I spoke with a guy from the Federal EPA and he said no problem with putting in a different engine in a different make as long as it is a later model and it is installed with ALL official smog equipment pertinent to the year of that engine.

The Massachusetts DOT also confirmed the above.

Cheers,

MJS

At 01:29 PM 1/26/99 -0700, Gary Shea wrote:

>It's actually a bit more complicated than Mark suggests, unfortunately.

>I recently talked to a smog guy here in Utah state gov't, who informed me

>that federal law requires that the engine not only be of the same or newer

>vintage, but must also have been available as standard equipment for

>the vehicle that year or in later years in the US.  Thus the 5 cylinder

>Audi CANNOT satisfy federal reg's, as I understand them.  My

>understanding is that the underlying rule is that engine/vehicle combo

>must already have been certified by the gov't as passing smog tests,

>and of course that implies the above restrictions.

>

>So you can legally stick a 2.1L engine in your 1.9L 83.5 vanagon, stick

>a 1.9L or 2.1L in your pre-83.5 air-cooled van, or switch to a normally

>aspirated 1.6L diesel (but not a TD diesel), and

>that's about it, if one wishes to be within the letter of the law.

>

>On the other hand, I have every intention of putting a 1.9 TD into

>my van, unless of course I find a TDI in the meantime.  Here in Utah

>the pollution testing authorities are getting pickier all the time,

>but not picky enough to detect this particular illicit change.

>

>I have no idea how this plays out in CA... and don't want to know ;)

>

>        Gary

>

>On Tue, 26 Jan 1999, Mark B. Magee wrote:

>> Volks,

>> I as many of you are, I as well am excited about the specter of a 5cyl

>> audi, turbo or non-turbo swap in for my 4spd 91 Westy (143K on orig top

>> end/bottom end). Yet I believe all who would do this need to be aware

>> that any swap in will -not- be approved by the new Federal Standards

>> (all 50 states) and present CAL standards unless the motor being swapped

>> in is at least of the same year model -or newer- than the year model of

>> the vehicle. E.g., with my 91 Westy, I will be legal only if I swap in a

>> 91 or newer Audi 5cyl, along w/all applicable smog equipment.

>> If you're planning to swap in a motor, be advised that Fed standards are

>> slowly being implemented throughout the country, a visible check of your

>> motor may or may not trigger an inspector to notice the slant 5 instead

>> of the wasserboxer, yet if they find out a swap has been done, (yes they

>> -do- ask FBI type questions) and they run the serial numbers on the

>> block that show the engine older than the car: you are out of compliance

>> and in the nether world of dealing with the Feds who are very nasty

>> about this presently.

>> Bottom line, if planning a Vanagon motor swap in, purchase a motor of

>> the year of your van or newer to avoid trouble.

>>

>> --

>> ><<>     ><<>     ><<>     ><<>     ><<>     ><<>     ><<>     ><<>     ><<>

>> Shalom                                                    87 GL

>> Mark Magee                                           91 Westy

>> Kemah TX USA                                     96 Suzuki 4WD Sport

>> John 14:6                                                83 Honda XL

>> 250! Yea!!

>>

>

>-----------------------------------------------------------------

>Gary Shea                                       shea@xmission.com

>Salt Lake City                      http://www.xmission.com/~shea

>

<bold>

Michael J. Sullivan

</bold><italic>Director of Catalog Design

Open Market, Inc.

</italic>

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