Hey all, I've been working up to take the FTE, LX450 for emissions.
If you live in the Colorado Metro areas, odds are you'll have to take your vehicle for emissions testing before you can register, and plate/tag the vehicle.
As the title states, I am now stuck in legal limbo with my LX450. I'll give a brief history of my total registration/title history in case this may help others who are thinking of doing the swap in the area where emissions are required.
If you live in the Colorado Metro areas, odds are you'll have to take your vehicle for emissions testing before you can register, and plate/tag the vehicle.
As the title states, I am now stuck in legal limbo with my LX450. I'll give a brief history of my total registration/title history in case this may help others who are thinking of doing the swap in the area where emissions are required.
- Early 2025 - When I bought the LX450 both cats we're removed, so at the time I opted to just pay sales tax in Jefferson County, CO. This allowed me to get a temp tag, and gave me time to find some catalytic converters for emissions.
- April 2025 - I decided to go down the diesel rabbit hole, and found about the 1hdfte, I then bought an HDJ100, getting me my engine. I had also moved to a new County, this complicates things further, Jefferson County took the tax money, Adams county wanted to charge that same tax again to continue registration, I didn't follow through because taxation is theft, and I had already paid a sales tax, to the same state.
- September 2025 - The swap is complete, and now I need to register this thing and get an actual plate instead of temp tags that are only good till OCT 10, 2025.
- Oct 2025 - To register a diesel, the tag office states you need to get a vin verification/road worthy inspection done by Colorado State Patrol, easy enough.
-DR 2704, Is filled out by the State Patrol, they check safety equipment, lights, horn, brake switch.
-They also State, "Vehicle converted from Gas to Diesel" - Feb 2026 - To be able to emissions test a "grey" market vehicle/engine, you need form DR 2365 filled out by a technician/supervisor at the Denver Emissions Technical Center, my understanding is they somehow, try to confirm if your engine/vehicle has it's emissions equipment, and it's still installed/operational.
Now I didn't have high expectations for passing this because I've deleted the crossover/EGR, but I held onto it in the event I needed it to pass emissions. The impossible part with this is, and as I understand it from the supervisor. The Emissions Technical Center or EPA, have zero frame of reference for the engine, or the emissions equipment it's supposed to have. I argued why should they care for a frame of reference when the vehicle the engine is in, the vehicle that was imported, and the engine are all 25+ years or older? He stated they are still required to be certified by the EPA to be tested and registered in the Emissions Program Area. I also argued I could provide parts diagrams showing what these vehicles came with in stock form regarding emissions equipment. He stated that's not enough, and the burden is on ME to find a vehicle that was sold in the united states with the same engine that I've swapped into my LX450... Which we all know here, doesn't ****ing exist. He was nice enough to recommend a Cummins 2.8 repower
Here's the killer for guys trying to swap, the supervisor has basically stated, if you swap a grey market diesel engine, into any vehicle. They WILL not allow you to get an opacity test at an emissions shop, basically killing the pathway to legally register your vehicle in the state of Colorado. He also stated, that the vehicle is technically illegally operating on Colorado roads.
I know there are other methods, Registering outside of the Emissions program requires a proof of residence, which I do not have. The Montana LLC route, which I fear is a ticking timebomb because some states may view it as tax evasion.
I could attempt to register it in two other states we own property in, Georgia, or Oregon. Which basically puts me in the Montana plate category. I'm going to ponder on it and think next steps.
Anyway, if you live in an emissions enforcing area hellscape, move. I would, but I just bought a house, and I really like my garage.
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. Love it.
That was the precise moment my plan changed and I tripled my budget to get a supercharged model with a CARB sticker. He has all the power and he's not the only one who thinks like that. They've got a plannit to save, after all. 
