steelvncent

I just want to make sure, because this guy has a 98 gsr in a 92 hatch. He emailed me that any b18 is good in the car as long as it has a sticker. I know jdm engines are illegal, but for an obd2 engine you'd need a conversion harness and that wouldn't pass visual on reff right?

nsxter

jdm engines are not illegal they may be used as replacement motors and if the car has a bar sticker then a jdm b18 may be used it would be considered a replacement motor, and why would you need to go to the ref if its already bar'd. as far as the bar sticker goes usually it will say b18b1 non vtec , or if it was bar'd with a gsr it will say b18c1

steelvncent

what i meant to say was that the guy said that one b18 sticker whatever it was for example b18b1 is good for any b18 like a b18c1. Is this true?

nsxter

why would that be true, the guy lied to you know its not true

fungus mungus

I don't know about others, but my BAR sticker actually has "B18C1" in the notes section, so I doubt it. You might get lucky and the smog tech won't notice, but I wouldn't bank on it.

If they guy is trying to sell you the swapped car, he may have already had trouble with smog because of the non-matching BAR sticker.

fm

fungus mungus

Also, I think what nxter was saying is that if a car has already been BAR'd with a JDM B18C (and is notated as such on the sticker), the car is legal. If, however, the car has BAR sticker for a B18C1 and you have a JDM B18C in there, it's not legal. Cops really get their panties up in a bunch when they don't see that "1" or "5" after the C on the motor, so I wouldn't risk it.

fm

420eg95

I've never heard of bar sticker, can you explain?

Im from charlotte NC, and never heard of it

B18CivicEJ8

It's only for Cali drivers.. If they swap their motors, they have to take it to a referee. BAR stands for Bureau of Automotive Repair. The ref works for the state and he makes sure swaps have all their emissions equipment in tact and working. If you pass, they give you a sticker that is under the hood of the car.

thumper64

Seeing as how some people can swap a motor in like half an hour, you could always pull the B18 and put a GSR in and swap back when it's time. But then there'd be no reason for even getting BAR'ed in the first place.

96DelSol

True but not everyone has a spare motor sitting in the garage.
And cops in Cali are real dicks, some might even tow the car so getting bar'd is like a "better safe than sorry" type of thing.

thumper64

well if someone swaps a SOHC for a DOHC then they may still have the original motor to put in. Aside from making lawn sculpures, there's not too much else to do with SOHC motors. (unless you go turbo, but that fits in the "too much else" category)

420eg95

I feel sorry for all you guys out in Cali. Here in NC the only thing I need for my car is seat belts, horn, headlights, turn signals, brake light, catalytic converter, windsheild wipers (I don't even need a windshild, just wipers, according to NC inspection), reverse lights, good tires, brakes that make no metal on metal noise, and thats it. since my car is 95 I don't need emmisons testing, and I can tune, gut out my cat, turbo, race cams, takout anthing I want, I just have to make it appear I have a cat and muffler pretty much anything I want and still keep it all legal.

rhymeshark916

Here's the confusing part. I have two friends that had their civic bar'd.

First car/friend:
96 civic h/b
jdm b16a block with 99 b16a2 head
96-97 p30 ecu
BARD sticker note: b16a replacement for b16a2/3

Second car/friend:
96 civic h/b
96-98 usdm b18b
96-98 RS/LS ecu
BARD sticker note: B18 obdII etc, etc , without the letters and numbers behind it.

Really all bar'd civic with 1.8 engines should have "B18" since integras are the same "b" family. Comments are there to specify what it was use to ref the car so it shouldn't matter. SO, the only thing matter is the engine year/make/size regardless of which model engine you choose to ref. It does not make any sense at all if your car is bard with a b18c1(1.8l) and you have a jdm b18c(1.8l) engine having to bar again.

fungus mungus

The first car has a sticker that was done the way I'd expect one to be done...identifying the specific motor that is in the chassis. That second car w/the sticker that doesn't specify which model was done by a Ref that apparently didn't cross all of his Ts and dot all of his Is.

I imagine if your second friend gets his hood popped and he has a JDM Type R engine in it he could argue that it's a 1.8L engine with the cop. But I bet you he'll still get sent to the Ref.

I know that mine specifically denotes the motor B18C1 in the notes, so I couldn't get away with that.

fm

SD-ek

It is possible to get a car bar'd for any B18...I know because my ek hatch is. I originally got it bar'd with a B18C so because there is no # after the C there was nothing to put in the comment section.

SeanK325

however, if an officer pulls you over and you have a tag for a b18c, but actually have a b18c5 in there, then he may send you to the Ref.

fungus mungus

x2...some are **** like that and some will let it go. It''s a risk every time. You never know what kind of officer you're going to get. Just sayin'...

fm

SD-ek

I now have a B18C5 in the car and have had no issues. Since there is no specific engine in the comments section then there is nothing for the cop to reference to. All it says is Acura Integra 1.8L...so any 1.8L engine from an acura.

SD-ek

If you would have read all of my post you would see that I said there is nothing in the comments section on the sticker....nothing...its blank.

SeanK325

i understand that, but if it only says B18C, then that means your engine in bar'd for a B18C. If a cop is being **** about the details and you having a B18C5, then he can send you to the ref.

I wouldn't stress anything until it comes up. If you ever get pulled over, just be nice and explain your case.

fungus mungus

I think he's saying that there is no reference to "B18C" anywhere on the sticker. Only "Acura 1.8L". If that's the case, then SD-ek is fine and shouldn't be hassled.

The original issue is that of advising someone to get a motor BAR'd with, say, and LS motor, and then swap in a JDM ITR motor (or the like). As was stated several times before in this thread, some Refs are more thorough than others. Some will make notes in the NOTES section of the BAR sticker stating exactly what motor the chassis is BAR'd for. Others, like SD-ek's Ref, aren't as thorough. But as with cops, life is like a box of chocolates...you'll never know what your Ref will be like when you go to BAR your car. It's not like you can tell him or her "don't put anything in the notes field". For many of us, a swap is a one-time deal...many of us don't have the time, money, or resources to swap motors at will. So advising someone to do a less than desirable swap and swap again later just isn't practical for most. And then to get sent to the Ref by a cop that notices that your Ref made note of B18B1 on your sticker...you're talking 3 swaps. Who wants to deal with that?

fm

SD-ek

Thank you fungus mungus for reading what I wrote. I purposely used a B18C to get bar'd so that there would be nothing in the comments section because its a JDM motor that does not reference to a US motor, plus you dont see to many bar'd fully built turbo B18C/C5 EKs with CTR 5 lug and S2000 rims. What ever engine is in the comments section is what that car is stuck with. Fungus Mungus is completely correct. Get it bar'd for what ever engine you want to have in the car. Getting it bar'd for an LS then swapping in a GSR will just waste time and money. You will be screwed the first time you get pulled over.

phaphon

cali sucks lol im gonna move out just so i dont have to ref jkkk