Quote:
Originally Posted by latrab
The basic intent of the California engine change laws is that when you do an engine swap, the new engine/transmission cannot pollute more than the original engine/transmission. This means the newly installed engine must be the same year (or newer) as the vehicle, and all emissions controls on the newly installed engine must be installed and functional. Also, you can't put a heavy-duty truck engine (over 6000 lb GVW) into an S-10 Truck because heavy-duty truck engines have less stringent emissions limits than light duty trucks.
To get your engine swap approved, you must go to a Referee Station. The Referee Inspection is less than $40, and it is a benefit for people who do smog-legal engine changes because the engine change can be approved on a visual inspection, current smog laws, and common sense.
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I would disagree with the parts above in bold...............
If their intent was to lower emissions they would not require you to swap all the smog stuff over with the later model engine swap, at least not when talking about the older 60's and early 70's (pre-cat era) muscle cars. In an older muscle car swap a stock LS2 without cats, evap controls, etc. would be much cleaner than any factory V8 offered in these cars. The original V8 with all it's factory smog equipment would be legal, but the much cleaner LS swap would not if it didn't retain all the extra smog pieces from the donor car.
I think this state should offer incentives to people to do these swaps, not make it harder to legally accomplish them, which is currently what they do. Even if I wanted to add cats to my older non-cat car I cannot buy them in this state anymore, even the ones certified legal for sale and use in California. They aren't legal for sale to the end-user, you have to get a certified installer to sell and install them for you. Sure doesn't sound like common sense to me........
Heck, I'd go a step further. If the real goal is having a set limit for emissions on each particular vehicle (which I back 100%), then the hood doesn't even need to be opened. Simply test the vehicle at the pipe under whatever conditions you require (idle, cruise, etc.) and if it passes they're done. Who cares how I get there, as long as my car complies with your emission numbers. That will never happen though, as "common sense" is in short supply here by those who make the rules..............
Jody