swap 2.5 with older 2.2 motor, a different wrinkle

[Rooster2]

With all that is written here about swapping an older 2.2 into a 2.5, a friend of mine is considering a swap. He sent me the following:

 

Many states don't have many concerns with putting a newer engine into an older vehicle as long as the vehicle can pass emissions per the year of the engine. Most of the state DMV people I've talked to (CA & NV) won't allow an older engine in a newer vehicle. If they'd let it, there would be a LOT of cars out there with 1967 engines installed (no emissions requirements at all).

 

Actually this is covered in EPA rules, not state rules. EPA allows engine swaps as long as the engine is the same or larger displacement and is from the same or newer model year vehicle. It also has to be installed with ALL emissions equipment intact and operational. As long as these guidelines are met, the swap would be legal.

 

 

I guess the trick is, not to divulge to the authorities checking emissions that you have indeed installed an older, smaller motor to be in violation of EPA rules. However, even if authorities looked under the hood, they would be hard pressed to tell the difference that a 2.2 has been installed in a car originally fitted with a 2.5.

[ron917]

At the state inspection stations here in NJ, they sometimes look under the hood, but not always (maybe random sample?). Not sure what they look for, but they're not taking enough time to look at the stamp in the engine block or the ID plate/sticker to verify that the correct Subaru H4 engine is in there.

 

Now, if you install a small block V8, I'm sure they'd notice something amiss. But all those H4s look pretty similar and there's nothing on the engine itself to indicate the model year.

 

They do check for CEL and plug in the OBDII scanner to look for codes (sniff test for pre-OBDII cars).

Edited April 17, 2009 by ron917

[idosubaru]

technically we probably all violate on average 23 laws a week....they better start building some prisons!

 

does your friend drive 2 miles over the speed limit...and follow every driving law known to man? is he worried about getting arrested?

 

the EPA and your local DMV has bigger fish to fry or different agenda's than monitoring what kind of motor swaps are taking place. they just don't do it, this stuff happens every day.

 

now there might be particular states that are super anal about stuff, like CA, but in general this is not an issue. and even if they did "catch" you it's not like you'd get arrested or even fined.

 

the argumentative type will argue some anecdotal position since it's "the law", even though shops, mechanics, tons of folks (like me and others on this board) do this all the time!