Hi so i have a 92 f150 short box 4x4 with a 5 speed and a 4.9 and i am looking at putting headers and a decent exhaust system on her my question is is it ok to remove the cats and the smog pump? it has all of the California smog BS on it. i am just looking to clean up the engine compartment and make room for a couple other things is all so if anybody could tell my if this is ok i would really appreciate it i am not to familiar with the emissions stuff...by the way up here in Idaho we don't have testing or inspections so that is not a factor thanks in advance and if anyone has a similar truck and they wouldn't mind sharing some ideas id love to hear em

 

I know there are delete kits and you can take it off, but if certain people see this they will flame you to no end about talking illegal stuff on here.
Personally I'd say do what you wish. My smog is there but does nothing.

 

sorry i don't mean to sound incompetent but why would that be illegal? and what does flame mean?
and i was curious if it would have adverse effects on the engine...

 

It is illegal to modify any emission from factory form. It says somewhere in the user agreement of this site that you will not talk about anything illegal, I don't know I never cared to read it that closely.
And to flame is to hate on and talk badly on and such.

 

i see well thanks for the information is that emissions thing federal or a state to state thing?

 

It's federal law.

 

What he said.
Supposedly it's illegal to talk about on the site, I have yet to see a mod have any problem with it. Maybe one will jump in here idk.

 

The factory manifolds are as good as any headers, so there's no point in changing them. The factory exhaust system flows plenty, so there's no point changing it, either. If you were dropping in a bored & stroked V8, maybe... But the 4.9L is a stationary equipment engine adapted to trucks & tractors - it'll never be a screamer, no matter how much money you dump into it. Keep it stock, do decent maintenance, and it'll last forever. Mess with it at your own risk.

 

Both. Emission equipment is federally mandated and emissions vary from state to state as far as testing. California is by far the worst (strict) state. Just putting it simply.

 

Why do you want to put headers on it? If all you want is to get better sound, put a decent cat-back exhaust on it. You aren't going to improve the performance, and if you do it wrong you may even lose some low-end torque, which is the only thing that engine has to begin with.