Jdm & Usdm Motor Swap Answers

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civicsi1415

Junior Member
If you live in california and are planning on doing a motor swap but wondering about smog problems, check this out this is what i found straight from the California Air Recorses Board web site

Replacement Engines
Entire engines can be replacement parts. As with any other replacement part, the engine must be identical to the original. If the replacement block or engine is obtained without emissions equipment, all the equipment from the original engine must be installed on the replacement block.

If the engine is not identical to the original then it is not a replacement part, instead it is considered an engine change.
Engine changes are a modification that must meet certain requirements to be legal (please see "Engine Changes").

Japanese Replacement Engines
Used engines imported from Japan can be used as replacement engines as long as the engine being used has been identified as functionally identical to the original engine. Please refer to the engine importers catalogue to determine if a replacement engine is legal for installation in your vehicle.

Engine Changes
Engine changes are legal as long as the following requirements are met to ensure that the change does not increase pollution from the vehicle:

The engine must be the same year or newer than the vehicle.
The engine must be from the same type of vehicle (passenger car, light-duty truck, heavy- duty truck, etc.) based on gross vehicle weight.
If the vehicle is a California certified vehicle then the engine must also be a California certified engine.
All emissions control equipment must remain on the installed engine.
After an engine change, vehicles must first be inspected by a state referee station. The vehicle will be inspected to ensure that all the equipment required is in place, and vehicle will be emissions tested subject to the specifications of the installed engine.
 
All that is saying is, engines swaped must be newer than old motor and all emissions equipment must be connected. Big deal.
 
i know a b-series in a sol can be made legal...what about an h-series....?
 
Are you listening????? ANY motor from a PASSENGER CAR that is NEWER than your motor and has ALL the emissions equipment connected is :thumbsup: .
 
i just posted it becauce if your thinking of doing a JDM motor most people say it is illegal but it isnt and theres proof, thats the only reason I posted those guidelines.
 
Before you get too hype about this info, try reading it a little better,....

Japanese Replacement Engines
Used engines imported from Japan can be used as replacement engines as long as the engine being used has been identified as functionally identical to the original engine. Please refer to the engine importers catalogue to determine if a replacement engine is legal for installation in your vehicle.


If you go to ten different smog refs, you will get ten different answers. The engine importers catalog doesn't dictate legal or illegal, the CARB does, and recently there has been talk from a few that JDM motors are on the chopping block.

Then there is this little number...

If the vehicle is a California certified vehicle then the engine must also be a California certified engine.

Basically saying, if it is a California model, don't even try.

Don't get me wrong, there are quite a few people running completely legal JDM motors, but there are also those that have been denied. Thing is that post is WAY to broad.
 
fuck so i can never ever bar legal my engine swap? i have a 99 gsr in my 2000 ex coupe
 
ok i have an older jdm b16 in my vehicle now
but i have all the proper smog equipment
will the ref be able to tell my b16 is older?
i converted it totally to obd2
i can get it stamped as a b16a2 but
is that smart to do or no
 
They should not be able to tell the difference, as long as it passes you will be good.

we don't have emissions in ohio anymore, but when we did if you failed three times in a row they would just automatically pass you. That is what I did with my b18 and test pipe.
 
I've heard that most of the inspectors in Cali are quite clever because so many people try and fool them. I think it's funny that in Ohio you can try three times and then get passed.
 
This is all CA guidelines. You can not place a h22 into a civic. The motor has to be available in that model somewhere in the world, the civic never came w/ a h22. You can however place it into an accord or Acura cl. Jdm motors will pass reff but need to have USDM intake mani, TPS sensors, V-tech pressure switch, crank angle sensor, & USDM ECU. I might be wrong on a few things but been planning a swap for about a year now and do nothing but read info on how to do it right.
The Ohio smog deal is funny stuff, thats insane. Oregon, CA and I think NY have the strict laws for smog. Everyone else gets to do whatever they can possibly dream up!!! CA sucks, but so do tornados and hurricanes
 
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