Vanagon EuroVan
Previous messageNext messagePrevious in topicNext in topicPrevious by same authorNext by same authorPrevious page (September 2002, week 3)Back to main VANAGON pageJoin or leave VANAGON (or change settings)ReplyPost a new messageSearchProportional fontNon-proportional font
Date:         Wed, 18 Sep 2002 15:22:57 -0600
Reply-To:     Gary Shea <shea@GTSDESIGN.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Gary Shea <shea@GTSDESIGN.COM>
Subject:      Re: TDDI smog for LVB
Comments: To: Ben Zlotkin <ben@OVERLANDPARTS.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <002b01c25f56$09ec6a30$3f0aa8c0@ben>
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII

[2002-09-18 13:57 -0700] Ben Zlotkin (ben@OVERLANDPARTS.COM) wrote: > The diesel smog issue is really interesting in that people are > thoroughly convinced that it is either completely illegal or completely > okay. As for lvb, he is GA and should have no problems with his > conversion. We -Overland- are in California and have to abide by CARB > regulations. Here is what we know: > > We have completed three gas-to-diesel conversions with our personal > vehicles. When we approached CARB to see if we needed to go through the > certification process for these vehicles we were told no. All three > times, our northern California referee informed us that a Gas to Diesel > conversion with a new - US spec- 1.9L TDI / TDD was viewed as a positive > step and that there was no problem passing smog certification. All of > our diesels are registered and all were originally gasoline powered > Vans. > > So, we are telling our end users that these conversions are okay. We are > not supplying a certificate as we have not applied for one for these > conversions. As for the 5-Cylinder kits, we are considering going > through the CARB process and paying for the license if we can generate > enough interest in the kits. We strongly encourage any potential buyer > to check with their local air resources board and gather any info they > can before purchasing a kit. Lastly, we would be very interested to > obtain any info the Vanagon community might have regarding other states, > and will post useful info on our site. > > Ben Zlotkin > Overland Parts Inc.

Glad to hear that CARB is being co-operative. My only question is whether the conversion you're talking to them about is the mechanical pump or the stock electronic pump. Below is all the information I have...

My experience is in Utah. The referee I have spoken with here told me that his decisions are based (almost) entirely on Federal law: apparently Utah doesn't have anything that trumps the Federal stuff. He admitted that his judgement is also a relevant issue.

He told me:

1) the letter of the law is that it's legal to swap engines that were available _in the US_ on the _same make/year/model_ vehicle. Such swaps are not an issue, period. Unfortunately, none of us want to do them ;)

2) he would accept on his own judgement 'sensible' and 'cleanly installed' swaps, like a _fully stock_ TDI from a newer vehicle into an older vanagon. The "fully stock" part is because the law requires an engine that has emissions approval, and if you've modified the engine, it no longer has emissions approval.

3) he said he would not accept swaps that involved engines that are not legal in any vehicle or are obvious hot-rod efforts.

So a fully stock TDI with the stock electronic pump and catalytic converter is no problem with this particular referee. I've already talked to him about it. I'm fairly sure he would not pass the TDI with mechanical pump, if he detected the change. He was very insistent upon the engines being completely stock.

There's another data point for y'all!

Gary


Back to: Top of message | Previous page | Main VANAGON page

Please note - During the past 17 years of operation, several gigabytes of Vanagon mail messages have been archived. Searching the entire collection will take up to five minutes to complete. Please be patient!


Return to the archives @ gerry.vanagon.com


The vanagon mailing list archives are copyright (c) 1994-2011, and may not be reproduced without the express written permission of the list administrators. Posting messages to this mailing list grants a license to the mailing list administrators to reproduce the message in a compilation, either printed or electronic. All compilations will be not-for-profit, with any excess proceeds going to the Vanagon mailing list.

Any profits from list compilations go exclusively towards the management and operation of the Vanagon mailing list and vanagon mailing list web site.