LS1Bandit

It's been a long time since I've posted here. After I finished the conversion to an LS1 in my 78 TA I had to take a break both for personal reasons and while I figured out the ridiculous CA smog laws (at the time, the holdup was I didn't have EVAP properly set up).

I finally worked out the details of getting the EVAP working with my setup and thought I was going to be all set to get through smog.

Well, it looks like I waited a little too long because it seems there's yet another new law (which I'm sure most on here are already aware of) where you need the stock fuel tank from the donor engine. Of course there's no way to put a stock 01 Fbody tank on a 78. Sigh.

But apparently that requirement is waived if you use the new LS3 erod crate engine.

It's pretty ridiculous that all the emissions on my current LS1 swap would basically be identical as to what will be there with the LS3, yet the former won't pass and the latter will. That's CA for ya ... and I won't even get into the fact that my original 78, putting out an order of magnitude more pollution and having about 1/3 the fuel efficiency, would have passed .....

After exploring the various options, it looks like doing yet another engine swap is really the only way I'm going to finally get my baby through smog.

On the plus side I'll pick up some more HPs and the "6.6 Liter" stickers on my shaker will be slightly less of a "lie".

71403

What's the "proof" that you have an erod?

Personally I'd be asking if the tank has to remain in the stock location.

badazz81z28

iTrader: (6)

I haven't seen an E-rod engine, but I bet sure as ***** it has an identifier on it.


I want to know how in the heck they would even know if the gas tank was from the donor??

I so hate tree huggers! That LS1 with no emissions is by far a cleaner burning engine than anything from the 70s...Why can't these folks respect that? Its like they are saying they are glad that blows the 70s test out of the water, but hey that's cheating...you need newer higher standards.

stangtrader

iTrader: (2)

Try a different smog station and if they ask tell them the tank was transplanted. I dont think cali smogs to tough to get past.just find the shady smog station.I have alot of friends in norcal with there stuff no where emissions compliant and they get thru

gearhead67

Holy crap... wouldn't it be cheaper to move back to the United States of America?! LOL. Cali is a beautiful place to visit, but I couldn't handle the government's hands around my throat all the time. What a bummer dude. Sounds like you put together a cool ride only to have it become frustrating. Sorry man... good luck.

LS1Bandit

Multiple responses:

The executive order from the CA resource board specifically lists the exact part number for the erod version of the LS3. Only that part# is exempted.

You would not believe how picky they are about things. If the cats are rotated the wrong direction, if the evap canister is not in the stock location (even if in your particular car there is no room to put it there), etc. they will fail you.


We're talking about a smog ref, not a smog station employee. They inspect everything in great detail and know what they're looking at.

Well, you might be able to find a lenient smog station, but since this is an engine conversion it MUST go through a smog referee first. That's a whole different ball of wax from your standard smog station. These are state employees who go over every little detail, and often have students there as observers so they don't let anything slide.

And no, there's no way you could just go to a regular smog station after an engine conversion - no matter how lenient the station may be they're not going to pass something that is completely different from what's supposed to be in there. And even if I could find a smog station that is *that* shady, my car is coming from PA which normally necessitates a smog ref to inspect so that you can register in CA, and even if I were to try and skirt that it absolutely must have a law officer inspect to confirm the VINs and they would note the mismatch of VINs and require the smog ref.

LS1Bandit

Indeed. You would not believe how frustrating this has been from beginning to end. The executive summary: this was my first car - bought it with my paper route money when I was 15. I hung onto it and even though I kept it in great shape, back in about '99 it was showing the effects of being in NE PA so decided to do a restoration. That started a 7 year nightmare. After the restoration was done, for a whole host of reasons, ironically including wanting a more smog/fuel efficient vehicle, I decided to do the conversion to an LS1. That started another long, somewhat difficult process but after it was done I was totally psyched. Only to discover that it wouldn't pass smog due to the EVAP. And the rest was summarized in my first post.

But, in addition to the fact that it was my first car, the below pictures may indicate why I'm sticking with this ridiculously long, painful process:

Redbull87

iTrader: (3)

wow..so glad i dont have to do any of this here.anything from 87 and older are exempt from emissions.the only rule is if you do an engine swap from a newer vehicle is you have to keep the engines smog equipment intact.my lq4 looks like an ls6 so..no egr etc and i can use longtube headers,hi flow cat and good to go.

