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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!
Comments: To: "KENWILFY@AOL.COM" <KENWILFY@AOL.COM>

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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