Getting a conversion smogged in CA
 

Hello everybody,

I'm new to the forum and to Porsches in general. My path to this point was inevitable. I have always loved the Porsche 911 but never had the resources to justify one. I became aware that the 996 could be bought for a fraction of the original cost but the engine had its issues so that led me to the conversion idea. From there it was a easy jump to finding Renegade Hybrids and the LS3 conversion. I was sold and ready to do the conversion but needed to do my homework. I called the referee program and was shut down immediately when they said that the conversion either had to have the gas tank and transmission from the GM car or if I did an ERod that it had to be a 1995 or older car per the ERod CA EO. I spoke with Scott at Renegade and it sounds like no one that he knows of,has gotten a 996 with a conversion through smog legally in CA. If this is not true I hope the process to getting a CA 996 through smog could be discussed on this forum. If this is true, then I hope that as those who are going through the conversion and smog would share there journey with us so that we can learn and hopefully create a path to getting these wonderful cars back on the road. It seems like such a waste to have a great car go to the scrap yard with a blown engine, when a LS3 will put out less pollution with more power that is far more reliable then the original engine.

I know of no one that has managed to run the CA Emissions stds gauntlet with a 996/LS3 conversion. They don't really seem to care if the car runs cleaner, they don't want them here. You can pass smog with an all electric motor though. Some call this progress. :rolleyes:

Ok so if we can't get the car smogged then what other avenues are there. Some have said you can register the car in Montana under a LLC that is legal. I have to say I really don't feel like I'm breaking the law if the car could pass smog but they won't let you take the test. Any other ideas on how to make this work. Why should the rest of the country be able to do this with tough smog standards and we can't. I know there are a few guys in the process of a 996 conversion in CA but I can't seem to get any info on there progress. Isn't this the point of the forum. To help each other. If I seem frustrated I am. I finally find the perfect car and I have to watch others do what I only dream of. Waaaaaaaaaaaaaa.

What about speaking to a lawyer. Sometimes the smog people don't know everything about options that may be available. Also, is there a visual inspection of the engine? They probably look at it to make sure all the necessary smog devices are in place, so I guess playing the, "I didn't know it wasn't stock" trick won't work.

There's got to be a way!

Hi Craig,

Thanks for the suggestion, lawyers would muck things up and the California Air Quality board would not take kindly to that type of strong arm approach. As for sneaking one by, from what I hear the referee stations go over the cars with great detail. No, I need to get around this smog leagally some how. Has anyone out there done an out of state registration. I'm kinda worried about getting pulled over and trying to explain the CA drivers license and the out of state plates.

let me give you some notes from my q&a session with my local referree...

1) if the engine came with an electronically controlled automatic trans in the donor vehicle you have to use that trans in your conversion body. manual transmission (if the PCM says it is a manual trans engine) you can use your conversion car's transmission (the 911 box).
2) if the donor engine is from a car 2003 or newer you need to use the donor vehicles gas tank "or" retrofit the 2003+ fuel tank pressure sensor to your conversion vehicle's tank (2003+ gas tanks have pressure sensors to help with evap emissions)

with this in mind your best option might be to do as follows...
proceed with your LS conversion but use an LS1/LS6 engine from a camaro/firebird/corvette with a manual transmission/PCM from 1997-2002. get the conversion certified by CARB, and then change out for the LS3 down the road (since it will bolt in/out when the conversion is already done).

they will plug into the PCM and check its VIN and look for error codes and "deleted features", they might check block/head casting numbers if they can find them, so you need to really squeeze within the rules for the inspection. after that...just be smart about your mods.