Socal LS Swap -Smog legal

[Erik the Awful]

The California smog laws have less to do with clean air... it was always some little missing part like an air injection tube into the center of the catalysts despite it having newer 3 way cats that did not require it or other such non sense detail like one of his cats was 1" too far down the pipe.

This isn't just a California problem. Back in 1995 when Oklahoma still had inspections I took my RX-7 for inspection. I was missing the corrugated aluminum heat riser flex-tube between my exhaust and air cleaner. The guy failed me and swore up and down that was going to make my car run dirty. Shady stuff like that is how our inspections got elminated. We're fortunate that we don't have the population density of LA. I remember what their smog used to look like.

If you have a specific question you should call the Bureau of Automotive Repair and insist they pass your question on to the referee that will be checking you vehicle. I never had an issue with him calling me back. Some of the stuff is a straight up judgement call that only he gets to make so only get his take.

This. Bureaucrats aren't heartless, they just can't see what you're up to and every time somebody makes them look like chumps the politicians try to eliminate their jobs. They err on the side of heavy-handedness. They usually have boring jobs, but if they can facilitate something cool a lot of them will help you just because it's interesting. Be mildly cheerful when you talk with them. If you meet them face-to-face be sure and greet them with a smile and a handshake. Don't ask them how to get around rules, ask them how you can do it right. You might get that stickler who wants twenty forms filled out in triplicate. Do the work, he might be using that for a filter to see who's serious.

Years ago I bought a Crown Vic without a title. I discovered the actual title holder was local, but elderly and invalid. I was in contact with the OK DPS several times while I worked to get the title. The owner couldn't find the title, so I wrote up a bill of sale, and his caregiver was a real pain to work through. She didn't want to deal with me, but finally got it signed. I knew the notary personally, and she knew that I was dealing with a signer who was invalid, so I brought her the bill of sale and she notarized it. I contacted the OK DPS again so they knew what was going on. Finally I got everything together and went to the tag agency. I had missed one digit in the VIN, and the guy refused to deal with me. I told him to call OK DPS and gave him a name to ask for. He knew the person at the DPS, called, and they told him to push it on through because I'd been upfront the whole time. Bam! I got the title.

Never underestimate the power of being friendly and proactive.

 

[jrsroadhauze]

I have really wanted to swap a L92 into my 92 K 1500. A lot of hoops to jump thru. You can get a 383 that is set up for TBI. It makes 300 hp and should make a good package

 

[Dnytro]

For questions sake, a 94 Tbi doesn’t have a obd2 system to check, it’s going to get ran on the rollers. An Ls swap with cats should pass 1994 Tbi v8 thresholds no problem, so what’s the reason to go to a referee and get permanently flagged for something silly like not having an air injection pump?

 

[Knuckle Dragger]

For questions sake, a 94 Tbi doesn’t have a obd2 system to check, it’s going to get ran on the rollers. An Ls swap with cats should pass 1994 Tbi v8 thresholds no problem, so what’s the reason to go to a referee and get permanently flagged for something silly like not having an air injection pump?

You realize they are going to do a visual right? I would guess if the guy is smart enough to get his license he's going to know it's not a small block.

 

[Sean Buick 76]

The swap sounds like a nightmare in Cali. If you do it then go with a 6.0 you may as well.

 

[vince72]

They sure dont make it easy is Socal. I have an eye out and hopefully soon a good deal comes up for the complete donor. I have seen some 5.3 completes at the bone yard but no lq just yet

 

[BeXtreme]

For questions sake, a 94 Tbi doesn’t have a obd2 system to check, it’s going to get ran on the rollers. An Ls swap with cats should pass 1994 Tbi v8 thresholds no problem, so what’s the reason to go to a referee and get permanently flagged for something silly like not having an air injection pump?

That's not at all how that works. It is legal to swap in a newer engine, if and only if, all of the emissions equipment from the vehicle being swapped from is kept in its entirety(that's the stuff from the newer vehicle) and they are from the same emissions category of vehicle. This means he will also need to find a way to get a pressure sensor into his stock fuel tank. This process is pretty well understood and not too bad as long as you establish a relationship with the referee that is going to be doing the inspection and make sure you know what to do ahead of time.

As far as the TBi and OBD2, that isn't accurate either. They will connect the ALDL connection for the OBD1 system and they can still see if it should be throwing a MIL and whether the emissions checks are passing. They aren't as extensive in 94 as they were when it went to OBDII, but they definitely are still there.

The swap sounds like a nightmare in Cali. If you do it then go with a 6.0 you may as well.

Since his is a 1/2 ton, 6.0's are out unless it is from a 1/2 ton escalade. Again... these small details are important and will be laid out by the referee. They have a book that lists all the emissions categories and can tell him exactly what category his swap must come from.

 

[Sean Buick 76]

What a joke

 

[Knuckle Dragger]

That's not at all how that works. It is legal to swap in a newer engine, if and only if, all of the emissions equipment from the vehicle being swapped from is kept in its entirety(that's the stuff from the newer vehicle) and they are from the same emissions category of vehicle. This means he will also need to find a way to get a pressure sensor into his stock fuel tank. This process is pretty well understood and not too bad as long as you establish a relationship with the referee that is going to be doing the inspection and make sure you know what to do ahead of time.

As far as the TBi and OBD2, that isn't accurate either. They will connect the ALDL connection for the OBD1 system and they can still see if it should be throwing a MIL and whether the emissions checks are passing. They aren't as extensive in 94 as they were when it went to OBDII, but they definitely are still there.


Since his is a 1/2 ton, 6.0's are out unless it is from a 1/2 ton escalade. Again... these small details are important and will be laid out by the referee. They have a book that lists all the emissions categories and can tell him exactly what category his swap must come from.

There is no "book" like you talk about. A 6.0 could be done. You have to pretend it's a 5.3 and base the swap on that. They won't check the block numbers. I can't imagine they have upgraded their systems to be able to see if the programing has been altered to show what codes have been tuned out at this point. Maybe down the road. In California the shop owners are responsible for equipment upgrades. The state is careful not to to demand more then the market can bear so the changes come slow. IIRC they won't even hook to a OBDI ALDL. I know for a fact they don't in Arizona.

BTW, OBD II started in 96 not 94

This is why California Smog laws seems so complicated. Way too much misinformation out there.

 

[BeXtreme]

There is no "book" like you talk about. A 6.0 could be done. You have to pretend it's a 5.3 and base the swap on that. They won't check the block numbers. I can't imagine they have upgraded their systems to be able to see if the programing has been altered to show what codes have been tuned out at this point. Maybe down the road. In California the shop owners are responsible for equipment upgrades. The state is careful not to to demand more then the market can bear so the changes come slow. IIRC they won't even hook to a OBDI ALDL. I know for a fact they don't in Arizona.

BTW, OBD II started in 96 not 94

This is why California Smog laws seems so complicated. Way too much misinformation out there.

I grew up in California. You are wrong on almost everything you just posted. When I was getting smog checks in LA county back in the 90's and 2000's they would connect an OBD1 vehicle to the computer and check for codes.

Shop owners are definitely responsible if they install anything that isn't an OE replacement for what is in there. Putting a 6.0 in there without going through the proper inspections and approvals will get them a $20,000 fine and possible impounding/destruction of the vehicle if the EPA or CARB finds out. CARB absolutely has a book of emissions categories and the referee will tell him exactly what to do.

Here's a great write up by someone that has actually gone through it... twice. Including swapping a 6.0 into a V2500 squarebody suburban.

https://www.gmsquarebody.com/threads/ca-legal-ls-swap.33893/#post-686228