California ls/vtec

So Elmer your saying that they will not smog my car? So I should just ask them up front? That may fail me right off the bat. ???

Josh

Unfortunately Josh, that is a very great possibility. What I would do is find out first directly through the referee station that you plan on visiting. Stop by there and ask. I feel it’s too much of a risk to randomly make an appointment, have the car inspected, and hope that it will pass.

From the “Replacemnt Parts Guideline” on the California Air Resources Board Website

Japanese Replacement Engines
Used engines imported from Japan can be used as replacement engines as long as the engine being used has been identified as functionally identical to the original engine.

GAY… identical to the original. California sucks sometimes.

Well fuk shoot me in the head!! sorry guys but i live in rocklin and we dont use the stupid dyno to test for smog. I just call the whole roseville to west sac area “sacramento” I guess in sacto county they do use the dyno—oh well sucks for you guys!! And no i dont need a bar sticker cuz i can take my car to the toyota dealer in auburn and for $70 and a case of beer my car will pass visual. the guy there told me they only look to see if all the smog sh!t is hooked up.

Jon:p

but im not going to do an engine swap its a new car for me in a couple years anyways. I just really hate cali smog rules!

Now why is it everyone is so afraid of a dyno smog check?

I tried to do the dyno smog check. Before even pulling it up on the dyno they looked under the JDM hood and saw the vacum diagram written in Japanese. And then saw the b16 and quikly told me I would have to go to the ref as I have a “gray market vehicle” …I did a search and Gray market vehicles are those that came from another country…my “car” is from the US…it’s just everything else that came from japan. I am praying I don’t get screwed. I have every peice of smog equipment from a b17. ECU, stock airbox, charcol canister, ,exhaust manifold, cat, ntire stock exhaust. It should pass the sniffer…I think.

Josh

don’t worry about the sniffer. there are only two reason to be scared of it:

  1. if you car is HEAVILY modded (like what g2guru has), but still you will be able to pass it. you just need to de-tune it a little to get emissions down.

  2. If there is something physically wrong w/ the engine. Bad O2 sensor… or something else messed up.

Honda engines are VERY clean engines. You shouldn’t even worry about the tailpipe test…if it doesn’t pass it’ll just be something simple to fix most likely, or something that needs replacing anyway. What you do need to worry about is the visual. If the smog ref has any idea of what he is doing you will fail. When he goes to look “b16a” up in his computer to retrieve the vacuum hose routing, and other details he’ll quickly find out its a jdm engine… thus not legal in this case. Now if you’re really lucky you might be able to get him to not even look at the block stamp, and just pass it off as a b17a… but i’m not sure how good your chances are on that.

All I was thinking about doing is droping a b18c USDM motor into my 1991 Integra LS. Leaving everything as stock as possible - no CAI. Then will I pass both visual and snif here in Kalifornia ?

Joe

joe: you will pass the sniffer without any problems at all. it will be visual that you most likely will not pass on.

here are just some of the things you need to do:
-run obd1 instead of non obd (this is your main problem)

-use a hydro tranny (technically you have to, but chances are you can get away without it… just don’t mention anything about the tranny–I’d run a cable tranny and hope for the best)

-use ALL of the smog equiptment and vacuum hose routing from a 94-95 b18c1. If the engine you pick up happens to be a 96+ you are going to have to swap some parts and make it look like a 94-95. Because if they think its a 96+ you will be forced to run obd2!

Basically you must retain EVERYTHING from the stock b18c1. this swap will NOT be easy to pass. It would be much easier in a 92-93 teg, but still difficult depending on the ref you get.

Here is the thing…Most smog places dont even look up the engine block number (well for where I take it to anyways, 626 area) They just make sure that u dont have an intake and that useless breather that all rice boy sticks on the valve cover…

They usually just scan in the vin number and run the test…my old b16 passed with no problem…you just gotta make sure all the vacuum hoses r hooked up.

BTW…most smog places don’t know rather u have a motor swap or not…as long as the valve cover say Honda then ur good to go.

i’m gettin my co-worker to smog my car for me… instead of myself. i have a 91LS with USDM B18C1 … running non-obd. i just pay for the certificate.

Hi Da-Ho,

Where are you in Orange ? I would like to check your your ride. I am at Tustin area. I am thinking about putting a b18c1 in my 1991 Teg LS. But with all the smog issues, it is kind of a turn off. If you know what I mean.

Drop me a emial to let me know if you are willing to get together.

Regards,

Joe

haha if youre in socal you can easily get passed for 50bucks. well it just so happens i wanted to smog mine correctly when i first got it and it passed with flying colors. guy said my car was as clean as a 95 or newer =D

just ask around. im sure any performance import shop would know

XDEep,

50 bucks isn’t that bad.

Joe

Originally posted by joe wu
[B]XDEep,

50 bucks isn’t that bad.

Joe [/B]

I got mine does for $40. I get the same thing as well. My car pass smog easily.

Originally posted by jtfaoro
[B]Well fuk shoot me in the head!! sorry guys but i live in rocklin and we dont use the stupid dyno to test for smog. I just call the whole roseville to west sac area “sacramento” I guess in sacto county they do use the dyno—oh well sucks for you guys!! And no i dont need a bar sticker cuz i can take my car to the toyota dealer in auburn and for $70 and a case of beer my car will pass visual. the guy there told me they only look to see if all the smog sh!t is hooked up.

Jon:p

but im not going to do an engine swap its a new car for me in a couple years anyways. I just really hate cali smog rules! [/B]

I’m goin up there for my smog check;)