Redbull87

iTrader: (3)

that is a sharp looking car my friend!

gearhead67

Nice car. My first car was an 81 Camaro that I got when I was 15 too. Often wish I would have held on to it. It's cool you did. Sounds like you need to come back to the midwest... i can't believe they are such ****** to people trying to improve vehicles...

cullen

iTrader: (3)

You might just need to go to another ref. From my experience, some of them have a different perspective on the laws and interpret them differently. Kinda like a cop.

Dmax/04V

Find a way to register it in souther AZ, probably Yuma. No emmisions there.

dbrinas

Hey guys I live in California and I was trying a similar thing as well. I have a 2004 S2000 and am planing to put the LS3 from GMMP. I was thinking of getting the emissions equip from a donor car like an 08-2011 and telling the state ref the stuff came from a 2008, or 2010 model. I did not know about the gas tank. Does it have to be a donor gas tank? I have an 04 car and was wondering if it had to do with newer FI cars with smog equip on it. can i just put the smog equip connected to the donor car to my gas tank?


12 years ago i was able to get a BAR/CARB sticker on my civic with an acura motor in it. I guess its tougher nowadays.

LS1Bandit

I'm not a lawyer, nor a ca smog referee so take this for what it's worth - just my understanding after dealing with this over the past couple years for my conversion. Also, I've only been focusing on the rules for pre95, the rules for post 95 are different in some cases.

CA has been making a lot of changes recently and it's now extremely difficult to do engine conversions legally. You can't use a truck engine in a car or vice versa. You need all of the smog equipment from the engine donor car. It can't just be carb-compliant equipment it has to be the exact equipment and in the exact location as it existed on the donor car. You also need to use the stock fuel tank from the donor car. This latter (new) law is what tripped me up and is why I'm now switching from an ls1 to the ls3 erod.

Gm worked with carb to get an executive order specifically allowing the ls3 erod (which is technically different though effectively the same as a normal ls3) to be installed in pre95 configurations without using the donor fuel tank. You have to install all of the smog equipment that comes with the erod package.

You're in a slightly different situation since you have a post95 vehicle, so the laws might be slightly different for you. You're probably going to have to do some research.

tyler ovel

iTrader: (1)

My buddies day has a 78 camaro that we just got to pass the ca state referee. What he did was got a 98 metal tank , cut the sending unit out of it and had it fabricated in to his old tank 78 tank. Took some time and money but it worked and pass last year.

Also that cold air intake WILL NOT pass the referee. Well at least in Sacramento it won't. We had to put a stock looking lt1 intake elbow on it to look stock. Had to do it for his 78 conversion and my 94 conversion

Good luck man

LS1Bandit

That's pretty close to what I had planned however they've gotten more strict in the last year about the stock fuel tank requirement. The refs are now handing out a sheet with the fuel tank requirement highlighted and saying they will not pass without the stock donor tank.

Yeah I know. A few years ago when the conversion was first done they were letting that through but not any more. When the erod goes in I'm going to go with the stock setup.

Ls1.63cad

That sucks I allso live in the restrictive country of CA and all CARB is is the states way of getting $ out of the people and parts they buy i have 2 intakes firts is not CARB legal the second is and the only difference is 1 was $125 and the CARB legal 1 was $300 thats a lot for a lil tag the Erod is the same way looking into a swap on a costomers truck and the price tag to do the CARB legal EROD over 10k just in parts and to keep it 100% CA it all comes from GM and you have to get it all what a load of bs i would look to AZ it would cost you less to just rent a place for the residence you need to get the paperwork

boardslide

iTrader: (17)

Could you post a pic of that requirement sheet from the ref? The fuel tank thing is going to completely derail my project too. Which ref did you go to?

85GPLEf41

iTrader: (4)

OH, GREAT!!!! If Cali is doing it then Colorado will follow!! F*&K then another "obstacle" to deal with! Damn them treehuggers!! If we follow then then i"m looking to adapt the stock tank..

LS1Bandit

The shop I'm working with is the one that got the info. I'll see if I can get him to scan it in and email it to me.