Date: Wed, 10 Dec 1997 04:46:25 -0800
Reply-To: "CARVER, JEFFREY D" <Jeffrey.Carver@AEROJET.COM>
Sender: Vanagon mailing list <Vanagon@Gerry.SDSC.EDU>
From: "CARVER, JEFFREY D" <Jeffrey.Carver@AEROJET.COM>
Subject: Re: digijet engine swap? Reply to Ken's comments!
Ken -
It is obvious from your statements that you are not in California.
If ANY change of the smog equipment from the stock engine is made,
they will not do an emissions test. They check that the engine has the
original smog equipment on it by checking visually. If it is different,
it
will not pass, period. It is irrelevant if the modifications decrease
the
emissions or not. They will not even check, you failed before they got
that far in the process.
I changed a '80 non-CA engine into a California engine (better emissions
right!) and I had to go through the hassles of a "engine change"
process.
I had to have ALL of the equipment that goes with the CA engine to be
able to pass visual. Then I had to still pass the emissions part. The
state
officially have a CA bus. It can NEVER be changed back either. So in
ten years (unless the laws are radically changed), you CANNOT restore
the vehicle back to the original engine!
Before doing any engine swap, check with the local smog police to see
what is required if an engine is changed. It is acceptable to change
engines to a newer one, but not to go backwards.
Example: Changing an '84 bus by using a '91 Buick engine. Everything
that was originally included with the '91 Buick MUST be included in the
conversion. Including exhaust components, fuel vapor canisters, vacuum
hoses, etc. In short the everything from the fuel tank and battery to
where the exhaust comes out, everything. Yes you can shorten pipes,
hoses, exhaust lines, lengthen things too, but all the equipment MUST
be there.
I had difficulty in getting a VW shop to even look at my non-CA to CA
conversion to see if I had all the bits and pieces correctly installed,
and
this is a shop I've been going to for years! The liability issues of
changing
engines is very messy, and the risks are high, so it's understandable
why
they shy away from doing conversions recently. Yes, lots of conversion
were done in the past, but without completely preparing the engine for
the CA requirements, it isn't worth it.
People with gadgets that really do decrease emissions are having
difficulty getting them approved by the authorities, because the laws
don't easily allow for 'changes' to the engine smog equipment, even
if it decreases emissions.
I am NOT justifying what the laws are, just relaying them. Yes, there
has to be a better way. See 'getting involved' in the dictionary of
life.
Laws vary considerably from state to state. Most states are getting
tighter in requirements, so not only check what IS the law, find out
what they plan to change too. Today's 'improvement' could be
tomorrow's playhouse/storage container due to being unable to pass.
If you plan to change, take photos of the current engine, the new engine
in the vehicle it came from, document everything, save the
old parts, have manuals for the conversion engine available. I had to
show the smog police (who think they know everything) my manuals
to prove that I had all the right equipment installed.
- Jeff Iwanna21/23windowsunroofDeluxe!
'80 Westi (2) '67 Sqbk '64 Ford Crewcab
'87 Subaru 4WD '97 Nissan Quest
Grass Valley, California, USA
Jeffrey.Carver@Aerojet.com
- - - - - - - - -snip - - - - - - - -
All I know is that there have been quite a few guys who have done this
conversion and I have never heard any of them complain about passing
emissions. If the motor is running properly and a Catalytic converter
is
installed I think that you will have no problem with emissions.
As for cost, the conversion is cheaper including the work, than slapping
down
$3000 for the dealer (usually the only person in the area willing to do
it) to
change out your motor with a rebuilt one. The Vanagon tranny can handle
the
conversion as it has been engineered to take up to 300 hp (I have read
this
somewhere). The only thing I would recommend is upgrading the clutch to
a
stronger one and maybe welding 4th gear.
As for shops not willing to do the work, I don't know any good shop that
hasn't done some type of conversion some time in the past whether it was
a
Chevy V8 into a Porsche or Jaguar or a Corvair engine into a
Transporter. You
just have to be sure to find a good shop with a mechanic that is willing
to
work by the hour and likes the challenge of a conversion.
I am happy for you that your van has been running good for so many
miles, but
when I get letters from guys who have replaced their motors time and
time
again and are at their wits end as to what to do, I feel obligated to
offer
them an alternative to what I feel is throwing money at a problem
instead of
trying to solve it.
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