CA DMV problem (sigh)

[ChuckB]

Originally Posted by Captain23

I had to DEQ my 83 Bj60 for Portland right after I got it from canada, I ran about two or three tanks of B100 through, changed the fuel filter and ran B100 on the test date, passed with flying colors they said.

Good to know!

My opinion for the original poster is to register out of state, I think that's the easiest way to get around all this, unless you are willing to do the swap as mentioned.

[bagh33ra]

Originally Posted by brownbear

instead of removing it.... make it parts. End the battle with the DMV. Break it up into lots of parts so the can't find it to crush it.

Buy a rusty early model FJ40 and build it up new with your parts. Just make sure the frame on the early model is used and is stamped. Then do a diesel swap/and body onto it. Make it LH drive and use the early VIN on the FJ40.

Lot's of fawking around, but in the end you have a nice clean diesel 40 with a rusty frame. In a few years you could always do a frame swap.....

SO see if you can put a salvage title on it for parts. The BJ42 vin will never be used again.

This is probably the best bet at this point.

[panoramic]

It appears it would be **FAR** easier to title / reg this in Nevada than to move the parts around to another vehicle.

What would be the potential problems in doing this?

[Captain23]

If you get someone on the coast or in rural Oregon, it doesn't even need DEQ, all my vehicles registered down here, even the gassers are exempt!

[Dougal]

Other than the diesel, does the FMVSS have an issue with the steering wheel being on the wrong side?

[amaurer]

Originally Posted by Dougal

Other than the diesel, does the FMVSS have an issue with the steering wheel being on the wrong side?

Nope. FMVSS doesn't have a problem with it at all.

In fact, I think CA was convinced of the FMVSS angle too, its the EPA side thats the hold up.

[owensexport]

Here is the legislation for the light duty diesel testing program:

Diesel-Powered Vehicles
Add: Vehicle Code §4755
(AB 233 Chapter No. 592)
Amend, Repeal, and Add: Health & Safety Code §§44010.5, 44011, 44012
(AB 1488 Chapter No. 739)
(Operative January 1, 2010)
• Adds diesel-powered vehicles manufactured after the 1997 model-year that have a gross vehicle weight rating of less than 8,501 pounds to be in the biennial smog check program.


As with all senseless laws, subject to change at anytime!

[lostmarbles]

Hi Amaurer

I've been following your numererous threads as you've been rebuilding your BJ42. And I've been feeling your enthusiasm as you begin to realise your dreams.

So now I really feel for you as I hear how your "authorities" are doing their best to kill off your plans.

Your state politicians probably think they're leading the world in being "green". Yes they are. If you choose the "ignorant" meaning for the word "green".

One doesn't automatically associate "a government who cares nothing about individuals in its population" with "the land of the free".

Unfortunately like-minded beaurocrats elsewhere in the world are following California's lead. (Even in far-flung reaches like NZ.)

The fact is, people like us are such a small proportion of the general population that what we do has a negligible effect on the environment - even if our vehicles were polluters (which yours isn't).

Surely classic old vehicles are like "old buildings with architectural-merit". They are to be preserved for future generations to enjoy. Not wiped out by ill-considered legislation.

There is no need to snare old vehicles like ours with "retrospective legislation". If new standards are restricted to NEW vehicles it doesn't take long for the desired changes to take effect. For heavens sake, there is no need for legislators to be impatient. By far the majority of vehicles driven in this country (which would be considerably "poorer" than USA, Canada, or Australia) are under 15 years old.

What's more, in your case your authorities are targeting you with "country-of-origin" prejudice. So you should feel no guilt whatsoever if you attempt to circumvent their silly rules and regulations. Such rules and regulations deserve "utter contempt"!!!!

(Next California will have roving "hit squads" that shut down motor racing events to test all competing vehicles for emissions/smog. Oops. Maybe saying this will implant the idea into their tiny brains?)

Good luck.

[amaurer]

I will get this truck registered. Probably not in CA, but it will happen. Gratifyingly, I went to the DMV to get more time on my temporary tags (which really shouldn't be allowed since I withdrew my application) and they were so confused by the situation in their computer they got frustrated and just cut me new tags.

In any case, thanks for the kind words. With luck I'll be updating the thread with my success before the end of Feb!

[circle456]

Originally Posted by amaurer

Checkmate. 30 days to remove the vehicle from California.

