appreciated

You must have All of the smog equipment that came on the pickup, stock from the factory. Then it all has to work, then they will stick a sniffer in the tailpipe and see if it is running within their peramiters.

You will need your engine calibration number to find what smog equipment it came with. This will need to be your starting point.

I recently re-registered my 1984 F-150 but from out of state (military).  I coulda sworn they told me that it did not need to get smogged even if I was in California based upon the age.  Maybe, as above, it needs to go through the process?  Maybe I received bad information from the DMV or misunderstood.  (I received a rather glorious run around that took three months to receive stickers and was passed some misinformation, for sure about the re-registration process.)

My suggestion... deep dive the regulations!

From what little I've read, and that's not much, it varies by location.  Some of the guys on here have said that their location doesn't require a full smog test.  But most have said theirs does.

So I agree - check out the regs.

After talking to my son who lives in Sonoma county Ca, North of the SF bay area. He was telling me that the first regestration in CA, it will have to be smoged. He also told me that the smog laws have be come a hodge podge of laws that differ from county to county. The closer you get to the SF bay area, Sacramento, Bakersfield and the LA area, the stricter the smog laws are. There are even some counties that half of require smog every two years and the other half only require a smog at the first regestration into the state.

Yes, as has been said above, do your research into the county you are moving to. Keep in mind that my son told me that no matter where you go, you will have to have it smoged for the first regestration into Ca.

Yep, here in Ventura County its every two years.  Just had to PNO my truck because I didn't want to put it back together just to get it smogged and take it apart again haha.

There was hope of getting 1983 and older vehicles to be excluded from smog tests.  The bill didn't pass in the State Congress.  My truck is an 1984 so it wouldn't have helped me anyway.  Maybe next election cycle?  Probably not though.

We've been stuck at 1976 and older for 15 years or so, it used to be a rolling thing.  So frustrating.  My truck passes smog no problem, but I have a genuine fear that by the time my kids can drive, the internal combustion engine will be outlawed in CA.  I love California and have lived here all my life, but I'm not a fan of their rules as it pertains to older classic (IMO) vehicles like Bullnoses.

It depends on county and zip code.  I'm in Sonoma County and have to get smogged every other year.  Zip codes 10 miles north in the county do not.  Our years of trucks fall under needing a specially California Air Resources Board licensed facility called a "STAR" test shop, too.  

My truck was “de-smogged" when I purchased it and the prior owner had an in with a less than reputable shop.

I had to gather all the parts, find a correct vacuum diagram and put it all together and managed to pass to get the registration transferred.  To be honest, it runs better with the original set up than it did "de-smogged"

I have a Ford emissions shop guide for most engine & calibration combos with vacuum diagrams.  Let me know if you need me to send an image of the appropriate page if you get stuck.

I have to rely on my son for this stuff as he lives in Santa Rosa. When I left California I was living in Cloverdale, just over the magic line drawn around Healdsburg I think. That ment that I dident have to smog my stuff. I left Ca in 2004 because it was just getting to nuts there for me. Besides, we were paying 300.00 a year to regester a 86 Bronco and here in AZ, it is 250.00 for five years. You do the math on that one.

YEA, I do miss the redwoods and all of the green. Some old friends and most of my family but the cost of living is so much cheaper here in AZ.

If you're here to visit your family, drop me a note and we'll meet up for a meal.

The smog zip code maps are a relic of winter air quality maps.  If they really wanted to make a difference they would get rid of the ethanol in winter fuels.

We collectively missed an opportunity getting the state legislatiors to pass that 83 and older exemption.