Swap and emissions help in CT

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b16bri

New Member
Hey guys I have a 1997 civic, I'm planning on swapping in a jdm b16a and a p30ecu. It's going to be built and turboed. My question is when emissions comes time to get checked can I remove my p30 ecu and plug in a odb2 ecu from lets say a 99 si or some other car and also swap back to stock injectors and stock map sensor. when they plugged my car in for emissions would this work. Or will this throw a CEL
 
99 si ecu won't plug in... its obd2b, and your car is obd2a.

you will need to find a 96-97 del sol vtec usdm P30A02 ecu (rare) and use the stock injectors, etc to make it throw no codes.

basically, any codes = fail.
 
Ok cool thanks Would it work with the SI ecu if i couldent find the del-sol one if i got a obd2b to odb2a jumper harness ?
 
the car will run, but i can't guarantee that all the emissions stuff is the same, and thus might not be useful for the point you need it for- to pass emissions.
 
Ok so i have to find that ecu than ? even tho the motor in the car now is vtech and the del-sol ecu will be vtech it wont matter is the stock motor wasent ?
 
You need to state the motor you are putting in. USDM? JDM? OBD?

I don't know the smog regulations in your state but I am pretty sure that the motor needs to be the same OBD (maybe even motor needs to be the same year as the car or newer)

JDM motors and ECU's do not look for an Evap Purge Solenoid but you need one in the US. If you are getting a JDM swap....you may need to convert it over with an Evap Purge Solenoid and run a USDM Del Sol VTEC OBD2A ECU
 
Ok how would i rig up the jdm b16 with the Evap purge Solenoid. the motor will be fully built and turboed.
 
To answer your original question about any ECU you run......If they are technically pulling the molding and carpet up to actually look at your ECU #'s......you got way bigger problems than that if you think you can run a no CARB certified high boosted turbo kit on a built motor set up. And if a built set high boost set up is smog legal in your state....doubt the evap purge solenoid matters much.

You simply need to look into the state's smog laws on swaps. Best to talk to any smog referee in your state (not just some smog shop....in CA they are specially certified and yada yada lol)

If your state has these certified folks.....they will inform you much better then I can.

These are some questions I think you should ask if you are at all concerned of being a street legal car in you state.

Does it matter the OBD or year of the motor you need to purchase?
What are the smog laws in your state? (visual and sniffer)
What are the swap laws?
With all that said, are there any laws like this in your state?
 
To answer your original question about any ECU you run......If they are technically pulling the molding and carpet up to actually look at your ECU #'s......you got way bigger problems than that if you think you can run a no CARB certified high boosted turbo kit on a built motor set up. And if a built set high boost set up is smog legal in your state....doubt the evap purge solenoid matters much.

You simply need to look into the state's smog laws on swaps. Best to talk to any smog referee in your state (not just some smog shop....in CA they are specially certified and yada yada lol)

If your state has these certified folks.....they will inform you much better then I can.

These are some questions I think you should ask if you are at all concerned of being a street legal car in you state.

Does it matter the OBD or year of the motor you need to purchase?
What are the smog laws in your state? (visual and sniffer)
What are the swap laws?
With all that said, are there any laws like this in your state?

in CT none of that is really relevant
CT doesnt give a crap about CARB approved stuff
no one checks for anything like that (unless you get a ticket and are sent through for a vehicle inspection... then they can be cunts about any type of aftermarket shit that is not DOT approved as well as ride height and exhaust dB limits and such)

there are no "smog referees" there are the idiots at the DMV that dont know shit about shit... and there are the people at the independent garages where emissions test are done... most of whom also dont know shit about shit

there really arent any real laws pertaining to swaps other than the typical cant go backwards in OBD and even then as long as you upgrade and add all of the correct OBD shit on the engine then you are fine... they dont care about JDM swaps or Frankenstein setups... hell you could drop a carbureted chevy small block in a civic and as long as it passes the proper tests, be it sniffer or plug in, no one will give a shit

the only visual inspection is they look for a cat (honestly not even sure if they do this any more)

for OBD-1 or older cars you need to pass a sniffer test on the rollers for whatever the limits for the car are (easy to pass ;) https://hondaswap.com/members-lounge/e-vs-emissions-501184/ )

for OBD-2 and newer cars they do a plug in scan to look for codes... as long as your ECU is not in learn mode (recently reset and hasnt completed all of its system checks), and you dont have any codes or CELs then you are good to go and you pass.... check engine light = fail... ECU still in learn mode = fail
 
Exactly and being the car is and obd2 i know their just going to plug it in and i know with the del-sol ecu and the stock map sensor and injectors it shouldent have any CEL may run like shit but should work. But it may throw that Evap purge Solenoid code due to the fact jdm motors dont have one how would i rig one up or would that usdm ecu take care of it.
 
ok here is what i have been able to find so far about getting a JDM B16A through OBD2 emissions


You need to have your charcoal canister, your EVAP purge control solenoid, a VTEC solenoid with an oil pressure switch (or this can be bypassed), and you'll need to bypass the CKF sensor since JDM motors don't have one:

.:FFS TechNet:. ECU & WIRING How-To Articles CKF Bypass Trick

The charcoal canister is on your firewall, so you can use the stock one.
The EVAP purge control solenoid is placed between the canister and intake manifold via vacuum lines and has a connector to send signals to and from the ECU. You can re-use the EVAP purge control solenoid from the stock engine, it will work fine.