Import paperwork (exemption forms) didn't cut it with the DMV. RI's won't (or can't) conform the vehicle because of CARB. I'm ****ed.

The "Codes" are written for "Vehicles", a word of art meaning "engaged in commerce or in government service". When you register something you are turning over ownership. The "license plate" is their number for their "vehicle". Your "Drivers License" is so you can drive their "vehicle". Some friends of mine have done this: Turned in their plates and registration to CA DMV. They have put plates on their private conveyances stating: Notice....
Private Property....No Trespassing. They don't get hassled at all.
It's called freedom. F#@k Kalifornia. The diesel buses shuffling prisoners around pollute a lot more than you ever will. Good Luck.

[flybynight]

Feeling for your troubles.....

Tho the registering out of state option is the easiest, if you plan on driving it here in CA you run the risk of starting this process all over.

If a vehicle is operated in CA for an extended period of time it has to be registered here. Which means if you get cited for anything the clock starts. As long as you don't get pulled over you are ok.

Perhaps petitions to legislature are in order.

good luck.

[cruiser_guy]

Originally Posted by JuanGrande

It appears that all light-duty diesels will be required to be smog tested, but no one has been able to definitively give me an answer about older vehicles. The one point that I have kept coming back to is that diesels in CA are not smog-exempt, they simply are exempt until 2011 from being tested - big difference. I was so close to pulling the trigger on the 1HZ motor, but that would have been a very expensive gamble.

In Vancouver, British Columbia and area they have been smog testing light duty diesels like the 3B for at least 10 years. I have NEVER even been close to failing with my Toyota diesels (3B both naturally aspirated and turbo'd as well as a naturally aspirated "L" engine).

The test criteria is less than 30% opacity, whatever that means exactly I'm not sure, and I am generally below 5% and often at 0% on regular diesel fuel.

I have had an '84 BJ60 that was in need of a rebuild that had so much blowby that occasionally folks would ask if it was on fire!! If the blowby was low enough or not visible so that I was allowed into the building to be checked, it too passed easily!

Personally, I wouldn't worry too much about smog testing on the diesels unless you've messed around with fuel delivery or injection timing. In the end, if you meet the emissions standards as they applied on the date of manufacture you should be OK.

[Diesel42]

Maybe these new diesel emissons testing will act in our favor as it will provide an outlet for proving it passes some smog criteria. As it sits now, they ask for a letter from Toyota. As Toyota was never required to provide such testing from the beginning they have no way of providing such a letter. New diesels are manufactured for California so there's no problem. They want some evidence to support smog compliance for a state that has no smog reg's regarding diesels. It's a catch-22 for the motorist. So once the smog testing becomes required one could simply bring a certificate of emissions as we do with our gassers every other year,then no problem.

[Diescipel]

I feel your pain. This is exactly the scenario that happened to me when I first brought in my BJ42, but I was able to get the clear title from CADMV by throwing all my RI paperwork at them. It looks like somebody at CADMV has gotten wind of these imports and they are clamping down. My situation was relatively easy, Diesel42's was harder, and now your situation seems impossible. So CA DMV in its infinite wisdom seems to have banned diesel LCs from Cali.

The irony in my situation is that my BJ42 is now going back to Canucklandia to its new home. One less diesel LC in Cali.

Wish I could help, but you're doing everything I did, but it's no longer working with CA DMV so I have nothing to add...

B

[brownbear]

rip out the diesel. Stick in a smelly 454 with a couple 02 sensors and cats to comply with the regulations and pollute like crazy.

Their heads must be up there asses.






Actually I stand by my first comment of making your truck a 1960's FJ40. Too early for smogging...

[Moe R]

My 84 came from CA and has CA emissions stickers under the hood so I know it had to pass some kind of test. To register in CT was a simple test. The DMV had a list of places that test diesels. You'd think that they would atleast test you and then deny. But to not let u test at all dosen't add up.Mabe u can copy these stickers Good luck.

[cruiser_guy]

Originally Posted by Moe R

My 84 came from CA and has CA emissions stickers under the hood so I know it had to pass some kind of test. To register in CT was a simple test. The DMV had a list of places that test diesels. You'd think that they would atleast test you and then deny. But to not let u test at all dosen't add up.Mabe u can copy these stickers Good luck.

