Originally posted by todras:
Originally posted by athos34:
David- I would check the smog laws before you start. I think in CA if your car doesn't have an engine that was originally offered in the production year it will not pass, even if it runs "cleaner". Just a thought. I would hate to see you waste your time, money, and car only to find out after the fact.



Like they are going to know.



They won't know. California law is something like this, if I remember correctly. The car will test as the newer of the two cars. If it's a 99 SVT Contour with a 2000 Taurus block, it will test as a 2000 Taurus. If it's a 2000 SVT Contour with a 99 Taurus block, it will test as a 2000 SVT Contour. But that's if you take the car to a referee station, and the referee says "okay". So, if we were Honda guys, and you stuck a '99 Integra Type "R" motor (from a US market car) in your '97 Civic base model, the Civic would test as a '99 ITR. It tests as the newer of the two cars because the argument is the newer car will have stricter standards. I believe that is the way Ca. would test it, assuming you wanted to do it the "legal" way.

But I'm sure if you just take the car in to test, as long as it looks stock to the tech, I'm sure he will never know it was a newer engine. All the techs look for is the necessary smog equipment, and nothing "illegal" such as a non-CARB approved air filter, headers, removeal of smog equipment, etc, etc.

dion 98 SVT, 200 whp/190 lb. ft tq (tuned by ADC), 3.0, P&P heads w/2.5L valves, optimized TB, MSDS, SCA 2.5" catback, SHOshop UIM/LIM, underdrive pulley set, TD's, Koni/H&R, BAER/TCE, Progress, CF1 products