BabyGT

The motor you put in the car must meet the emissions regulations for the year of the body.

TfcCDR

It doesn't work that way. If you actually got cited and went into court, you're going to be in front of a judge who really doesn't care all that much one way or the other. All they will care about is whether the car meets the emissions standards for the year of chassis manufacture. If you're in a place which requires a smog check for registration and renewal, the fact that your car has current registration is prima facie proof that you meet the standards.

If you're in a place without mandatory smog checks, it is up to the prosecutor to prove that you can doesn't meet the standards -- on their nickel -- and then deal with the likely appeal (on the basis that the car DID meet emissions when the engine swap was made).

In other words, it's more trouble for the prosecution than it's worth, and you can bet that if one of my guys cited you for something like this, there would be a counseling session. If there's an actual PROBLEM involved with this, then I'd stand behind him, but if it was just administrative, well, I can be administrative too. When Reno has Hot August Nights, we get a lot of to/froms, overnighters, etc., and we don't want to be a place that they avoid because some hot pencil is looking for any excuse to write them up.

But the other part of this is that it's expensive to put a traffic cop on the street, and I want that money to be a good investment for the people who pay the taxes here. A guy who is that **** about custom work on cars is NOT doing what I send him out to do (that is, improving the safety of the other people on the street).

TfcCDR

Yes -- but those standards are LOW (even in the People's Republic of California). A properly-tuned engine will usually meet them.

From my own experience, I can tell you that most people who would swap engines will probably take good enough care of them that they pass smog checks. It's like the guy with all the chrome, you KNOW his car will be clean.

BabyGT

I see the exact opposite of both of those statements all the time. I can't even begin to count all the cars and trucks I've seen with motor swaps that the owner gave up on doing the right way and slapped a carb on. Which by the way fails the visual inspection of the smog check. So by the previous post, just the fact that they passed smog at all when they should have immediately failed the visual inspection for having strayed so far from the original equipment to the vehicle means the inspector is not doing his job properly.

MCR

Does it really matter if an engine is swapped or not, and if it's legal or illegal? A cop most likely doesn't nor would give a ****. You have a better chance of getting a "fix it" ticket for your exhaust.

Almost everyone has an O/R H or X for their muscle cars...that sure as hell ain't legal.
Sometimes with cars you have to bend the rules to get the best of their abilities

PNYXPRESS

In non emission states it doesn't matter as much as those that do check emissions. Here in Florida we can get away with almost anything where as in California you can't fart with out it first passing a emissions test.

TfcCDR

You seem eager to win this argument, but the EPA only says " . . .if there is reasonable basis for knowing that emissions are not adversely affected." It doesn't say ANYTHING about "passing visual inspection."

They must do it differently in Virginia, but in most of Nevada there are no smog checks at all (there are only two counties where they are required, and then only in the urbanized areas). For that matter, I've seen some highly customized cars in the parking lot of the state DMV HQ in Carson City. I kinda doubt that they have untouched engines . . .

As far as guys "slapping on carbs," I guess there are a lot more guys taking shortcuts in VA than in NV. From spring through fall there are weekly show-n-shine meets in the major towns here, and anyone who does sloppy work will hear plenty of laughter. That's a pretty good incentive to do it right.

PNYXPRESS

Since you are too, let me put this in words you would understand.

If you get in your Personal vehicle and go out on the freeway and run 110mph in a 55mph zone then return home with out getting pulled over, was it still illegal even though you didn't get caught? The answer if YES.

Its the same with the engine swaps. Basically, sticking the 5.0L into a new edge is not an approved engine/chassis configuration therefore it doesn't matter what emissions levels are coming out of it, its not legal, per EPA standards.

Now, because of Saleen, the 351 is a legal configuration.

MCR

PNYX is right. It is illegal for certain engine swaps but as I said before we're all car guys here, and most of the stuff we do is illegal anyway so it's just a risk people are willing to take. And you will definitely fail emissions.

But...I rather not say on here for obvious reasons, but there are simple ways around emissions

BabyGT

Thank you, same reasoning i have against making guns illegal all together, cause you see that worked real great with meth.