You can use the VTEC solenoid off the JDM B16, but the OBD2 USDM ECU will look for a VTEC oil pressure sensor which JDM solenoids will not have. You can bypass that, but I don't have a link to a write up I can provide you. You'll just have to search for it. Suffice it to say that all you have to do is cross the VTEC pressure sensor wire with the VTEC signal wire at the ECU.
 
But it may throw that Evap purge Solenoid code due to the fact jdm motors dont have one how would i rig one up or would that usdm ecu take care of it.

Get a solenoid and I'm guessing your car has the USDM harness (OBD2 Civics are one piece.....right?) so the evap purge clip is already there waiting. I have heard of guys tapping into the PCV and t-off it for the evap purge but I did mine different. Evap Purge is some little safety thing that throws excess gas fumes into the charcoal canister and it will not affect the sniffer.

I actually bought a USDM B16A3 OBD1 intake manifold. You can find yourself a USDM OBD2 IM easier than my find (96/97 Del Sol VTEC and 99/00 Si). I ran across them a lot as I looked for the OBD1 (yes they are different). It will have the spot for the evap purge and just needs to be swapped onto the motor with the evap purge and its vacuum line to the IM.

I figure you should find one for $30-80 (obviously depending on the seller). I got mine for $45. Its simply a cleaner way to do it but there are shad tree solutions (t-off, or tap into your JDM IM and maybe other ways)

E makes it sound like you don't really have to worry about much at all. Shit....I'd be K-swapping my littel EGg in a heartbeat there!

Why do you even need the USDM ECU? your state is utterly a cat walk in comparison to my state. Just run a Virgin JDM OBD2 version (no need for evap purge) with stock injectors....adjust your timing and as long as the Catalytic Converter/O2 Sensor are in good shape, you should be fine.
 
Ok thanks man I really appreciate all the help. Do u know anywere becides honda i can find that ecu ? if i have to ill go to them but they want 750.00 for it
 
Hell no!!! Thats expensive. Start looking on Ebay and local Craigslist. You will find a JDM ECU pretty easy. Now the USDM Del Sol VTEC that was only offered in OBD2 for 2 years....thats harder to find. But out there. Somewhere between $225-325. But I bet you can find a JDM version for less than $100 and wont need the evap purge.

I saw a few of the OBD1 USDM P30's on Ebay but its the same guy with his stupid Live Strong bracelet taking a picure on his wahing machine lol. And he is asking an arm and a leg for them. No OBD2's on ebay right now but a recycler should get you one too.....thats how I got mine.

No JDM's right now on Ebay either.
 
im pretty sure you can not pass an OBD-2 emissions scan test with a JDM ECU
as far as i know US scan tools can not communicate with or read JDM ECUs, so regardless of codes you get an insta fail because they cant hook up to read it
 
im finding a lot of talk that you can use an OBD-2b 99-00 USDM Si ECU (P2T) with an OBD-2a to OBD-2b conversion harness and that will allegedly work

there are a lot of threads where people with B16 swapped OBD-2a civics that can not get through emissions, that are being told to use the P2T and a conversion harness... and that is supposed to allow the ECU to talk to the OBD port

unfortunately im not seeing any one posting up afterward on whether or not it worked

im guessing that you would still need to bypass the CKF and the VOPS

i dont know that i would run out and plunk down the cash on a P2T and harness.... but if you know someone with a 99-00 Si that doesnt mind letting you borrow their ECU for a day, it might be worth a shot.... do you have access to a scan tool that will tell you the status of the ECU and its sensor checks?? hook the ECU up and go for about a 10-15 mile drive on the highway at 65mph and that should get all of your sensors ready and reading... you can keep an eye on their status on the scan tool... once they are all marked ready, head over to the closest emissions check station and get checked

there are a few P2Ts on ebay right now... but i dont know if they are USDM or not

and again all i have is hear say that it will work :( sorry man... not easy to find info on this for some reason



also, for what its worth... Majestic has a P30-A02 for $526.15 (still a lot of money for an ECU that is really only used for emissions... but better than $730 i guess)
 
im pretty sure you can not pass an OBD-2 emissions scan test with a JDM ECU
as far as i know US scan tools can not communicate with or read JDM ECUs, so regardless of codes you get an insta fail because they cant hook up to read it

I didn't realize that. I am OBD1 and just need to pass visual and sniffer
 
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