Re: [DML] Engine swaps + street legal = ?

[William T Wilson <fluffy@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Mon, 10 May 2004, composerphacia wrote:

> legalities of an engine swap.  He says any car with an engine swap is
> just about guaranteed to be illegal in California (for on-road use),
> regardless of how clean the emissions are.

It's not that bad.  California has the toughest engine-swap laws in the 
country, but they are not as bad as their reputation.  Most states that 
bother to do emissions testing have engine swap laws similar to 
California's, though some are less stringent.

1) The engine must be from a newer model year, federally-importable
vehicle of the same type (passenger car/light truck/heavy-duty truck), in
this case passenger car.  This is not going to be hard to achieve.  Most 
states with emissions laws have this requirement.

1a) Sometimes you can get around this restriction, if you have a talent 
for bureaucratic wrangling and the engine you are using is not too weird.  
Contact CARB, tell them you are doing an "engine change" and ask about the 
engine you are thinking of using.

2) If the vehicle was originally California certified (as opposed to a 
Federal-emissions version) then the replacement engine must also be 
California certified.  Obviously, this rule only applies in California.

3) The emissions control equipment (including intake and fuel system) from
the replacement engine must be used.  Essentially the goal here is to
prevent you from being able to put race headers on your V8 just because
you swapped it into a new car.  This could be a little complicated in the
DeLorean because of the rear engine.  Any substitutions to the emissions
control equipment must be conducted under relevant CARB rules, i.e. using
CARB-approved substitute components.  If the original vehicle or new
engine is/was OBD2, you have to pass all the OBD2 testing (i.e. the
computer test).

3a) This is the law that varies the most from state to state.  For
instance, in Colorado, no one cares if anything is CARB-legal or not.  
The only requirement is that if either the original vehicle or the swapped
engine was equipped with particular emissions control equipment, the same
or better emissions equipment must be installed (fuel injection, air
injection, catalytic converter, charcoal canister, sealed gas cap are the
parts they care about).  These are actually the same requirements you
have to satisfy if you are modifying an original engine.  But, it does not 
have to be the exact equipment from the replacement engine.  You can use 
any catalytic converter or a Haltech fuel injection system if you want, 
for instance, as long as you pass.  The big advantage here is that you can 
replace the turbo and intercooler if you want to.  Because of the rear 
mounted engine in the DeLorean, I would forget about using a turbocharged 
engine IF you plan to pass in California or any place that requires CARB 
certified parts.

4) You must pass the tailpipe emissions test applicable for the year of 
the engine, at a test-only station.

5) If you have swapped the transmission, you have to pass all these 
requirements for that as well.  Of course, transmission emissions control 
equipment is typically much simpler and you would probably have to try NOT 
to pass for that.

Once you have fulfilled all these requirements, the inspector will give 
you a sticker that will allow you to be tested at any emissions station in 
the future, without having to go through the thorough evaluation again.  
Of course, you still have to pass the regular visual test applicable to 
the engine you used.

> rotary in my DeLorean someday.  I live in Florida, so vehicle
> inspections aren't much of an issue.  Still, though... if I ever move...  

I'd recommend doing the swap with a non-OBD2 engine newer than your
DeLorean, including the emissions control equipment and not worrying about 
the CARB-certified-parts requirement (which is the biggest hassle doing an 
engine swap in California).  Then, don't move to California, or sell your 
car before you leave. :)

> Also, what's the scoop on making JDM engines street-legal in the US?  

Frequently the requirement is that the J-spec engine be street legal if 
swapped into the car it belonged in in the first place.  Sometimes this is 
easy (most Hondas), sometimes it isn't (non-US Skyline, WRX).  This is a 
whole other can of worms.

> I know the Mazda RX-7s are on the US' eligibility list (yes, that 
> includes the '95 RX-7s, which many of you already know wasn't 
> officially available in the US by Mazda).  Then there's the Nissan 
> Skyline.  ;)

In the case of the RX-7 engine, it hardly matters; the 13B-REW is so
complicated and fussy that you are really better off with an '89-'91 13BT,
which (internally at least) is practically the same.

The rotary swap has been done before - one 12A, and one 20B.  The 20B car 
was for sale last year, maybe it's still around.  Painted, unfortunately.




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