Moe, I don't know where those stickers came from or who made them up but they most definitely DO NOT apply to a 3B engine which is what I assume is in your BJ42!

You'd have a tough time finding an EGR valve or a purge tank or any of the other stuff that your sticker talks about (unless someone has really gone to town on that engine).

[Moe R]

Originally Posted by cruiser_guy

Moe, I don't know where those stickers came from or who made them up but they most definitely DO NOT apply to a 3B engine which is what I assume is in your BJ42!

You'd have a tough time finding an EGR valve or a purge tank or any of the other stuff that your sticker talks about (unless someone has really gone to town on that engine).

I hear u. It's a 3B, but none of that stuff is on the engine. I can only asume that the stickers were necessary to get the vehicle regestered in CA.

[amaurer]

HAHA!! Don't forget the fact that the sticker says a 1984 vehicle conforms to 1997 regulations! I love it... Also I think I see its listed as 132cu. in... Missing a few liters there, I think, heehee.

As it stands, none of this will work for me now. I was going to put on fradulent stickers and have it reinspected, however I got friendly with one of the women in the Tech Compliance division and she warned me that the file is going to stay open. I don't give the DMV more credit for intelligence than due, but I suspect that even they would catch me on this one...

[Cruiserdrew]

Just my advice, but you need a pre 75 frame and title. That is the only way to beat this foolish and irresponsible state law.

[amaurer]

I have "sold" the vehicle to a member of my family in another state. I will be "borrowing" it indefinitely here in CA.

A frame swap might be more 's than I'm capable of.

[chenkajou]

hey boys- i just finished importing a 60 with a 2h into cali. from b.c. and had no problems. but, according to my canadian r.i., if the vin doesn't have the full 17 digits, they won't even try. there's something about california just flat out denying trucks with those other numbers. also, she was telling me that if you get a truck into california without all the appropriate paperwork done from the exporting country, california is famous for just saying 'no'. as for the future emissions testing, i have heard that it will be a 2-tier test, with older cars and trucks having one set of standards and newer vehicles having a tougher set of standards. i just haven't heard if there is an age beyond which you don't have to test. we'll see. currently my truck is in the shop getting a checkup, but when i get it back, i'll see about a picture of those emissions stickers. sorry to hear about all the troubles you're having. i feel sort of guilty that mine has gone so well. although without this forum and the archives, i never would have been able to make it happen.

geoff

[amaurer]

Plates in hand!

Courtesy of a state without its head up it own ass.

[panoramic]

Amaurer,
can you give a few more details as to what exactly happened?
Which state did you use? Is it possible to try and register the truck later in Cal. as a move from another American state? Do you need to surrender your plates while that would occur?

Perhaps you will just decide to hold things as they are indefinitely....

[amaurer]

The executive summary is:

- if the truck has a less-than-17 digit VIN, you get to speak with CA's tech compliance unit.

- north american trucks excluded, they will ask for compliance testing (different from smog testing)

- there are no licensed diesel compliance testing labs

- they'll refund your $ and cancel the registration

- *if you try things like I did without registering in another state FIRST, there is no going back, your VIN is forever taboo'd in CA* unless...

- if, when registering in another state after being denied in CA, that state issues a 17-digit VIN, then you CAN re-register in CA.

- i registered in Illinois. there were no problems, they actually have a checklist of the import epa/fmvss exemption forms that we know and love, and expect them. plates issued on the spot.

[SurfPonto]

Originally Posted by amaurer

The executive summary is:

- if the truck has a less-than-17 digit VIN, you get to speak with CA's tech compliance unit.

- north american trucks excluded, they will ask for compliance testing (different from smog testing)

- there are no licensed diesel compliance testing labs

- they'll refund your $ and cancel the registration

- *if you try things like I did without registering in another state FIRST, there is no going back, your VIN is forever taboo'd in CA* unless...

- if, when registering in another state after being denied in CA, that state issues a 17-digit VIN, then you CAN re-register in CA.

- i registered in Illinois. there were no problems, they actually have a checklist of the import epa/fmvss exemption forms that we know and love, and expect them. plates issued on the spot.

Congrats on getting your BJ42 registered. I was following your story. What a pain in the a%$#.

Interesting that a few vendors on EBay are selling non-Canadian diesel LandCruisers and saying there is no problem on getting them into Cali.After reading your story I am having doubts.

Bob