Uncle Grunpy
according to CA Smog, you can only register a diesel if it came from the same classification car. That leaves only one engine conversion, then 6.5 GM Turbo Diesel which came in 1/2 ton trucks and suburbans in the states.
That is a myth. Completely untrue, based on my personal experience anyway.
Two years ago, I bought a formerly '91 FJ80 that had a 1hz/H151 swapped in. The guy who did it drove it for a month to shake it down, but he did not change the title to diesel. I would have to do that when I did the transfer of ownership.
I was a little nervous because I had heard stories similar to what Torfab said above, but the guy assured me it would be no problem and that he would give me a full refund if I was unable to register it.
I went to AAA in Northridge, CA, not a DMV. Not sure if that matters, but if it does, it would certainly be worth the $45 membership fee to get a diesel swap titled. It's worth it anyways. But I digress...
When I checked in and told the receptionist what I needed to do, without hesitation, he said I needed to see so and so. I felt that the fact he knew exactly who I needed to speak with suggested they had done this before, which I thought was a good thing. A few minutes later, my name was called.
After explaining what I wanted to do to the woman behind the counter, she asked if the truck was here. I told her yes, and to the parking lot we went. She asked me to open the hood, but when she looked at the motor she said "I can't tell by looking if it's a diesel", and asked me to start it up. When I did, she said "It sure sounds like a diesel, but just to be sure, can you remove the fuel cap?" A quick sniff confirmed that it was in fact an oil burner, and she told me we were all set. We went back inside to complete everything, and a couple weeks later, I got the diesel title in the mail.
The woman never looked or asked for any kind of identification on the motor. I did not have, nor was I asked for any kind of letter from the smog police. Nothing. It was exactly that simple.
Whew, that was a lot of typing! I do hope though, that any of my fellow California residents who are willing and able to get a diesel cruiser are not doing it because they don't think it can be registered.
I love the 1hz, but that low mileage HD-FTE makes me jealous!