can you get a BAR certificate in California for an LSVTEC in a 92 Civic?

 

Maybe. You'll need to have all paperwork where the motor came from and must passs smog and visual checks. Also, there will probably be fees involved because its California. More trouble than necessary in my opinion. Just find someone to smog you. It's about $300 per 2 years. Not that bad.

 

I went thru this with a B18a in my EF when it was still on the street. BAR has a pamphlet called "Engine Change Guidelines" that outlines what you can and cannot do in simple language. Basically, the engine must be from the same year as the vehicle or newer. The emission systems must all be from the engine and/or donor vehicle and be fully functioning. The ECU must also be from the donor car. Check engine light must be in operation, but not on (throwing a code) with the engine running.

The LS/VTEC is a mix and match kind of thing, so I don't know if they'll catch that or not. The guys who went over my car were VERY sharp. And they had some great stories about some of the **** people try to pull on them.

They can fail you for anything not CARB approved in sight. But they're not allowed to disassemble anything for inspection. So adjustable cam gears would fail if they can be seen. But not with a stock valve cover and timing belt cover. I'm sure BAR has updated info on their web site. Do your home work and do it right. Once you've got the sticker, then you can do stuff your local tester might look the other way on. But the BAR test guys don't let much get by them...

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by thawley &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote"> Basically, the engine must be from the same year as the vehicle or newer. The emission systems must all be from the engine and/or donor vehicle and be fully functioning. The ECU must also be from the donor car. </TD></TR></TABLE>
This statement pretty much rules out the LS/Vtec, Motor is from an LS and the ECU is from a different car with a vtec motor.

 

thanks for the info guys, i figured it was gonna be kinda hard, since it is 2 different motor parts, i'll just go with an LS in my car

 

just install the ls and get it bar'd then throw the pr3 head on later.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by phoenix1.8 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">just install the ls and get it bar'd then throw the pr3 head on later.</TD></TR></TABLE>

yup...

 

Hey, sorry but I'm kinda new to cali so if you throw a pr3 head on after having the ls bar certified is there any threat if you get pulled over by a cop that knows his or her stuff?
I used to not car but I've already donated a lot more than I would have ever wanted to the great guys at CHP

 

cali cops are getting smarter, some will catch a ls-v but not because of the head its because of the valve cover, if you make it look stock and shave the v/c then u'll be golden&lt;after you ref it as a ls. any time they see vtec they try to write a ticket, i bet they'ed write a stock gsr a ticket
-joseph

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by phoenix1.8 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">just install the ls and get it bar'd then throw the pr3 head on later.</TD></TR></TABLE> bump thats exactly what i did and i got pulled over and the cops asked me to pop my hood and he couldnt say anything about my motor cuz i had my bar'd sticker

 

Head swaps are illegal in California.

CHP is being taught how to spot CARB approved gear and how to tell if a motor belongs in a car. If they look at your BAR sticker and see a non-VTEC motor and then see VTEC on the valve cover, you're busted. If you go to a smog tech who catches the VTEC on a non-VTEC block, you're busted. Don't make the mistake of thinking these guys are stupid. If they let you slide, it's because they don't care not because they don't know.

Personally, not worth the risk to play John Force on the streets, to me.

 

I really can't believe they give that much of a **** about cars. Shouldn't the police be worried about people comitting CRIMES??

 

While I was having my B18c certified, the ref said that he will not pass a LSvtec.

His justification is that the requirement of running an external oil line to feed the head means that the head isn't considered a "replacement".

If you have a bar sticker for the LS installation, I don't think you would have any problem finding a smog check station that wouldn't worry about it.

I don't think a cop would know the difference and as for having a valve cover that says "VTEC", if asked, you could just say that you thought it was cool and added it as "bling". Odds are that there are several things he would notice before getting to that point! (like aftermarket fuel rail or non-bar'd air intake) All he really has to do is say that he <U>feels</U> the swap is "non-compliant" and make you go to the Ref.

Wes

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by JDM_Ej &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I really can't believe they give that much of a **** about cars. Shouldn't the police be worried about people comitting CRIMES??</TD></TR></TABLE>

Idiot kids driving like asshats are putting the public at danger. This is a crime. Kids wrap themselves around telephone polls at 150mph trying to play John Force on the street. If people would realize that they are the problem and not the cops then the rest of us wouldn't get hassled so damned much just for driving Hondas.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Wes V &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">While I was having my B18c certified, the ref said that he will not pass a LSvtec.

His justification is that the requirement of running an external oil line to feed the head means that the head isn't considered a "replacement".

If you have a bar sticker for the LS installation, I don't think you would have any problem finding a smog check station that wouldn't worry about it.

