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anyone shed some light on legality of engine swaps?


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hmm since i live in California its alot more tricky then all others here haha. But i was wondering what is the extend an engine swap that can be done on a car? I have read that only the engine that came for that car can be swapped but other places i have read that only engines same age or newer then the car can be swapped. So you think i could pass with an ej20 USDM engine in? All id need is to get it smogged right? but then i still need to get it registered so im not sure if they inspect the engine in the car to see if its the correct one? im not sure...:confused: I was set on the ea82t but now my friend is tellin me he might change engines soon since his dad has access to closed autions of salvaged cars and would look out for an sti for him....

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It is my understanding that you can only swap in a newer engine, and when you do all emissions equipment must be used, such as evaporative emsisions, pcv, egr and the lot, so technically the water wagon is not kosher because there is no fuel evap circuit, good thing i live in michigan. displacement might be an issue as well.

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in general from what ive seen in states with any type of inspection or emmisions testing it seems to be the same year or newer motor.

 

a guy i know from another forum lives in so cali and has an 85 astrovan that he swapped a 350 into from i believe an 89 truck, so i imagine as long as the motor passes the emmisions stuff i would think you would be fine.

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Cali sucks. Down here you can get it registered and licensed if it's a toilet with an engine, seat belt, head lights, turn signals, and a windshield. (Windsheild excluded on Motorcycles and "Golf Carts") It's gotta be a four stroke though. Unless it was imported here as a two stroke... (Yay 360's!)

In Pima County you can get an "ATV" or "4-Wheeler" street legal as long as you have the proper lights and signals and it is a 4 stroke. My cousin built a toyota landcruiser on a chevy blazer frame that he cut 4 feet out of the frame, used a 350 chevy motor carbed.. then later put fuel injection on it.. and like 4" exhaust. If it can pass those smog sniffers and pass a fairly easy inspection.. you're good to go. I love seeing the sand rails driving around town.

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Do you have to pass an inspection or just smog??? because up here(we are pretty strict with smog and what not) as long as it passes aircare(smog) its ok... they don't check under the hood anymore... they don't know what its supposed to look like anyway...

 

but i don't think we are as strict as cali is... do they check under the hood over there???

 

they check for cat and a sealed gas cap here... what do they check in Cali???

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Not only do they check under the hood, but they run VIN & Engine Serial numbers through their computer. Their computer's are linked to California via modem and cross refference everything input into the computer by the mechanic.

 

If the mechanic is doing his job properly, there's no way for you to get a EJ20 by them.

 

However, if the mechanic fibs when he inputs the information, and had the stock serial number for the engine... and the EJ20 passed the sniffer, then the state would never know.

 

-Brian

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as far as emissions, id think that as long as you passed smog and didnt hint to an engine swap. you should be okay, if they ask to see under the hood, dont know if they would know what they are supposed to be looking at anyway. (Hey!!!.............EJ20's dont come in that car!!!!...........Come on Smog-Car-Goons, lets get him!!!!) but really as far as OBD-2 motor in a OBD-1 car, just swap intake manifold of OBD-1 car onto OBD-2 motor, and plug anyhting that vents to the atmosphere that isnt supposed to.

 

 

 

~Josh~

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However, if the mechanic fibs when he inputs the information, and had the stock serial number for the engine... and the EJ20 passed the sniffer, then the state would never know.

 

-Brian

So Brian, do you think it would be possible for such a senario could happen? as in: i could keep my original vin and if as in if i were to find such a person i could find a mechanic who could input such information when he smogs it even though it has an ej20 in it and then i go to get it registerd could i make it through? Or when it is going to be registerd they actaully physically look under the hood and look for the vin number an all and would know it is a swap? It will be a first time register in this state so im guessin there might be a difference in registration...:banghead:

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The only thing the DMV will see is the smog cert. and the title.

 

You'd need to find a mechanic who could wing it and let you slide... i dont know of any. If you'd like my advice, i'd say save about 2 years of hassle and pulling hair... get a JDM EA82T and get the RX running.

 

-Brian

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god im glad i live where there is no inspection or emmisions after reading about all the headaches you guys go through, anything is legal here. just like when i finally manage to blow the motor in the suby i got some other more powerful motor and running gear plans for it

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Not only do they check under the hood, but they run VIN & Engine Serial numbers through their computer. Their computer's are linked to California via modem and cross refference everything input into the computer by the mechanic.

 

If the mechanic is doing his job properly, there's no way for you to get a EJ20 by them.

 

However, if the mechanic fibs when he inputs the information, and had the stock serial number for the engine... and the EJ20 passed the sniffer, then the state would never know.

 

-Brian

 

 

Or if he was just to dumb to know the differances.

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screw it, here i come jdm 82t. i like old engine sounds anywayz haha. theres a guy where i live who has a pristine first gen mr2 supercharged which is way rare where im at i belive. his engine sounds crazy. i really want to drive with him and a guy who has a ae86 trueno conversion. itll be the battle of the 80's haha, we all are runnin low 100 hp :lol:

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screw it, here i come jdm 82t. i like old engine sounds anywayz haha. theres a guy where i live who has a pristine first gen mr2 supercharged which is way rare where im at i belive. his engine sounds crazy. i really want to drive with him and a guy who has a ae86 trueno conversion. itll be the battle of the 80's haha, we all are runnin low 100 hp :lol:

 

heck on a trueno 100 hp is a lot more than it came with

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Am I missing something here? Seems California is a bit biased.

 

Yes, I know it's "Hollywood"... but how can the good folks at Overhaulin' take a really old car and exchange the engine for something that was a lot bigger than the stock issue... is it contingent on the age of the car? The one in question was a '75 Mustang fitted with a big block Ford 450+ hp.

 

Then, they cut out the rusted front clip and re-welded the frame and still made it legal? (I am assuming that they can use the car as a daily driver when they return it.) I didn't think that was kosher in any state... is that a wrong assumption?

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Am I missing something here? Seems California is a bit biased.

 

Yes, I know it's "Hollywood"... but how can the good folks at Overhaulin' take a really old car...

Operative phrase here is "really old car". Last I heard (and I believe was implied earlier), if your car is 21 years old or more you have more leeway with it. I was waiting for my '71 to reach that magic age, but got out of Cal before that happened.

 

California has its own version of the EPA, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) which, for decades, has had pollution regulations far stricter than the EPA. They require that car parts that could potentially effect the emissions be certified as not adversely doing so. The techs that do the emissions testing are generally not ignorant yokels; they have a good idea what belongs and what doesn't, even if sometimes it is in a rather slavish manner.

 

When you cram that many cars (they are an absolute way of life in the West, and even more so in California; mass transit is still just catching on) and have bad geographical regions (the LA Basin and such), strong pollution regulations make a certain sense.

 

Still, I am glad i am not a car nut in California.

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