So I went to emissions and failed with flying colors. Had high emissions levels, no cats, and the vacuum canister was broken and had the wrong routing. Fixed everything that had to do with that. Buuut, they're saying that my air system failed? Apparently it's supposed to be air injected or something, I need a smog pump I guess? But my friend who has been working with these motors for quite a while said that chevy 350 motors didn't come out with smog pumps til 87 or later after the tbi came into play (as far as I know, my motor is a 1980 carbureted chevy 350).

So what my question is, is do I really need a smog pump or should I just tell them to screw off cuz they don't know what they're talking about?

 

They had smog pumps. Not sure what the first year was for them but I would say back into the 70's. I have yet to have a 89 to 91 TBI engine with a smog pump. IIRC my 87 454 Burb with TBI had one.

 

I suppose you put an older engine into a newer vehicle, if so you will probably have to meet the smog specifications for the model of vehicle you've got, not the older motor you put in it.

I've wondered how that works out in states that check the emissions.

 

Ya I didn't even know this motor wasn't originally in this truck? I guess just the fact that it's a goodwrench 350 means that it wasn't in there. And the guy who's been fixing stuff for me ran the vin and said it was an inline 6 at the beginning.
So another question, will any smog pump work?