Carguy so concealing the fact you removed the cats makes it o.k.?
No. From a legal standpoint it does not. However, the fact that the Op's state does not perform emission testing also does not make his swap any less illegal, as either action is a violation of the FEDERAL clean air act prohibition against emissions tampering. Same "charge", same fines, same thing. I simply want people to recognize the hypocrisy of being so vehemently opposed to removing cats, yet having no problem w/ this engine swap, and other actions which are also illegal, but apparently sanctioned by the almighty explorerforum board. I'm not saying that I , in any way, agree with the law or even that I will follow it myself. I simply want people to realize and recognize that cats/motor swaps/hho/custom tuning is all the same thing from a legal standpoint. Further, those that rail against removing cats, on environmental grounds, will go ahead and cheer on a project like this, blissfully unaware or ignorant of the fact that this swap would likely cause the same increase in emmissions, or even more, as removing cats from a properly running stock SOHC.
I'm not asking you, or anybody else to change your mind about the whole cat thing, just recognize that it is no different from so many "mods" that are openly encouraged.
I was not chastising the OP about the swap, because it's illegal, or increases emmissions,etc... My point was a PRACTICAL one. As I said, I can hide my "modifications", quite effectively. There is no way he can "hide" his 4.9L, or the lack of an OBDII PCM.
Again, I just wanted to help prevent another abandoned half-finished, half-baked project. I had no intention of making this into any sort of cat-defense,etc... discussion but since someone "stirred the pot", and then you jumped on me, I felt compelled to respond.
As for the Jersey Shore comment that seems to have disappeared, that was uncalled for. I am NOTHING like those clowns.
Leave it alone Carguy he wants to do the swap and is going to do it. It's his truck to whatever he wants with. No point in arguing about it.
Yes, you are exactly right. However, there is phrase which is often applied to controversial scientific advancements: "Just because we
can, doesn't mean we
should."
I was just offering my opinion as to the practicality of this project. I still feel that a.) there is a far more cost effective and practical solution. - used SOHC and b.) for all the work and money involved, I don't think this swap accomplishes anything worth doing. It involves putting in a "worse" motor instead of a better one. It is going backwards. Now if this was a project to install a Porsche flat-6 or a BMW V-12, ok.
The other thing that bothered me, and probably the only reason I commented to begin with, is that this involves "destroying" what sounded like an intact, decent vehicle that only needed a fairly simple, economical repair to be back on the road. If this had been proposed on a wrecked/salvage title/clapped/beat up/piece of crap/ that was already "done" as far as being a usable vehicle, then it wouldn't bother me. Better a project car then scrap metal. I just hate seeing good vehicles cut up for "projects" Save those for people that want a nice one as is. Cut up/mod ones that are already trashed/wrecked.
