renegademike928

i know this is a sore subject... anybody have a california smog legal (not exempt) car? i have about a billion quiestions about LS-1 swaps for smog... let me know..

thanx

Mike Johnson
Renegade hybrids

Oscar Will

It's a real "can of worms" here. To quote an official at the referee station...."you will need to meet the requirements of the original engine installation". You use a 1998 Camaro LS-1 in a conversion.....your completed car has to pass all the requirements of a 1998 Camaro, including all OBD II functions, evap. systems and all. They will plug it in...check the readiness flags to see that enough self tests have passed, then run a complete test. In "enhanced" areas that will include a dyno drive cycle. Another reason why I like my 1935 Ford so much. It is exempt.

CharlieLed

iTrader: (1)

I have an LS1 engine/trans out of a 2002 WS6 in my 1950 Mercury...as far as the DMV "smog *****" are concerned the car is a 2002 Pontiac!

2001CamaroGuy

iTrader: (6)

how did you manage that? it's a 1950 car......did you tell them what the engine came out of or something....how do they know?

Oscar Will

As far as the Calif. DMV is concerned my LS-1 powered 1935 Ford is just a "8 cylinder" Ford. Exempt

CharlieLed

iTrader: (1)

Cars are smogged by engine number not body type or year...

lmarino

California has stopped the 30 year exemption at 1975. If you have a 1975 or older vehicle, it doesn't need to be smogged under the bi-annual program or on change of ownership. Be awares, however, they have left the option open of bringing any of the exempt years back into the program at any time.

Payne

iTrader: (3)

Yes, it has been done.

There is a guy with a swapped 89 camaro that is legal here on the boards, I have heard of a z-car that is legal, and I know someone is taking a RX7 to the ref tomorrow.

My swap is supposed to be smog legal, and I will be headed to the ref soon.

NX74LS6

My '74 Camaro was sitting for 9 yrs before I bought it . DMV has no record of the vehicle. When I register it I have to fill out a vehicle ID form but I'm wondering that they might say the car has to be smogged by the year of the engine. I spoke to a state referee station and they said that what ever year the engine is the emissions standards had to be met for the year of the motor not the car . Of course that's when my "donor" car was going to be a '77 Camaro. Hopefully the '74 Camaro will be exempt regardless of the engine year. At my AAA(DMV) they told me to just bring it in when it's running and then fill out the VIN Verification at that time. I'm a little worried that they'll pop the hood and say " that motor has to pass 2001 emissions!!". LT's and no cats just don't cut it in the emissions department. I also heard a Sherriff can fill out a VIN ver. certificate. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.
Nick

Payne

iTrader: (3)

If you are swapping into a smog exempt car, you dont have to go to the ref....

Its only for guys like me that are swapping in vehicles ahead of the 30 year rolling exemption.

2001CamaroGuy

iTrader: (6)

Cars in Cali = OWNED!

here its the other way around.....vin # = car......you could cut the vin # of a 1932 pickup, put it on a 2005 Vette and you have a 1932 pickup......

wtsthslfe4

I have a 76 camarao and im looking to drop in a LS1 or vortec engine into it. I have been looking at enignes on ebay and other places but i was wondering if i had to get an engine from CA. Cars w/ LS1 engines had a YF5 package installed in them called "CA emissions equipment." I have yet to find out what this is does anyone know? Would i need to find a motor in CA w/ this or would any LS1 motor work?

Thanks for the help
Scott

Oscar Will

The difference in CA or 49 State emissions is all in periphials.....softwear (calibration) or minor stuff like evap. systems. For the most part there isn't much difference any more. Since you are in CA. you might benefit from a CA donor car.

67 Hot Rod Bird

I grew up in California and recently moved to Texas and had the same smog rules questions about an engine swap. I went to the local smog referee and asked him about the rules. He really was not sure so he got out his book and we found out that the car must qualify for the later date of 3 events.....1-The year of the vehicle.....2-The year of the Engine......3-The year of the modification. I guess this means (technically) if my '67 car has a '99 engine and the swap was made in '05 I must adhere to the rules of '05.
I guess it helps that the smog refs themselves don't know the rules. How are you guys in Texas getting it done? I'm going to need some help with this in a few months when I get to the stage of getting this thing on the road.

Born-again 7

I just passed California smog in a 93 RX7 with a 2002 LS1 out of a camero. It wasn't as bad as i thought it was going to be. The referee was impressed with the work and asked few questions. You can see the details here:

http://www.torquecentral.com/showthr...4&page=1&pp=25

renegademike928

california sucks *** thats for sure. i knew there was a reason i moved to nevada. ok i started all this now i have been doing a little thinking (i know scary!!) but why not set up the car as a 98 F body with a return fuel system and set up the entire emission system to match? i want to talk to a calif smog ref, do any of you guys have a name and phone number of somebody that seemed cool? or at least had a pulse. let me know. the ls-1 smog thing is new to me, i have been doing LT-1 and TPI smog legal conversions for years, but have not touched a ls-1 for smog yet. the returnless fuel system seems to be a real pain in the *** to try to use. the last car i did was a ls-1 but no smog, race car only, and the motor was a 01 and i installed a 98 rail and regulator assy and it works awesome. so what are your feelings on that? let me know.

ls1_chevelle

iTrader: (9)

All fine and dandy till you write it off and you get a 1932 back for your insurence claim.

-Matt

Born-again 7

You might be on to something, after all meeting 01 standards should be more dificult than 98 requirements. Purchasing an older engine will also be cheaper. I chose an 02 engine it already has many of LS6 parts. The fuel rails are good for more horsepower, the intake is better, the 02's dont require EGR, the clutch is the same as the ZO6, but i must meet tighter requirement than 98. Also the 02's use the pup catalitic converters. I believe the 98's use one larger one twords the center of the car. There is not much room under the hood or the belly of an 93 RX7. Changing the location of the converters is illegal. I could not get a 98 converter under my car in the right position without lifting the car 4 or 5 inches. The pup cats fit fine because they are mounted imediatly after the exhaust manifolds. The returnless fuel system is very simple on my year ls1, one hose runs from the engine to the factory fuel pump wich you must retrofit into your tank because of the vapor presure sensor is atached to the LS1 fuel pump assembly. Getting the 02 to pass smog wasn't that dificult im content with my choice of power plants.

slow

iTrader: (7)

and 98 f-car rails are the same as 99-02 its just the 97 and early 98 vettes that have a return line.

Ryan

renegademike928

so there is a lot of good info given here and i am thankful of it. one other question i have, can i put a 01 or 02 motor in (so i dont have to use that crappy ugly EGR) but run the early vette fuel rail with a return line in it? i dont want to have to run the fuel pump, fuel pressure sensor, and all that crap if i dont have to. the OEM tank in these cars is FRIGGIN plastic, modifying that to work would suck! any of you guys that have smogged your car thru the referees in california have any contact names/numbers of your ref that you could pass down the line, i would really like to pick his brain before i get *** deep in this project. i hate to because all it does is give me a headahce and **** me off. thank you again...