CA C.A.R.B. Engine change/swap rules

[DroppedMitsu]

So I finally got around to calling the CA auto resource board to inquire if my 4g63t swap would be infact smog/street legal in CA as I have heard many rumors and false information. So it turns out it IS legal in CA. Here are the rules of the swap

1. Engine must be from same model year or newer then vehicle being put into.

2. Engine must retain ALL smog elements that it came equipped with stock.

3. Engine must be from same family size of vehicles;
Ie; light duty vehicle to light duty vehicle only, hd to hd vehicle only. As long as your not putting an HD truck eng into a smaller vehicle or car/light duty truck engine into a HD truck you are fine.

4. If car is originally CA spec vehicle, engine to be swapped must be california spec

[4doorciv]

Have you tried convincing the rep that the block is original to the truck and the head is from the car? Worth a shot.

[DroppedMitsu]

No I did not but they will look at the numbers on the block and see that it is indeed from a car so don't think that will work anyways.

[crvtec90]

time to move

[74Dusted]

No I did not but they will look at the numbers on the block and see that it is indeed from a car so don't think that will work anyways.

Smooth the numbers up with a dremel and stamp the original numbers from your engine block into the new block. Just don't tell anyone. If anything the new engine should be more "smog friendly", at least i would think so.

[DroppedMitsu]

These smog refs know what thy are doing and im sure would be able to tell that I messed with the numbers on the block. And even so I don't think they would still allow.me.to.use the head and all fuel injection,etc. from the car anyways since it says I can't swap from car to truck.

And yes I agree this new motor is def more smog friendly and cleaner burning but u know Cali and their ignorant rules.

[DroppedMitsu]

ok talked to actual state smog ref and it is completely 100% legal!!! Yesterday I only talked to a customer service question person at the B.A.R. so they werent as knowledgable on swaps. The whole from car to truck does NOT matter, as long as you aren't putting a HD truck engine into a smaller vehicle, which would make emission worse. But the guy told me that I'm improving everything pretty much along with the emission (I knew that, thats why I thought it was legal in first place lol) so the Ref that I go see will have no problem with it, as long as I have all the smog equip on it like I originally had in my first truck. So I will be performing the swap in my Macro Cab in the next month or two.

[crvtec90]

cool....now u dont have to move.

[DroppedMitsu]

Haha exactly, saves me a lot of money lol

[4doorciv]

Gotta fix that egr port on the manifold. Does it clear your brake booster? My intake manifold used to rub on the master cylinder on that 3 way thing that is held in by nut and stud.

[DroppedMitsu]

Fix egr port? Yes everything cleared in my truck, no rubbing anywhere

[4doorciv]

How did you cap off the old throttle body opening? Sorry for the question.

[crvtec90]

All jokes aside....its a good thing you tried again to talk to someone knowledgable. I hung out at the city building all morning long and into the afternoon looking for the right person to talk to. Freakin hoops they make you jump through are crazy!

[camoit]

This is why I have a UPS PO box in a county that doesn't smog. Susenville ca. I have a house there that is 4" X 4" X 6" Its a small place but it is a legal address according to the DMV. That is the only way to reg the camo truck.

[DroppedMitsu]

Yea doing something like that could have been an option but id rather do it 100% legal and not have to word about stuff like that.

4doorciv: I just made a blockoff plate and used a gasket and some silicon and bolted the plate up

[4doorciv]

That makes sense then I had a machine shop cut off the flange and weld it to the oposite side. A plate welded to the manifold closed up the hole. The only way I saw the thing fitting with the least amount of modification keeping the oem engine and trans locations.

[pennyman1]

Another option would be to make a block off plate and use aluminum filled epoxy to glue it on. It hardens like aluminum, and can be drilled and tapped like it also. Can also be used to reshape ports in manifolds and other parts; I used it to fix the window frame on my Levan back window that was made wrong to fit the opening. Its resistant to most chemicals and some heat.

[DroppedMitsu]

good to know thanks for the info pennyman!

[beachrat92]

if you dont want to deal with that you can look on this map and find a place you dont have to smog. then like camoit said just get a PO box. NO SMOG yay

http://www.bar.ca.gov/80_BARResources/02_SmogCheck/Engineering/Program_Map.pdf

[beachrat92]

http://www.bar.ca.gov/80_BARResources/02_SmogCheck/Engineering/Program_Map.pdf