i got a 2000 hatchback and i want to do an engine transplant is it true that you need to get the year of your can or can you get an older engine if so is the older engine not legal will it still pass smog and what if it is a J-spec motor or not does it matter? thanks

 

yea i know how they fit in but i was cuious if you could tell me will it pass smog and is it legal in california to have a engine that is older than the year of the car and if its j-spec is it automaticaly illgeal cause they have different smog test than we do. thanks

 

yes from what I have read about CA swap laws the engine must be the same year or newer to get the smog cert. BTW I love that state but I would'nt want to live there with this hobby.

 

well, I can't say much about CA laws specifically as I do not live there and am not licenced to practice law there. BUT I can tell you that federal EPA regs say that you must retain the emissions equipment of the original chassis when replacing the motor. so it would be against federal law to replace an OBD-2 motor or ecu with and OBD-1 one in a 96+ car, unless you added all the obd-2 sensors and used an obd-2 ecu to run it (like my hybrid coupe). otherwise you can put any obd-2 motor into your obd-2 car, without worries.....I believe CA law minics these regs. People say "no motor older than the car" as a gudline that summarizes this law, but isn't 100% accurate, unless you are laking about 1996 or 1992.5 cars. There is one reason that this is accurate in various states, however. Some states have Consumer Protection laws, that prohibit the resale of a car that has had a motor older than the chassis installed into it....I don't know if CA has this law or not...but you can check with the state's AG office to find out.

hope that helps...
dave w