MR.SMITH

just curious if anyone has done any kind of ls1 swap thats been certified by a cali referee. im just finishing up a ls1 rx7, and am trying to keep it smog legal but im just wondering how much of a hassle this is gonna be to register.
tia bob

burnrubber

iTrader: (1)

I haven't so much as started my planned california smog legal swap yet, but there is one person I know of who it worked out for. I don't have his E-Mail, but you can look on the www.thirdgen.org board in the engine swap forum, there is a long sticky "LS1 Swap general Q&A." Down toward the bottom, the user's name is CobraKilla91Z I think, he got it done and smogged I believe. If that's any help I'm not sure, but I know the basic CA smog rules for engine swaps state that the motor must be from the same model car, and the motor must be the same year or newer than the car. Now I've known this rule to be bent somewhat especially with the Honda / Acura b-series engine swaps, but you'd definately have to prove that the swap is very safe and done right, with all the smog garbage hooked up properly if any ref will give you a chance. I wish you all the luck in the world. That would be huge if you had a legal rx7 with an ls1

v8rich

I'm doing the exact same thing as you. Converting to an LS1 in a 3rd gen.
I won't ready until Mar of next year so you might be further along than me?
Anyway, I called CA. BAR in Sacramento.
Here is what they told me.

1) Yep, it can be done, many do it.
2) The year of the motor, not the car, are the smog requirements you have to pass.
3) If for example, you pulled a motor out of a 2002, then you must pass the OBD II requirements for that year.

Here is the BAR phone # (919) 255-4200
I talked to a guy by the name of Steve, nice person and very helpful.

Hope this helps

Speartech

iTrader: (14)

Sure it's do-able. We did the harness for this third gen Camaro and it passed first time thru.
Here's the thread:

https://ls1tech.com/forums/conversions-swaps/94334-big-thank-you-john-speartech.html

MR.SMITH

can someone explain the evap emission control system. my car keeps throwing this code and since its a emissions code i want to get this working what does it test?

Brads454

Hello,
As Burnrubber and Speartech has posted, yes it's do-able. I am the one they are mentioning. My dad and I passed our car through the ref thanks to Speartech's awsome wiring harness. John I am very sorry I haven't sent the pics I said I was going to, in-fact I'll burn the CD right now and try to mail them A.S.A.P. Since I last posted we've added a Currie 9", Lowering springs, Baer Brakes, and some other cool stuff. I also cleaned up how we orginally routed the wiring a little bit. Heck I haven't even hard wired the fan and fuel pump wires yet, I've been busy with school and I also had to do an engine in my 00 SS that I've since sold so the 91 took a backseat for awhile.

As far as when we took the car to the ref it took about 45 min they checked for E.V.A.P canister, cats, counted the O2's, scanned the computer, hooked it up to the dyno. It passed the first time(the ref station is at my school which is cool, and I know the ref's assitant so he looked the car over the week before at a car show to make sure we were gonna be okay) We also used the 98 gas tank and electronics. I'll post a couple new pics here, but if you have anymore questions just go ahead and ask them, I'll try to check back more often.

The car has gotten pretty dirty since we did the swap, and needs a good bath. But we also have some oil leaks from the rear main and possibly the oil pan. We want to get the AC hooked up as well. I am thinking about a tubular k-member and possibly a set of headers, but time will tell.

Thanks,
Brad

MR.SMITH

so what do they look for in this kind of conversion does it need everything hooked up. the camaro fuel tank isnt going to fit in the rx7 and i dont have a fueltank preasure sensor. did you do any editing to the computer or do you have it working without setting any codes?

Briguy280Z

I am so glad that i stumbled onto this thread!!

I have a Datsun 280Z that i have trasplanted a LS1 into. Evil install but everything did fit including a Z28 gas tank.280Z PICS

So far I have contacted the referee and made sure i have everything connected to the car that he wants.

I have connected all OBDII equipment-
-4 O2 sensors (2 before and 2 after the CATS)
-The air pump and AIR System
-2 OBDII original CATS
-98 Fuel Tank with evap canister and bypass valve
-connected all sensor related to fuel tank pressure and level
-modified wire harness to connect to what was needed including Air conditioning compressor
-All cooling fans are operated by the PCM
-Everything possable for OBDII compliance

One hitch i dont understand and he thinks its required.....Wheel sensors????

A short explaination.....wheel sensors are connected to the Traction Control system. There is a wire that connects the Electronic Brake Traction Control Module to the PCM letting the PCM know that there was a wheel slipping and sends a misfire. He believes this is nessary to pass but he wont make a decision so he is going to let his boss make that decision after the test.

So my question to you is how you got away without connecting them up, did he even ask about them or he just didnt care. If this is the case where are you located and what is the county so i can set up a appointment with this ref!!!

I have been running for a week now without a check engine light...so i am ready for the test!

Brads454

MRSMITH- Our computer hasn't been touched. The car set O2 codes for about a week before they burned off and then the codes went away. You will most likley need the presser sensor because it comes with the whole OBD2 deal. As far as not being able to set the tank the in the car I dont really know what to suggest you do about the fuel stuff, maybe just give your local ref a call and ask for suggestions.

Briguy280Z- One of the ref's we talked to had mentioned the wheel sensors but they told us ABS Sensors when we were first starting to think about the whole deal. But then we found out the ref at my school Las Positas College- Livermore, CA (Alameda County) They wanted to see all the OBD2 smog stuff and we also showed them the pictures of the donor car and pics from all along the swap. But they ref we took it to didn't mention the wheel sensors at all. But I do want to request one thing if you do go back to your ref please don't show him this on our car and how they didn't fail us for no sensors(not that it would happen, I just don't want to chance it). Last thing I need is a glitch because someone may have forgotten something and them yanking our cert. But with that said I don't think its necessary to have the wheel sensors but I could be wrong. The way we found it to be was you could call 5 ref's and get 5 different awnsers on what you need or don't.

I hope I was able to help you guys out a little bit with some awnsers, but if you have more questions I'll try my best to awnser them.
Thanks,
Brad

v8rich

Well, for those of us who are in the process of getting our cars Smog Legal, this thread is great!

I'm currently going though an LS1 swap in a 94 RX7. I'm not as far along as others but I will be finished early March of 2004.

I do find it odd that wheel sensors would be a requirement to pass smog?

The wheel sensors are for the ABS system and traction control uses the wheel sensors also, to detect wheel slippage and therefore cuts the engine to maximize traction. Now my point is.....you can turn off traction control, so if you can turn it off, how or why can it be part of the smog?

Speartech

iTrader: (14)

Briguy:

I think your referee may not understand how the system works. The wheel speed sensors have an input to the misfire system in order to turn it OFF under certain conditions.

GM calls it "rough road" conditions, and when this occurs due to varying wheel speed sensor inputs (tires bouncing slightly on bumpy roads), the PCM ignores engine misfire data because it may be caused by the driving conditions, not an actual misfire.

So when you do an LS1 swap and leave off the wheel sensor input thru the ABS system, it just means that the misfire detection is active all of the time and never disabled due to rough road conditions.

So the bottom line: all emissions and misfire systems are still functioning, and leaving off the wheel speed input should have no affect on the legality of the swap.