Date:         Thu, 28 Mar 2002 12:09:18 -0700
Reply-To:     dts@XMISSION.COM
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Damian Shaw <dts@XMISSION.COM>
Subject:      Tiico Emissions in CA and elsewhere...
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1

Okay, I know that the Tiico and other engine swap threads can get
heated and I obviously have my preferences because I bought a Tiico.

Fair enough.

Frank is a very smart guy who has compared engine options in a very
intelligent way.  I agree with a lot of what he has to say.  BUT he
and others are confused on the Tiico's emission legalities and it bugs
me.  Here's the deal:

Tiico's kit does not have an automatic CARB certification.  As such,
if your state requires emissions and they 'catch' you with an engine
swap you've probably got to go through an arbitration process.  This
involves proving the vehicle meets the emission standards of the
higher year of the two pieces:  engine and chassis.  Peter provides
his customers with receipts stating the engine's year as the same as
your van's chassis.  This makes things very easy - your brand-new I4
engine with modern Motronic now has to be as clean as an old
waterboxer with digifant or digijet FI.

Peter's van, a Tiico conversion, is fully registered in CA and has
been through this process (you can see a sticker in his engine bay
from the CA authorities in one of his engine swap pictures).

Mine is fully registered in Utah but hasn't had to go through
arbitration.  If Utah gets stricter it probably will; if so it will
pass just like Peter's did.

One cavet:  I'm pretty sure you have to wire in the O2 sensor to pass.
 It's very easy to wire in and I've already done that.  I suspect most
Tiico customers do this at swap-time.

So don't think, if you're considering a Tiico, that you can't own it
in California or anywhere else.  Ask Peter - his is fully registered
in CA.

Damian