How to make salvage chassis\motor smoggable?

[Dirty Marty]

Matt,

The information reflects the way that the referee would probably see it .....

A salvaged 79 P-car with a modified non-specific engine. The VIN would probably make the referee start with the 79 Specs and System requirements and call it a 79 for all intensive purposes. Packy would have to be able to meet the 79 requirements as a result. The Referee would then look at the modified motor and the hassle would start.

If I were Packy I'd ask the questions first before I sank a few grand into a tricked out motor that I might have put back to original requirments.

jmho -What would they do in Colorado?

Dirty Marty

[Matt Monson]

Dirty Marty,

That's my read on it. They would treat it as a '79 because it's '79 engine. If the Supercharger was CARB certified it would be pretty smooth from there. I just don't know that any of the people that have ever made charger kits have gone through CARB OE approval.

Here in Colorado it's more straightforward. We do actually use CA tailpipe emissions standards, which has given me some headaches on my cars in recent years. Though if I still lived in CA I would have the same headaches so it doesn't really matter.

But the visual is much more lax here. If the car we are discussing rolled into the testing center they would look at it, check to make sure it had a cat, roll it onto the dyno and start the sniffer test. They don't even care anymore if the CEL is on on an OBD-II car. They used to auto fail you for a CEL. Now they just record it, test for OBD-II readiness and start the test. In fact, it OBD-II compliance is such a joke that even if it doesn't find the OBD-II system working they won't fail you if you've got a clean tailpipe.

I've got friends with Autronic and Vipec standalones who go in, the computer can't see the ECU and they just make a notation and get on with the test. Personally I think that's the way it should be. If my car tests clean and has an approved cat in place and some sort of proper vapor catchment and recirculation system, I should be able to do whatever I want.

[911st]

I suspect that the combination you plan can ever really be legal in CA.

Do they know you are putting an SC motor in your 77?

If not put it in and just smog it to 77 equipment and requirements. Both are CIS and they should not pick up on it.

Then you could do your conversion and have two years of fun before you have to worry about it.

If you build it as a blow through on a mostly stock motor you could then take the blower off every two years if needed to get it smoged again.


Might check with Vortec that makes bolt on superchargers.

There might be something that if your motor is stock from where the air cleaner attaches to tail pipe with just a supper charger bolted on they may have some type of carb exclusion approval or something in place.


It would probably be easer to slot a 930 motor if a 77 or newer in and get it approved if it has all its smog equipment in place.

[Zeke]

Sammyg has an aftermarket turbo set up on an SC. It's not a blower, but it's not stock either. He's in CA. Why not PM him?

[Vmarch]

Originally Posted by Flieger

I think you can use an older engine (case year) but it will have to meet the chassis year smog requirements.

Per CA DMV You can use the chassis year engine as long as it has that year's emissions equipment intact. You can use a newer engine from a later year vehicle, but then you must comply with that year's emissions equipment. This is where the "referee" comes into the picture. You cannot BS a referee. If you have the right stuff, they will give you the clearance.