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Swapping a 6.5 NA legally, ecm questions

S

scottm

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Location
the oven, Scottsdale AZ
I want to do an emissions legal 6.5 NA engine swap into a 2 door s-10 blazer. The engine has to be newer than the body, and I want as new of a blazer as possible. I see 98-2000 blazers are cheap as dirt on craigslist right now!

I assume that running a factory turbo engine without the turbo, even if it passed the tailpipe emissions test, would be a violation. The 6.5 was available naturally aspirated in vans iirc, but what years? Was it available in any other models? Should I just find an obd2 NA ecm, or can a turbo ecm be reprogrammed to indicate a factory NA setup?
 
Should be able to program the turbo ecm for non turbo. Obd1 trucks use the same ecm both turbo and na. I think anything newer than 95 will be turbo so just buy an obd2 turbo equipped truck.

Now in a ld passenger vehicle you will likely need egr and soot trap. For that you will need a 94-95 na 6.5 intake.

source unknown
 
Sounds cool. I think you'll have fittment issues with fire wall...ect. Need BBC springs?
Teds engines are mostly N/A and 2000 or newer. Might need civilian precups though? Donor truck would be the wy to go.

I just bought an S10 myself 2.2 4 cyl. I've thought about throwing the VW TDI in it. But need to find out about emissions requirements for that.
 
I fear no modification! Firewall, AC, frame, suspension, none of that will be a problem. Emissions legal is tougher. Military na engines won't work; it will have to be obd2. So the last year for any NA 6.5 was 95?
 
Your looking at 98-2000 though and you said engine must be newer than truck. So get the newer engine. Engine won't care if its obdI or II.
 
As far as I know yes, last year of na ecm controlled engines is 95.

If a guy can drop a 6.5 in a camaro then a Blazer can be done.

source unknown
 
Are you bound by emissions in your state? If you can get away with it, then put in what you feel like and don't worry about the emission laws. They mean nothing.
 
Thanks for the replies! Yes I live in phoenix with tough laws. I am trying to be legal, otherwise I could stick in a mechanical pump engine easily. For a late 90's s-10, the emissions test is an obd2 scan, which would have to show a properly functioning system, consistent with a system newer than the body. I see 99 and 2000 6.5's on CL fairly often, but I don't want to have to fit the turbo into the s10. I called the emissions technical line three times today but couldn't get through. They are actually pretty helpful. I will ask what the must-have emissions equipment is for a light duty 1500 6.5, and hopefully the turbo isn't listed.
 
scottm said:
Thanks for the replies! Yes I live in phoenix with tough laws. I am trying to be legal, otherwise I could stick in a mechanical pump engine easily. For a late 90's s-10, the emissions test is an obd2 scan, which would have to show a properly functioning system, consistent with a system newer than the body. I see 99 and 2000 6.5's on CL fairly often, but I don't want to have to fit the turbo into the s10. I called the emissions technical line three times today but couldn't get through. They are actually pretty helpful. I will ask what the must-have emissions equipment is for a light duty 1500 6.5, and hopefully the turbo isn't listed.
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Probably not too many ways around it if it has to be inspected.
 
scottm said:
Yeah, I have had my eye on it because a 2000 is about as 'late model' as you can get for a 6.5 donor truck.
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Yeah, there is a lot of scrap value there too.

This should be a neat swap. Get after it!

Btw there was someone that stuck a turbo 6.5 in a older s10 4x4 and is now doing a dmax swap.

source unknown
 
"I want to do an emissions legal 6.5 NA engine swap into a 2 door s-10 blazer" - Not in metro Phoenix you don't! :suicide: The ONLY way you can get plates for a swap like this is have it registered outside of the emissions test area like at your *cough cough* Pinetop, AZ summer cabin.

Engines Emissions are certified by the vehicle and weight class. This includes heavy duty, light heavy duty, pu/van/suv, sedan, etc. Diesel vs. gasoline is also different. The vin numbers indicate the emissions class for example vin "F" 6.5 diesel engines do not have EGR as they have heavy duty emissions. Emissions are a political football with some stuff having different requirements to reduce cost impact to businesses, who has the bigger dick contests like CA/CO for toughness, etc.

I have all kinds of fun making vehicles next to me fail while my military surplus emissions engine 'blows out' the sensor to the point they can't zero it. I have failed so badly they wind up passing me more times than I have really passed emissions due to their 'equipment failure/difficulties'. But, emissions can be passed.

But as above I am testing diesel to diesel swaps. Gas engine to gas engine swaps like dropping a V8 in the S-10 Blazer have hope to pass. Gas to diesel IMO can't be done and pass emissions. Diesel to gas swaps are done all the time esp in CA where older diesels are not tested.

You are not going to have much luck rolling up in a vehicle that is VIN identified as a gas engine powered by a dirty diesel. Hoses missing like the evap system checks that do not apply to diesel could fail you. The OBDII test could fail you if they are looking for the onboard test results specifically the catalyst efficiency test: old diesels do not have O2 sensors thus can not perform that test or deliver results. They are NOT going to run diesel OBDII tests on a gas engine VIN.

If you find a way to do this I will be very surprised.
 
scottm said:
Oh great, way to carpet-bomb my parade! On the other hand, I have wanted to get a place up north..
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Rent one...

Seriously a Full Size Blazer with a diesel already in it would be a better starting point - even the old 80's ones with a tired NA 6.2 are a good place to start. 8600 rated 3/4 ton Burbs and Pickups are the easiest to get through the emissions as it is a snap test. I am pretty sure the 1/2 ton diesels get the roller test.
 
We have some different laws here in Can-Ontario....you do an engine swap of anything but orginal they can only visual check pollution eqippment ....same year your FK'ed....or newer
 
The dream isn't dead yet! I finally got through on the emissions technical line for phx. I told him I was going to look at a 98 chevy 6.5 diesel pickup to possibly buy, and asked what emissions equipment it should have to be legal. I played dumb and said I didn't know if it was a 1/2 or more. He looked it up in his database, and said if it is a 1/2, it needs to have the ccv crankcase ventilation valve and a catalytic, and it will have the snap idle smoke test, and will be obd scanned for codes. If it is a 3/4 or 1 ton, it just needs the ccv; no cat and no scan, but will have the snap idle test. They also want to see the sticker on the valve cover to confirm. So they aren't even looking for the turbo. I have been hoping to hear this all along, since I don't want the turbo in my hypothetical s-10 swap anyway.

Since I want a late 90's blazer, say a 98 or 99, the 6.5 would have to be a 99 or newer. They have no problem with putting v-8's into s10's, so the issue of the 6.5 never being available in an s10 should (hopefully) go away when I prove that the 6.5 was available in 1/2 ton trucks.

The last question is what engine - One from a 1/2 ton may work with the cat in place and the ecm reprogrammed by heath with an NA program. One from a 3/4 ton won't need the cat, but may be less likely to fly with my "but it's available in a 1/2 ton" argument.
 
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