Risu2112

Hello!

I am putting an LS2 or (maybe an LS1) into my 1990 S13 next month or so for some reason. I have the ambitious plan of getting the swap certified here in california, Does any one know if ANYONE has ever successfully made an 240sx +LSx swap street legal in this crappy state (visual & smog check)? Or also any one that tried and failed too?

This is about to be a very expensive experiment...

PXRdriFT

I haven't heard of anyone doing it. I think the problem lies in the headers.

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98s14inaz

I wish you luck. It may be cheaper to move out of commiefornia and do the swap in another state. The headers and anything else that isn't oem are definitely going to ding you when you try to emission that thing.

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Risu2112

It looks like we're going to take the factory header and just bend it around the steering column, all the carb stuff will still be on it so I think that part will pass alright.

g6civcx

You may want to check that. No Chevy I know has carbs in 90 or newer.

In order to be legal you have to replicate a setup from a 90 or newer model.

Risu2112

What I'm saying is if I use the factory header I would be safe, and I'm just banking on them not noticing it's bent to get around the column.

murda-c

carb stands for California Air Resources Board

whiteytighties

From what I remember on the DMV's website a few yrs ago the engine must be of the same make as the vehicle and engine must be of same yr or newer than the vehicle to be legal.

!Zar!

Same year or newer.

Doesn't have to be same make.

As long as it utilizes all the oem equipment off of the new motor then you're fine.

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Risu2112

Yeah, this is correct, make of the engine doesn't matter, the car gets tested as if it were the platform that normally uses the engine.

PROJECT240SX

I know of a 1991 FC RX-7 that is CA legal. From what I was told he ended up going down to San Diego to referee the car after being nitpicked like crazy by the local referee.

98s14inaz

What he said ^ Beat me to it.

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KA-T_240

How would making headers affect emissions? As long as its tuned right and has the proper cats... its not going to do more poluting then the stock ones.

Stupid CARB

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racepar1

If you pull it off man you should post it up in the v-8 240 faq. I really don't wanna bastardize my 240 that much, but carb legal may be enough to push me over the edge.

GSXRJJordan

I've talked to a few guys around here that have FC LS1 swaps...

The headers are an issue, but only because any "performance" headers relocate/remove the cats. If you make headers that retain the "factory" LSx cat location (right by where the motor meets the trans, on either side) you should be OK with visual. Passing emissions won't be a problem.

Like everyone said, the CARB ruling says that a motor swap can only be legalized if the motor being swapped in is smog-legal in the car it came in, and is the same year or newer than the chassis.

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g6civcx

Oh, my fault. I thought he meant carbureted, not CARB. Yes, leave all the CARB stuff on there.

blu808

I can do a carb legal lsx-240 swap if you need any work done. Custom (carb legal) headers, wiring, hp tuners ecu editing, etc.

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StaticX27

Not entirely true. You can swap a motor from the same chassis (such as a honda getting a B16 instead of a D16) without needing a ref's approval. However, you can drop a motor from any car into a US chassis as long as you have the approval from your local referee, thereby getting a BAR sticker.

Risu2112

Thanks for all the help guys, and yeah if it turns out to be successful I'll be all over the V-8 FAQ thread.

As for actual engine cost, the cheapest new LS2's I'm finding are around 5200 w/o the trans, I'm not 100% fixed on getting a new one, Is that a fair price for one of these? Or can a new one be obtained cheaper than that. Also for the T56 trans, I'm seeing new ones at about 2400... ;_; I would love to shave a little off the price for those if any one knows how to obtain one cheaper. I don't really feel like sitting around for months waiting for a gem of a wrecked car to pick up for cheap. :P

Blu808: Out of curiosity, Have you actually seen one pass yet? I might have to take you up on some of that stuff after I get shut down by the ref a few times

StaticX27

Why not go to a state ref and say "Hi, I've got this and I want to do this. What do you need to make this a BAR legal swap?"

I mean we can all sit here and guess all day long, but the ref is the one who's going to make the decision ultimately, so why not get your laundry list of things to do from the guy who will be approving you? Information is free, dreams are free; refs get paid by the hour.

Risu2112

The engines on it's way, should have all my parts by febuary, my intention is to have the car running in early march, I am going to drive it around for a few months before attempting smog.

Need some help with the rear end though, I really like the quaife's but I can't even find one for my application, also they are really pricey, failing that I might be looking at a 1.5 way clutch rear end, but like I said I'd rather have the quaife, I don't want one of the VLSD's though. :<

If any one has any advice on the rear end please drop it in here.

sldbyuramg

doesnt effect emissions...that is correct. but it effects "smog" standards for CA

and to correct you for saying "stupid CARB" CARB is the board that allows californians to have aftermarket parts as long as it meets there requirements. if we didnt have CARB we wouldnt be allowed to modify anything in CA.

Risu2112

Oh yes, by the way my engine has arrived, it was surprisingly complete! Hoping to get a clean bill of health on it within a week or so!



Clearly I need to have a talk with the shop about storing empty cardboard boxes on my engine, don't want them to dent my transmission housing >.>

PhilthyS13

I don't like CARB either, but it's necessary. Why?

Here's why: we have the top 5 polluted cities in the country. 6 in the top 10. WITH all those carb restrictions in place. Second place goes to Texas, with a mere 2.

Other than CARB restrictions, this place ain't that bad. I like it here. Having great beaches, great skiiing (both within 3 hours of each other), lots of jobs, hot girls and rust free cars makes a few smog laws worth it.

Ten Most Polluted U.S. Cities (Ozone Rated Only)

1. Los Angeles (Long Beach, Calif., Riverside, Calif.)
2. Bakersfield, Calif.
3. Fresno-Madera, Calif.
4. Visalia-Porterville, Calif.
5. Merced, Calif.
6. Houston (Baytown, Huntsville, Tex.)
7. Sacramento (Arden, Calif., Arcade, Calif., Truckee, Nev.)
8. Dallas/Forth Worth
9. New York (Newark, N.J., Bridgeport, Conn.)
10. Philadelphia (Camden, N.J., Vineland, N.J.)

http://www.zilvia.net/f/showthread.php?t=165337

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turtl631

I don't live in Cali and probably won't ever, but I'll say this- it seems like the emissions laws there go way too far in terms of things that offer only marginal decreases in CO2, etc. emissions while severely punishing enthusiasts. I don't see why they couldn't just do a sniffer test on modified cars like most states; who cares what's in it if it's not polluting significantly more than most cars?

Creizai

Eh I would say its just more of a fun challenge that can be handled if your smart. Plus a street legal cali 400hp street legal car is pretty hardcore in a different way.

Anto

CALIFORNIA DOES.

CA holds records for many things.
Most expensive home price,
best looking people,
most car thieves
top 100 cities to live in

etc.

this has some to do with the topic,
but

kingkilburn

That is a little missleading. Most(try 95%) of the polution in #2-5 comes from LA. The wind blows into the valley and has a hard time finding its way out, hence Bakersfield being number two even though there isn't any thing there.

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mmdb

There's a few FD chassis Rx7's running around Cali who've passed the state ref. I came across one that did have to do a header modification who did end up passing.

Risu2112

That's certainly good news