What federal inspections? I've done numerous engine swaps over the years,
never lived in a state that required inspections, and never heard of any fed
inspections.

On Mon, Jul 29, 2002 at 04:37:38PM -0600, Gary Shea wrote:
> [2002-07-29 12:41 -0700] James B Robinson (jr@RATWERKS.COM) wrote:
> > Volks,
> >
> > I've gotten some great feedback on my GreaseVan project. A thing several
> > of my fellow Californian's have mentioned is the potential grief from the
> > DMV over emissions tests.
> >
> > My rough plan is to get a late model gas powered bus and get some time on
> > the smog clock (these are good for at least a year?) Do the diesel
> > conversion and follow that pretty quickly with the vegetable oil add-on.
> > Then, next time smog check is due have it tested running on SVO while
> > explaining none of its exotic nature to the guy at the check station (on
> > the theory that often, the less said, the better.)
> >
> > I'm not really from CA, so maybe I am just way naive on these things; I
> > moved here from Texas where stuff may be a bit looser. Is this likely to
> > work, or just completely blow up in my face? I'm not particulary averse
> > to pursuing proper channels if need be, but neither am I averse to coloring
> > 'outside the lines' as it were.
>
> > Reasons for starting with gas include getting a bus with fewer years and
> > newer features as well as getting the interior laid out just the way I want
> > it from the factory. This would also let me spread the cost of the project
> > over time, something that'll make it sit a lot better with my wife.
> >
> > Project notes at:
> >
> > http://ratwerks.com/zope/wiki/GreaseVan
> >
> > --
> > [ Jim Robinson -- System Administrator -- ratwerks.com ]
> > I am a boomer. My generation looked nuclear annihilation
> > in the eye and said "No thanks, I'd rather drive a BMW."
>
>
> Hi James --
>
> I have done a bit of research here in Utah about this kind of swap, and
> the federal rules are pretty clear, and inspectors I spoke with seemed
> fairly direct about where they'd bend and where they wouldn't.  The most
> _exact_ rendering seems to be that the only fully legal swap is with an
> engine that was originally available here in the US in the vehicle/model
> year in question.  The inspectors indicated to me that newer, cleanly
> installed, engines would be tolerated if the purpose did not appear to
> be hot-rodding.  With a vanagon and a diesel you're probably ok there ;)
>
> The next trick is the gas -> diesel swap.  Emissions testing is very
> different for gas and diesel engines, so you can't simply "go get
> tested" with a diesel when your title says it's gas, the test person will
> go looking for a spark plug wire to hook up to the machine and will
> freak out when they can't find one.  There's no way to bluff through
> that one, as far as I know.  Here in Utah at least you have to get a new
> title for the vehicle in order to do the gas -> diesel swap.  It's not
> illegal or discouraged, it's just a new title, but to get it you have to
> go through the federal/local inspection regime.
>
> The bottom line is if you get a newer vehicle you'll have to get a newer
> diesel.  If you are willing to go for a TDI of more recent vintage than
> the van (and I wouldn't stint on the electronics... it's just _begging_
> for trouble in California!), or maybe the Eurovan 2.4 NA diesel engine
> (I'm not sure what years they were available in the US), then you'll
> probably have no problem.
>
> Good luck!
>
>         Gary

--
Harmon Seaver
CyberShamanix
http://www.cybershamanix.com