Passed smog,twin plugs and 3.4 motor won't

[Thunderbone]

I passed the smog test, but the test facility noted that I had twin plugs and a 3.4L motor.
So, I go to BAR. They say , take off the twin plugs and install 'later model engine' which would be the 3.6 964. I got nowhere with the test guy, explaining that the car has OEM
Mahle's made for that model. I can take off the twin plugging, but putting in an entire new top end because the car is a 3.4? That is insane. Now I have to go to a Regional Referee Manager here in Sacramento. If anyone has had any experience with this, let me know what to do.

[kodioneill]

New york state is bad but I feel for you guys. A inspector for the state basically telling you that you have to change your engine even though it passed WOW.

[Steve W]

put the stock 3.2 distributor back on, and tell them you had the motor swapped back to a stock original 3.2? They have no way of verifying the cylinder bore. The 3.2 and 3.4 cylinders are identical from the outside.

[Josh D]

How did they know it was a 3.4?

[Thunderbone]

I told them it was a 3.4...but they have had it as a 3.2 for several years on their records. I guess I just misspoke.

[Bob Kontak]

Originally Posted by Thunderbone

I told them it was a 3.4...but they have had it as a 3.2 for several years on their records. I guess I just misspoke.

The e-check guy in Ohio put the mirror under the front of the car looking for the cat last time I went. We are spoiled.

I say (with no basis of experience), go the referee, bring the specs on the pistons to show they are simply a displacement increase and also the argument about cleaner burn with the twin plug. Be Mr. Friendly with a "plan" outlined to kill the twin plug but stress the cost to retrofit to smaller pistons given they are no more radical the stock.

I don't understand the depth of nasty they are (or are not) at the referee level but I suspect the folks on the shop floor are allowed zero latitude regarding subjectivity issues.

Good luck and work hard for the waiver.

[porsche930dude]

go to a different place and tell them what they want to hear. thats what we do here in ny. they just want money these days

[pors1968]

i guess we are so Lucky so far .no smog test province quebec canada

[hcoles]

Originally Posted by Steve W

put the stock 3.2 distributor back on, and tell them you had the motor swapped back to a stock original 3.2? They have no way of verifying the cylinder bore. The 3.2 and 3.4 cylinders are identical from the outside.

This is probably the best idea.
Plug up the bottom spark holes - I guess you can do that. Must be able to or Steve would not mention it.
If you mention anything like the displacement is different but the cr. is the same.... blah blah blah, if he goes by the book you will be cooked. They are not in the business of evaluating engineering arguments. They don't care how clean the engine is as long as it is under the cut points in the data base. If they know you modified it, you don't pass. Put a cat on, cover the holes and tell them you swapped the stock engine back in, stand there and don't say anything other than it is a stock engine. Maybe you will need a set of lower valve covers that are not drilled out.

[Bob Kontak]

Originally Posted by hcoles

They are not in the business of evaluating engineering arguments.............If they know you modified it, you don't pass. Put a cat on, cover the holes and tell them you swapped the stock engine back in, stand there and don't say anything other than it is a stock engine. Maybe you will need a set of lower valve covers that are not drilled out.

Well put. One thing for a guy in Ohio to "arm-chair" and another thing if advice from someone much closer to the battle.

I say lie like a rug and proceed as suggested.

[Craig_D]

I agree with SteveW and hcoles. I had a similar argument about my modern dual cat system (which passed emissions), saying that it was way better than the old cat with air pump, and they didn't give a rat's ass. As long as the air pump was missing, it would fail, period.

So, the next time, I put the air pump on, disconnected under the motor of course, and didn't say a damn thing. It passed emissions, and it passed visual. End of story.

[group911@aol.co]

Emissions test stations are not the place to brag about changes whether they are improvements or not.

[gumba]

Ca. has visual inspection as well as smog. Regardless of what size motor it is, it needs to look stock for that year.
My 3.5 twin plug (12 plug distributor) turbo use to pass with no issues, that was '09. Had all the '79 smog stuff in place.

[Thunderbone]

I said the distributor was from a 964 to the guy who did the smog check. The guy who was running the front desk, who was already annoyed he had to come in on a Saturday because someone was sick, called the owner and directed me to sit down in the waiting area. He came up with the 3.4 description.
When I pointed that out, he said 'it does not matter' just tell the test facility. Well, test facility guy ran with it, no matter what I said.

[Thunderbone]

Originally Posted by group911@aol.co

Emissions test stations are not the place to brag about changes whether they are improvements or not.

Well, actually I was just addressing the twin distributors, which is pretty obvious to the tech and they had seem this motor 4 other times. I had no idea that this was any kind of issue

[Thunderbone]

Originally Posted by gumba

Ca. has visual inspection as well as smog. Regardless of what size motor it is, it needs to look stock for that year.
My 3.5 twin plug (12 plug distributor) turbo use to pass with no issues, that was '09. Had all the '79 smog stuff in place.

Was the twin plug original to the '79 motor? If not, you will run into trouble somewhere down the line on the visual test.

[Thunderbone]

Originally Posted by Craig_D

I agree with SteveW and hcoles. I had a similar argument about my modern dual cat system (which passed emissions), saying that it was way better than the old cat with air pump, and they didn't give a rat's ass. As long as the air pump was missing, it would fail, period.

So, the next time, I put the air pump on, disconnected under the motor of course, and didn't say a damn thing. It passed emissions, and it passed visual. End of story.

What is going on here in California is that any engine modification is cause for rejection.

[Thunderbone]

Thanks for all these comments. My lesson learned here is to not say anything. I made the mistake that past approvals meant the future would be okay. Big mistake.

[Steve@Rennsport]

Originally Posted by Steve W

put the stock 3.2 distributor back on, and tell them you had the motor swapped back to a stock original 3.2? They have no way of verifying the cylinder bore. The 3.2 and 3.4 cylinders are identical from the outside.

Perfect advice,..BTDT.

Replace the twin-plug unit with an OEM one and install the OEM chip, install some original lower valve covers and you're ready for a re-check.

[asphaltgambler]

Originally Posted by porsche930dude

go to a different place and tell them what they want to hear. thats what we do here in ny. they just want money these days

^^^^^ This - ask me how I know, I used to be an inspector..........but the worst part is now most all testing equipment is linked to a secure network and the data is centrally managed so a different testing station will know your cars' issue the moment the VIN is entered