Engine swap and regs in Reno (1 Viewer)

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I'm currently in the process of resurrecting a 85 Fj60. It doesn't have a motor in it, motor got hot and cracked the heat. So I'm going to put in a SBC into it. Is it going to be a nightmare to get registered and smogged? I'm in washoe county and I've heard of people having problems and the rules have changed in the last year apparently. Any help would be much appreciated. Greg
 
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Go to the main DMV and talk to the smog guys down there.
When you do, get a business card and write down the name, date and time you talked to this individual and HOLD ON TO IT!!
I just went through this process w/ them last year.
The smog is going to be based on the year and title. I THINK that if its am 88 or later you have to be in full OBD compliance.
My rig is a 76, and I checked w/ them 5 times over the two years I was building. I was told BY THE SUPERVISOR that all I needed to be smogged to was the 76 year code. My motor is an 01'. Know they can be pricks, everytime I talked to them, I got different stories... They would then ask the supervisor and he said the above. I wrote down the dates and times and who I talked to EVERY TIME!!
The reason I tell you this is..
When I took the rig down to get registered the SUPERVISOR started heading DOWN THE ROAD of "well, where's all your smog equipment?" I then told him that "well, per you guys all I needed was the 76 smog regs. " he then says "who told you that?!" I pulled out all the business cards that had the names, dates etc. one them. Then he says..."we'll go ahead and write him for the sniff test " as if he were doing me a favor or something!! A$$ HOLE!!
Cover your bases, go there and talk to them directly, but cover your ass along the way.
If they want to eff w/ you, they will!!
 
BTW,

Even if they do require you to do the OBD, its not that hard.
What ever motor you run, get all the smog stuff w/ it. Howell fuel injection systems makes brand new, plug and run wiring w/ what ever computer you need.
I'd recommend the vortec motors ANY DAY!!
 
Per what Jack told me recently when I almost pulled trigger on an '89 62 sans motor: 30-years and newer in Reno/Sparks portions of Washoe County (or Washoe County entirely?) and Clark County the OEM of engine must match OEM of chassis.
 
Ok all that's good to know. Thanks. I'm putting a 4.4L Chevy in it to start with its a 1980 motor I think. An down line I want to put a vortec in it. But phase 1 of the build is to get it back on the road and or the price I got the motor for I can't beat it. Free. Hoping to get it running in the next couple of months.
 
4.4 motor? Never heard of that size before and if it is a 1980, you might as well not bother. They can and will run the engine serial number to determine if it is a correct year motor. At the very least, it has to be from the same year or newer and as Chicago and Spressomon pointed out, the laws have changed and they now want the motor to match the chassis manufacturer. That is part of what Chicago when through and the only thing that saved him was that it was a 1976. The newer the chassis, the more difficult it becomes.

Follow Chicago's advise and GET IT IN WRITING if they tell you than you can put a GM motor in a Toyota chassis. Get this done before you ever turn a wrench or acquire any replacement parts. And no they don't care that you would be replacing a tractor/smog spewing 2f with a clean modern motor. That is what happens when people with no idea make the rules...

Jack
 
It's a 267 out of a Chevy Malibu. Looks like ill have to "rent" property in another county. Lol oh well. Ill talk to the emissions guys at the
DMV first. Thanks for the advice and info. I appreciate it.
 
Per what Jack told me recently when I almost pulled trigger on an '89 62 sans motor: 30-years and newer in Reno/Sparks portions of Washoe County (or Washoe County entirely?) and Clark County the OEM of engine must match OEM of chassis.
So does that mean it has to be the same type of engine or just the same Manufacturer?
For instance, assuming it could be done, could you put a V8 from a 100 into a 60?
 
Well if its just the block you need for that 2f let me know i happen to have a couple floating around that is if you wanna rebuild stock motor anyway number is 775-530-4292 thats if you find out it will be easier to do that then a motor swap.

Dan
 
So does that mean it has to be the same type of engine or just the same Manufacturer?
For instance, assuming it could be done, could you put a V8 from a 100 into a 60?

To me that would logically state that it could be any engine as long as it was from Toyota, i.e. you could swap in a Tundra V8 or diesel.

However, logical and government rarely go hand-in-hand (this is coming from a state worker) so it may end up depending on the ref that you get.

And as far as DEQ/SMOG/EMISSIONS compliance, it is all dependent on the county of registrar for the vehicle. Washoe County entire and Clark county entire require emissions compliance. Outside of those, you are open to anything smog related (as long as your vehicle does not visibly pollute or smoke).
 
Are you certain its 100% of Washoe County? Or possibly, as I thought I read somewhere, the metro areas of Washoe County?
 
Well if its just the block you need for that 2f let me know i happen to have a couple floating around that is if you wanna rebuild stock motor anyway number is 775-530-4292 thats if you find out it will be easier to do that then a motor swap.