I don't think a cop would know the difference and as for having a valve cover that says "VTEC", if asked, you could just say that you thought it was cool and added it as "bling". Odds are that there are several things he would notice before getting to that point! (like aftermarket fuel rail or non-bar'd air intake) All he really has to do is say that he <U>feels</U> the swap is "non-compliant" and make you go to the Ref.

Wes</TD></TR></TABLE>

I've heard stories where cops have said, "now I know this car didn't come with a (DOHC) VTEC motor in it..." And it's off the the Ref. you go. But not before doing a head swap back to your LS head and making everything else look stock. That equals money and time, which is more money, to me. Completely not worth it when I could just swap in a GSR and do internal work, that isn't visible, to get more power.

 

Yeah, cali is pretty strict from what I know of just living here 8 months.
i would love to afford to buy a gsr but I already have a b18 block and it would be a lot cheaper to just put a b16 head or even a b18 head on it. I know not to underestimate the chp, but do you think that they would really notice the oil lines going to the lsvtec head if I shave the vtec off and use factory paint to shoot the valve cover with like lightcrx's suggestion? I'm not trying to break the law I want a quick car to autox and hopefully run on track events but I want to be able to drive it on the steet as well without being hassestled by every freakin cop in a 100 mile radius IS THAT SO MUCH TO ASK FROM THE GOLDEN STATE!?

 

and I guess a turbo is even more difficult to get bar cert on, really I guess I just need to go read the bar site some more and try to figure out how to just fly under the radar because I dont want to have a tight lsvtec turbo and never be able to even see the streets without feeling like I'm driving drunk because I'm taking such a risk

 

Oh ****, I just noticed you live in the same area as me. The cops are getting super strict about it up here because of that kid who wrapped himself around a telephone poll at a street race a few months back.

Yes, I do think that the CHP will notice it. They're being trained to spot things like that. Never underestimate anyone and you'll keep yourself out of trouble. As far as turbo's. Unless one has come out recently, there isn't a CARB approved turbo kit for the B18A/B.

All in all, the LS is a bad platform to use in Cali if you want to keep it legal. I see a lot of people who don't give this the serious thought it deserves and try to pull one over on the Ref or smog tech and end up with an unstreetable car. Not to mention, you might want to see what class you want to be in for Auto-X and track events before you start building a motor.

 

Yeah, that was sad about that kid, but if they weren't drivinig hondas they would be driving mustangs or something simmilar. I wish people could understand that it's not the car its the people making bad choices, when I was in high school I lost some one that I was very close to and two others that were my friends in car accidents. stupid people make stupid choices that effect the lives of others if you wanna drive fast I say go for it just learn how to do it and where to do it.
But anyways since you live in this area maybe you can help me find some autox's and events or atleaste tell me where to look, becuase I've searched a lot and havent been able to find out anything except there are a lot of tracks in nor cal. but I probably just need to read even more. And what would you suggest since you said the b18's are bad from the start here to try to build?

 

SCCA.com should help you out.

I've got some work to do with my car before it's ready for a track. Suspension and brakes mostly.

I'd recommend either a B16 or B18C (GSR) if you want to go B-Series.

 

fucl&lt; the police, wrap the oil line in black wire loom and tape make it look like wiring, thats what we do with nitrous.

-joseph

they pulled my friend over the other day saying his 99-00 civic tails(stock) are not legal lol

 

^^ Case in point.

"If people would realize that they are the problem and not the cops then the rest of us wouldn't get hassled so damned much just for driving Hondas."

 

lol so i guess im the problem then
oh well ill live with it

-joseph

 

lol, you know that's simple to wrap it like a wire but it does make alot of sense. what they dont see/know cant hurt em.
I found out today that greddy for sure does make a b18 street legal cali, carb, daffy duck, bobo the clown approved turbo kit that the lovely people at the state of california cant even bother me about, so t3/t4 and forged carb sticker here I come. so I've pretty well got my plan for success ironed out now. I think I will go with a b18/gsr head because I would have to spend A LOT to ever get a non vtec head to flow like the gsr stock, as much as I hate it I will probably have to put a stock b18 head on to get it carbed but atleaste there pretty cheap and thankfully this isnt my daily driver so I can change the head twice without losing money from missing work. The only thing I'm wondering is it has the d15 in it now so if I get it smogged and then swap the motor will I have to smog it again soon as I put in the b18 and have it carbed? I'm pretty sure I would, so I will just wait untill I swap.
Hey, not to thread jack but do yall have any links to any local autox's? I might try to get some practice autoxing before I put the turbo on. you know brush up on some autox skills, yeah those skills I never had to begin with.