I have a jdm b16a in my crx and got pulled over by a cop. he wrote me up for a bunch of stuff and now i have to bring my car to the State Ref. Anyone ever had this happen to you? Will a swapped b16a pass? Also, my car does not pass smog. It has never pass smog with this engine since day 1. Is it possible to make this engine pass smog? I was thinking about getting a new cat at a muffler shop or even thinking about running two inline cats. Help me out guys...

 

As far as I have heard, JDM engines are not legal for street use in CA. at all

I would think with all the propper smog equipment from a Del Sol VTEC, you could pass the emmisions part though, but if they know it is a JDM motor, you may be screwed

 

ive had my swap since April but it hasn't happened to me yet....BUT my smog is due....SHIIIIIIT


[Modified by [626]JDM-b16a-EF9, 1:20 AM 9/21/2001]

 

which parts would be the propper smog equipment? thanks

 

it's too much trouble, i would just put in your old DA motor in and pay for labor again, once u decide to go with b16a.....
you are just one unlucky fella

 

IT is legal to have a JDM motor in a car as long as the motor is not older than the car. example if you have a 90 civic then your b16 would have to be a 1990 or newer. you cannot have a 90 civic with an 89 engine but you can have 91 engine with a 90 civic..... as far as passing smog IM not sure. I live in michigan we do not have to worry about such things here...
good luck.

 

Nah, not in CA. JDM engines are not on the replacement engine list... the smog ref will fail the car automatically.

Dustin

 

So im basically screw huh? ****. What if i sell the car? Can i just report it back to them and say i sold the car and let the next owner deal with it? If it gets this bad, i am going to be forced to sell my car and buy a new daily driver. But is it possible for the motor to pass smog? Has anyone every done it and what did they do? If i get it to pass smog, i will bring it to the ref. and try it out anyways. I have nothing to lose. I spoke to a ref a while ago and he said swaps can pass if the job is clean and my swap is clean as hell. It looks stock. Only thing is the b16a exhaust manifold has 2 o2 sensors, i cut one of them and wired only one. u think this will matter?

I have seen shops put in jdm engines as replacements for a lot of cars, so why does this only apply to the b16a?

Help me out guys...

 

Maybe you can fudge the visual, by installing all 96 or 97 Del Sol vtec smog equipment( I am not sure what all that involves,....check on the Civic/ Del Sol forum).


Good luck, If that doesn't work, maybe you can track down a Del Sol b16 and propper smog equipment,...unfortunately, I think they are all OBD! or OBD2


[Modified by crux131, 10:32 PM 9/20/2001]

 

Oh, it matters on the b-16 because the swapped engine has to be the same year or newer than the car it is installed in. I beleive this means that it had to be offered in the car, or a car in the states during those years........meaning the only b-16's legal for swaps in cali are USDM 96 and up.

I am not entirely sure about this info, so you may want to research for yourself, but if I am right, any pre-96 b-16's will be known JDM motors, and therefor a biiiitch to pass visual.

I am sooooo glad I don't have to deal with that problem in Alabama yet!!!!!

 

you best be finding yourself a hookup for the ref. expect to pay a few hundred bucks. hit up performance shops in your area and explain your situation. someone will help.

 

Try taking it to the ref and see what happens. Tell him it is a del sol vtec motor ... maybe they will fall for it. All you lose is $40.

Dustin

 

Belive it or not i help certified a legal jdm b16 in a 90 Civic HB
1) the car was a federal not a Cali model
2) the block serial # 100 not the 500 series which mean the motor came back as a 95 Del Sol Vtec. Yes it did. don't know why
3) Took it too a middle of nowhere smog ref.
4) and tried to match the 1st gen b16a to look close to a 95 del sol vtec. meaning the o2 sesor has to be behind the block not close to the head,
5) removing some of the vacum hoses.
6) however this was just out of pure luck that his b16 got certified. Cause i fought he would be busted.

 

You're in a tough spot. JDM motors do not make for a legal swap in California. Short of pulling your engine for a USDM motor, your best bet is to pass your B16 off as a pre-'96(OBDII) del sol vtec motor. Rounding up a downpipe with proper O2 sensors, P30 ECU and a good cat will go a long way toward fooling the ref. A sharp one might catch it, but if you're running all the associated smog equipment from a del sol vtec, there's a good chance you'll pass and get that coveted Bureau of Automotive Repair sticker in your door jamb. Good luck, I hope you pull it off.

 

Thanks a lot for the help guys. I do not want to spend a fortune doing this so here is my plan, let me know what you think.
-new cat
-stock exhaust, im taking off my thermal. do exhausts really matter anyways?
-95 del sol exhaust manifold with rear o2's.
Do you guys think silicon hoses matter? I also got a weapon R intake and got a carb sticker from them so i am jus planning to leave it on because my stock airbox doesnt fit.
You guys out of CA are lucky!!!...

 

Dont just "try" to go and hope you pass...if you dont youre certified a gross polluter and then youre stuck with making it smog legal for sure...

best bet is pony up 100-200 bucks to a "shadetree" smog shop..

 

he's stuck going to a ref now though. should have done that in the first place and you could have saved a couple hundred MORE. sucks to be you man.

 

hey CRiX, i live in frisko and i had the same exact problem as you do now.
i tried to pass smog w/ factory USDM type R intake, stock exhaust, USDM type R headers, USDM type R cat, had the cam gears too, set those back to factory settings, made the car look completely stock, nothing aftermarket could be detected at all. I went to bring it to smog i passed the visual no problem w/ the exception of one of the stock smog parts not being connected, but then failed the sniff test miserably. HC and CO levels were way high.

I think passing visual should not be a big deal, depending on what city ur in... make sure everything looks as factory as possible, every little detail. I even changed my jdm valve cover to the black one.

There are two little black solenoids (not exactly sure what they're called) on the topend of the firewall that are supposedly for smog on the REX, just make sure the vaccum hoses on those are connected, and connected properly. Make sure your timing isn't off as well...mine was completely off by 20 degrees.

thats all i can think of from my smog experience, try it out and see what happens.
I ended up doing a PNO (planned non-operation) for my rex =*(
but i'm planning on getting someone to pass it soon.
if you don't pass let me kno....i may kno someone that can help you in san jose.
good luck!

 

i have given up and am not trying to fix it. My car will be for sale now. i will post it on the partstrader.com as soon as i have time. its 1 90 Si with a b16a. My swap is perfect. Looks stock. Car runs great. New tokico shocks with neuspeed springs. SS thermal exhaust and a decent sound system. Any one interested can email me at:
vick286@hotmail.com
thanks for all the help guys.

 

As far as I have seen, many J spec motors are able to pass smog remeber Japan has strong emmisons texting to, many people dont know that. Ive seen turbo cars pass smog. As far as I know you can re-register your car with the b16 in it they usually dont car as long as you have the correct paper work, and you pass smog. Remember they did sell this motor in del sols, not to many differences that would out you in a position to fail, smog testing.

 

Do you have any pictures of the REX at all? Just curious. I'm not too far away from doing a B16A swap in my 90 DX hatch.