Dan

I think the blocks ok. But I know the head is bad. And in just going to put something in it a SBC that the parts are easier to find. But thank you for the offer. Eventually ill have to do something with the 2F.
 
Did you hit up the DMV yet??

A v8 is a BEAUTIFUL engine in a rig that size.
I went from a 3fe to the vortec and its NIGHT and DAY difference. So much more pleasant to drive on the hwy.
I HATED the f motors for hwy performance. The vortec was originally going to go into my 62 until I went a different direction altogether w/ the 40.
If you can do it, I would. The cost of the swap would probably be LESS than the cost to re build the f motor and you get the performance gain.
Check into the swap.
 
No I haven't had any real time yet. I would out of state and days off lately have been limited. But I will definetly keep you posted. I'm hoping to get it in the vehicle next month for a trial fit. But I'll keep you guys posted on the DMV.
 
Are you certain its 100% of Washoe County? Or possibly, as I thought I read somewhere, the metro areas of Washoe County?

Could be but I think it might be left to interpretation as from what I remember reading it said "Washoe and Clark Counties PROPER", in which case they may let you slide dependent on the distance to get the vehicle smogged. Let me do some digging and research and see what I can come up with.

Ok here is the "Emissions Approximation Map" http://www.dmvnv.com/emission_areas.htm
and from the Emissions page: Vehicles based in remote areas of Clark and Washoe counties and all other Nevada counties (see Testing Areas or call us).

So rural areas of said counties are exempt but you will have to call for a referee qualification on that.
 
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So after a few hours of research here is what I came up with, pretty similar to what everyone has said
- engine has to be same model year or newer
- all emissions equipment must be present
- new engine type must be declared to DMV
- for smog counties, original emissions check must be done at head office
- emissions check will be done to standards of declared vehicle engine (so if you threw in a 5.3L Vortec from 2002 you would comply by those standards)

Now I have seen some discussions talking that the swapped engine must come from same mfg, i.e. you could dump a Hemi into a Jeep because they are both owned by Chysler. So whether that is true or not I am not sure, but that would open up easier options for doing Toyota Diesel swaps, or swaps with Lexus V8s like Skinner is doing on the 60s forum.
 
Well if you need i have a couple heads as well just so you know



Dan :cheers::steer::bounce::bounce2:
 
I'm bringing back this thread in the hope that you guys can share your wisdom.

I am really interested in bringing my 82 FJ60 back to life ( blown head gasket and general neglect). I have a lead on an Isuzu 4bd2t set up that would be amazing, but how to make it legal in Washoe County?

I spoke with the Reno DMV emissions lab and the guy said flat out "no". Has to be an engine that was offered in the make and model. So a later cruiser engine would work but that's it.

Now, I happen to know that guys, like you Chicago, have pulled off legal swaps successfully and fairly recently but I'm not really sure where to go from here. Also does it being diesel add a level of complexity that make this a complete pipe dream. I'm not interested in registering in another county address and dealing with the potential problems that could arise with that.

So, what does one do to persuade the DMV?

Thanks in advance.

-Ed
 
Ed,
Unfortunately, the answer you get at the Reno DMV is going to depend on WHO you talk with down there. They LOVE the power they have and like to assert it wherever they can.
That being said.... My rig (being a 76) fell under a different emissions era, so it made my life much easier. Mine did not have to be OBD compliant and I was held to the 76 emissions standards.
Now I do know that after 80 year, something vehicles,, the rules completely changed and one would be required to have full OBD II Compliance and emissions and the engine needed to be the vehicles model year or newer.
Mine is a gasser too, so I can not speak to diesels at all.
I checked w/ them through EVERY STEP of my build, every few mos. just to make sure the regs hadn't changed. Everytime I went there, I'd get a different answer (one that was NOT good news for me) and I would make them refer to the supervisor to get the final word. At that point when I got the REAL story, I would grab a biz card of whomever I was talking with, write down the date and time and a brief statement of the topic discussed (so I could recall it) and stick it in my wallet and HOLD ON TO IT!!
When I did go in for the final check off, the SUPERVISOR tried to EFF W/ me!! He said "well, you have the OBD and emissions connected?" I said, "well, per YOU, its not required." He said "who told you that?" I then Whipped out my cards and the dates and times and started rolling them off... He then said "okay, well go ahead and write it up." The point I'm trying to relate... COVER YOUR ASS! They can be real PRICKS!! Also, even IF the first guy you talk to says "yeah... That shouldn't be a problem. " DON'T BELIEVE IT!! Make the KNOW wether its NOT or IS a problem.
They could give a F@CK how much you've spent or how hard you worked based on BAD information THEY have to you, so its up to YOU to make them commit to what they tell you. Also, the regs do seem to change FREQUENTLY, so keep checking back.

HTH!!

K
 

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