whats californias law on motor swaps?
 

im going to do a motor swap sometime soon.. need to know what i gotta do..

could i go ls? cause rx7's go ls and get there cars registered and pass smog...or at least thats what i thought...

Ive heard that you cant pass smog if you do any engine swap.. but of course maybe you can get a friend to pass you...

Contact the California Air Resource board / Beuro of automotive repair for exact details but basicly here are the rules as I understand them.

1- Can never go with an engine that was certified before the vehilce you are putting it in (emmisions wise) Basicly you cna go newer and more emmisions resptrictive but not older.

2- If the engine was an option on the vehicle you bought its an easy process. (putting a 6 port in a 4 port is no problem)

3- You must get it inspected by the BAR and tagged with a carb eo plate.

So if you want to go rx7, it cant happen. If you want to go LS, you will need to pull something from a new vette or camaro. No LS1 will get smog approved in a rx8.

4- All emmisions equipment must meet the requirements of that the new engine were certified for. So if it comes from a vette you must use the same headers and cats.

Check out http://www.autorepair.ca.gov/80_BARR...uidelines.html

^ :(

if your vehicle is a 2004 or you can prove its the exact same emmission wise as a 2004 then you could get a ls1 out of a 2004 gto mated with a t56. wont cost you nearly as much as a ls2.

EDIT: this is just based off of what I just read in this thread as I do not know the laws

Highway 8 has it right.

ford owns mazda right?!?!

how about a 07 v8

^ No they don't

If you find a LS-76 which is a LS1 with different cam that will work.

The different version vette motor is used in the Pontiac G8 GT.

Ask me how I know.

would a cop even notice that i have a motor swap if i put a ls in there?

chp most definately would, or you could be pulled over for a bs ticket like loud exhaust and be sent to the state ref (happened to me)

^ Mind sharing with the people the joy of a California Emissions ticket and going to the referee.

The way the law is written, it's not a fix it ticket. The section says you must not only pay a hefty fine $300 range plus court fees, but you must also pass a smog test from the referee. The ref is about the cheespest smog test ever, but they check everything. So it's basically a big hassle to make everything legal and a fine to boot.

So to anyone modifing their California Registered car, only due legal emissions mods (carb eo sticker) or don't be mad when you have to change it back to stock.

I find it ammusing that it can be legal to put a V8 in an RX8 if done correctly but if you install FI on your 8 it can't be made legal unless the manufactoring company jumbed through the $5k+ hoops to get a carb eo number.

I wish I could take my modified vehicle to the referee and have them do a smog check and if I pass the tail pipe with my mods, then they give me an eo sticker. But that makes too much sense and doesn't generate money for our broke state.

^ Wonder how all the turbo'd 8s in Cali do it.. :dunno:

Unless they remove the setup just to pass smog.

They try to avoid getting pulled over and hope the officer doesnt pop the hood or convince him that the turbo is stock. Which is why a clean install is important.

And every 2 years for the smog it either get removed or smogged by a friend. With good tunning and a stock cat, a FI RX8 would pass the tail pipe just not a visual inspection.

^Exactly, with a good tune (basically a map just to pass smog) it's not too dificult to pass. So just go to a non name brand shop and if they give you trouble slip em a $20. Dont try that at a "chain" type smog company.

I guess here in TX it's a pretty serious offense to bribe; but I did it in CA last year and had no issues. Just told the guy Ive done some things (midpipe) and here's a $20.

when i got pulled over for my car being to loud they had me pop the hood... they didnt even know what my motor was...

i just dont see why you cant put a different motor in a car if you can get it to pass smog and all the other bs.. thats fucking lame.

i just want to get the 13b out of my car.. its costing me to much money..

so basically i have to go with a newer engine from mazda...

No, you can put any motor in there from any manufactor. It just has to meet or exceed the original vehicle emissions standards, (be same or newer year) and you have to retain all emmisions equipment for the engine you put in.

so i can put a ls1 in there, just gotta have all the stock parts from the vett?

depends on if the vette is newer than your car, also the ECU is part of the smog equipment so you'd have to retain that to control the LS block, they wont pass you with a standalone.

Best bet would be to call the ref and ask some questions, personally i think such a swap is a waste of time on a newer car, you'd be better off getting a FD shell and swapping a LS1 into that and making it legal.

@Highway8, i was pulled over in monterey park coming off a freeway for loud exhaust, cop didnt even pop the hood, but they wrote me a fix-it ticket and told me to see the state ref. Once i was at the ref they popped the hood, and checked under the car. Once everything checked out visually, they just put a decibel meter pointed at the exhaust and started revving my car. A hks hi power with a silencer installed is 90.5db at 3k rpm, so i passed with less than 5db to spare.

well i dont have the kind of money to go buy a fd and put it in there..

the rx8 is my project.