engine swaps

So I've been hearing different storys about engine swaps. Some people tell me they're legal if the engine being swapped into the car is part of the same family as the car. eg, the ka with the sr20. Some people tell me its illegal all in all. So is it or is it not?

go to the dmv website, do a search.

but just incase your lazy.

1. if the engine was never produced in an american car, it's illegal.
2. If u take an older engine and put it into a new car, it's illegal.
3. if u dont take all the smog equip from the donor and put it in the new car. it's illegal.
4. if u dont ref ur car, if the engine is from a diff car, it's illegal.
5. Engien must come from same class of car. ie, truck engine into car = illegal.

soyeah, there might be more, but that's generally it.

L Rock wrote:go to the dmv website, do a search.

but just incase your lazy.

1. if the engine was never produced in an american car, it's illegal.
2. If u take an older engine and put it into a new car, it's illegal.
3. if u dont take all the smog equip from the donor and put it in the new car. it's illegal.
4. if u dont ref ur car, if the engine is from a diff car, it's illegal.
5. Engien must come from same class of car. ie, truck engine into car = illegal.

soyeah, there might be more, but that's generally it.

+1

dmv has a special page just on engine swaps.
but for referee purposes,
the rules are up to personal interpretation.

i've called teh ref a number of times, each one fo them give me different answers.
one of them suggested me to buy an FB and put in a vw TDI engine into it.

you can get good ideas from em sometimes, haha.

lol, SR20 swap legal in cali...that is truly funny

show me a BAR certified 240sx with an sr20 and i would just ask how big the bribe was.

Soo say I got.. a 280z and dropped uhhhhhh sr20 in it it would be illegal.

depends on the year of the 280.
if its smog extempt, then there's no reason for it to go by smog laws.

if you're gonna do that tho,
i'd choose a better choice than just a sr20.

It was just an example lol. i realy like the 280z though just realy thinking about getting one as my first real car with my own money. Im keeping my options open. But yea...

there are plenty of options once you get there.
we are a pretty unorthodox group when it comes to ideas.
my rx-ls1 is an example of that (no matter that i blew the tranny)
whatever jason is cooking up,
etc.

there are 3 reasons why as a whole group, we're not really doing too much.
time
money
life

once more of us gets more established, secure better funding, and kinda hit middle age we'll prolly get our hands dirty more often

acutally, even if it's 75 or older japanese only engine swap. it's still technically illegal if ur changing to a newer OBD engine.. though, jonny law probably wont know this and just think " oh his car is older than 75, he can probalby do whatever"...

but if they really wanna be a ....., they'll try to get u for something else.

280z would be legal, but, it would have to be the 1975 model. 240z and 260z would be smog exempt.

anything 1975 and older is smog exempt, so you really only have to obey the noise ordinances IE: exhaust below 92dB

the cops can still give smog exempt vehicles ref tickets.
the easiest ticket that they can give would be loud exhaust since that's subjective

off topic but what would be my best choice in your guy'z opinion if i were to get a 280z

best choice of what?

Quit thinking 280z cause it wont happen with any motor swap besides maybe a 302.. You have to get a 240z or 260z cause there years are the only ones pre 75...

yea, that helps too.

i was taking jon's phrase 280 as the general Z models of the 70s.

Yea I just ment like Z's in general, I was just using it as an example.

makes more sence

so pretty much if its not oem its illegal

No thats not the case. Dan has a legal RX7 with an LS1. That Chevy motor in Mazda car, not OEM.. I think what you mean is if It's not USDM...

or usdm? i mean if its not usdm

If its not USDM it's illegal... No J-spec (JDM) motor is a legal swap.

To help you decide:
http://forums.hybridz.org/showthread.php?t=123516

HybridZ is ur friend

^ yea I was just there there haha.

also, bobby is that why dan was able to drop that v8 in his rx7? or was it a v6 I dont remember.. I remember people talking about it I
dont remember where lol.