California: Can you install a cleaner stronger bigger engine and pass smog? (1 Viewer)

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California Question: Can you install a cleaner, stronger, bigger engine and pass smog?

Does anyone know if it is legal to replace on a '85 the 2F motor with a newer (hence cleaner) Ford or Chevy V8 and pass smog as legal?

Any advice and acurate info very appreciated!
 
California Question: Can you install a cleaner, stronger, bigger engine and pass smog?

Does anyone know if it is legal to replace on a '85 the 2F motor with a newer (hence cleaner) Ford or Chevy V8 and pass smog as legal?

Any advice and acurate info very appreciated!

I'm speaking as an outsider, but from what I've read...

1. You can swap in any engine that's the same age or newer than the chassis it's going into, from a vehicle of the same size class (i.e. a passenger car/SUV/light truck). So, no medium- or heavy-duty truck engines, but anything from a passenger vehicle is fair game. A chevy 350 will generally work.

2. You have to keep the entire factory emissions system/configuration as was in the vehicle the engine came from. So, if your V8 has two O2 sensors, you need two O2 sensors, and they have to be the same distance downstream from the manifold.

3. The engine has to be connected to the same transmission (or at least same type of transmission; this is a fuzzy area) as the vehicle the engine came from. So, you can't put a GM V8 that was in front of an automatic in front of a Toyota manual, but you'd be fine if you swapped the engine/transmission together. Alternately, there are some contradictory reports, but it sounds like you can put a GM/Ford/etc. engine in front of a Toyota transmission if the engine was originally bolted to the same type (either manual or automatic).
 
Yes, you can.
 
I'm speaking as an outsider, but from what I've read...

1. You can swap in any engine that's the same age or newer than the chassis it's going into, from a vehicle of the same size class (i.e. a passenger car/SUV/light truck). So, no medium- or heavy-duty truck engines, but anything from a passenger vehicle is fair game. A chevy 350 will generally work.

2. You have to keep the entire factory emissions system/configuration as was in the vehicle the engine came from. So, if your V8 has two O2 sensors, you need two O2 sensors, and they have to be the same distance downstream from the manifold.

3. The engine has to be connected to the same transmission (or at least same type of transmission; this is a fuzzy area) as the vehicle the engine came from. So, you can't put a GM V8 that was in front of an automatic in front of a Toyota manual, but you'd be fine if you swapped the engine/transmission together. Alternately, there are some contradictory reports, but it sounds like you can put a GM/Ford/etc. engine in front of a Toyota transmission if the engine was originally bolted to the same type (either manual or automatic).

To my knowledge #1 and #2 are correct. #3 though isn't entirely. I have a SBC in my 60 and I have no idea what the original vehicle, if any as it could have been a crate motor, that my SBC came from. It still has the original Toyota 4 speed in it too. There is no way for the smog shop to know this with my vehicle as there is no VIN anywhere on the engine, in the state records, or on the emissions sticker. It only says the size of the motor.

An additional note on exhaust. The pipe you put in has to match the manufacturers specification for the motor. This included pipe diameter, cat, muffler and the above mentioned 02 sensors (though I think an extra 02 sensor is ok). The laws recently got beefed up on these matters.


Engine swaps require a referee to check on the conversion the first time its smogged. It will test out according to the year, make and model of the motor, not the cruiser. Also, every smog test after that initial referee test will be likely at a Star Certified Smog shop, not a regular one. I'd suggest making sure that you can get an appointment with a referee and have star certified smog shops in your area before you do the conversion.
 
I talked with the ref when I got my swap done about the transmission issue and what I got was if it's a non computer controlled or obd1 motor basically pre 1995 the trans doesn't matter. But if it's an obd2 motor you have to use the transmission that was originally bolted to that motor from the factory. I'm sure people have gotten away with doing otherwise and someone will chime in and say they have a smog legal 5.3 with a Toyota trans but from my research and talking to the ref that's not legal.
 
They classify the LC as a 1500 or half ton truck. So in theory if you found a diesel out of a half ton or lighter vehicle that was available for sale as a new vehicle in California built after the cruiser was it would be a legal swap in theory but you would have to find one and spend a boat load of money and time to get it to work in a lc. But I have seen a thread where it was confirmed that you can put a Toyota diesel in and be legal.
 

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