Hello, my friend drives an accord 2 dr ex, and she wants to put a new engine in it. We live in california and I want to know if it's legal to have a H22 in a accord.

 

It's legal to swap in an H22A1/H22A4. You will need to retain the emissions devices from the Prelude. And have the car BAR'd. A sticker will be affixed to the doorjamb stating it is a legal swap.

 

Do you know if California is still issuing bar certs? I want to do a swap, but don't want to run into smog issues later.

 

yes but make sure you swap over ALL the smog equipment from the prelude

while using the engines stated and $8.50 to pay the ref (at least thats the price the ref i know charges)

and to the op's...have fun trying to get the 97+ ecu to work with/without the immobilizer

 

Regardless if the swap is legal? You still need someone who can tag it as a good swap? Including a smog guy?

 

Your questions are a bit contrary...

You do the swap, then bring the car not to any 'smog guy' but to a referee station. Usually stationed out of a community college. They inspect it, check for all applicable emissions devices, and then test it. If it passes yay, you get a big fat white STATE OF CALIFORNIA BAR sticker on the door jamb.

Then every biannual smog test you can take it to any TEST only schmo. It's less hassle, and if Penelope has you pop your hood, you have nothing to worry about.