Any LS swappers in Clark county NV?

[TrkEnvy]

I am wanting to do a 5.3 into my 71 c10 but I wanna know what the laws are for smog. Do I have to run cats because they came on the 5.3 or do they not apply because the truck didnt have cats in 71. I thought that the truck has to only meet air regs for the year it was made, but now im not so sure. Anyone wanna sign a petition to send to our governor to have the date for smog excempt pushed back from 67 to 75 to match cali?? Why are we more strict than somewhere that has 10x the population and vehicles.

[Clyde65]

Call your local DMV and ask what is needed if you do the swap. then call another office and ask the same thing.

[mcmlxix]

Just talked to the DMV Emissions Lab and they are faxing me a 5 page document on NV Engine swap reqquirements.

The first two pages are the general rules....
Last pages were the Federal rules. I have a link in the next post.

I called abck and told him I had 6.0L gas motor from an 06 GMC. He said I need CATs, the EVAP canister.

They will read the computer and devices must be functional....

Hi-Flow CATs are not a huge deal...
The EVAP system worries me....

[mcmlxix]

http://www.epa.gov/compliance/resour.../engswitch.pdf

ENGINE SWITCHING FACT SHEET
UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20460
March 13, 1991
OFFICE OF AIR AND RADIATION
Pursuant to frequent requests for information received by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA) regarding the legality and effects of engine switching, this document will summarize federal law
and policy pertaining to this matter, and will discuss other related issues.
A. Federal Law
The federal tampering prohibition is contained in section 203(a)(3) of the Clean Air Act (Act), 42
U.S.C. 7522(a)(3). Section 203(a)(3)(A) of the Act prohibits any person from removing or rendering
inoperative any emission control device or element of design installed on or in a motor vehicle or motor
vehicle engine prior to its sale and delivery to an ultimate purchaser and prohibits any person from
knowingly removing or rendering inoperative any such device or element of design after such sale and
delivery, and the causing thereof. The maximum civil penalty for a violation of this section by a
manufacturer or dealer is $25,000; for any other person, $2,500. Section 203(a)(3)(B) of the Act
prohibits any person from manufacturing or selling, or offering to sell, or installing, any part or
component intended for use with, or as part of, any motor vehicle or motor vehicle engine where a
principal effect of the part or component is to bypass, defeat, or render inoperative any device or
element of design installed on or in a motor vehicle or motor vehicle engine, and where the person
knows or should know that such part or component is being offered for sale or is being installed for
such use. The maximum civil penalty for a violation of this section is $2,500.
EPA received many questions regarding the application of this law to a situation where one engine is
removed from a vehicle and another engine is installed in its place. EPA's policy regarding "engine
switching" is covered under the provisions of Mobile Source Enforcement Memorandum No. lA
(Attachment 1). This policy states that EPA will not consider any modification to a "certified
configuration" to be a violation of federal law if there is a reasonable basis for knowing that emissions
are not adversely affected. In many cases, proper emission testing according to the Federal Test
Procedure would be necessary to make this determination.

A "certified configuration" is an engine or engine chassis design which has been "certified" (approved)
by EPA prior to the production of vehicles with that design. Generally, the manufacturer submits an
application for certification of the designs of each engine or vehicle it proposes to manufacture prior to
production. The application includes design requirements for all emission related parts, engine
calibrations, and other design parameters for each different type of engine (in heavy-duty vehicles), or
engine chassis combination (in light-duty vehicles). EPA then "certifies" each acceptable design for use,
in vehicles of the upcoming model year.
For light-duty vehicles, installation of a light-duty eng~ne into a different light-duty vehicle by any
person would be considered tampering unless the resulting vehicle is identical (with regard to all
emission related parts, engine design parameters, and engine calibrations) to a certified configuration of
the same or newer model year as the vehicle chassis, or if there is a reasonable basis for knowing that
emissions are not adversely affected as described in Memo 1A. The appropriate source for technical
information regarding the certified configuration of a vehicle of a particular model year is the vehicle
manufacturer.
For heavy-duty vehicles, the resulting vehicle must contain a heavy-duty engine which is identical to a
certified configura- tion of a heavy-duty engine of the same model year or newer as the year of the
installed engine. Under no circumstances, however, may a heavy-duty engine ever be installed in a
light-duty vehicle.
The most common engine replacement involves replacing a gasoline engine in a light-duty vehicle with
another gasoline engine. Another type of engine switching which commonly occurs, however, involves
diesel powered vehicles where the diesel engine is removed and replaced with a gasoline engine.
Applying the above policy, such a replacement is legal only if the resulting engine-chassis configuration
is equivalent to a certified configuration of the same model year or newer as the chassis. If the vehicle
chassis in question has been certified with gasoline, as well as diesel engines(as is common), such a
conversion could be done legally.
Another situation recently brought to EPA's attention involves the offering for sale of used foreign-built
engines. These engines are often not covered by a certified configuration for any vehicle sold in this
country. In such a case, there is no way to install such an engine legally. EPA has recently brought
enforcement actions against certain parties who have violated the tampering prohibition by performing
illegal engine switches.
It should be noted that while EPA's policy allows engine switches as long as the resulting vehicle
matches exactly to anv certified configuration of the same or newer model year as the chassis, there are
some substantial practical limitations to performing such a replacement. Vehicle chassis and engine
designs of one vehicle manufacturer are very distinct from those of another, such that it is generally not
possible to put an engine into a chassis of a different manufacturer and have it match up to a certified
configuration. Therefore, practical considerations will generally limit engine switches to installation of
another engine which was certified to be used in that same make and model (or a "twin" of that make
and model, e.g., Pontiac Grand Am and Oldsmobile Calais). In addition, converting a vehicle into a
different certified configuration is likely to be very difficult, and the cost may prove prohibitive.

B. State Laws
Many states also have statutes or regulations prohibiting tampering in general. Most of these laws
specifically prohibit tampering by individuals. A few specifically prohibit engine switching, using
provisions similar to those stated in EPA's policy. To determine the state law in any given state, the
state's Attorney General's office should be contacted. In addition, many states have state or local
antitampering inspection programs which require a periodic inspection of vehicles in that area, to
determine the integrity of emission control systems. Many programs have established policies for
vehicles which have been engine switched. While EPA does not require these programs to fail engine
switched vehicles which are not in compliance with federal policy, the Agency does strongly
recommend that these programs set their requirements so as to be consistent with the federal law. State
or local programs which pass illegally engine switched vehicles may mislead federally regulated parties
into believing that engine switching is allowed by federal law.

[Oilbrnr]

Meh, you sure you don't just need to have the equipment that the original chassis came with? Or is the State more restrictive in NV than the Feds?

[Clyde65]

There are a few guys here that have put an LS in their truck and basically swapped it all over to apease the DMV jerks. I know you need the cats, front and rear O2's and if you swap the charcoal canister in, then it should be good to go I bet. I had a friend that had his vehicle registered/inspected in his home state ( he was in the military) and he would travel back just for the inspection and tags every year ( he would see family too). there was no way his truck would pass anything but po-dunk country saftey anyway. worked for him.

[nyncompute]

All I have ever seen done at the NV DMV here is that they inspect to see that all essential components work i.e. blinkers, lights, horn, etc. Even so a smog certificate is required as with all vehicles. I have never had them pop the hood. Would they even recognize a 5.3 from a 350? Doubtful... Even so I would suspect the smog test would show a greatly improved emissions test from the 40 year old model engine.
All the same better safe that sorry I guess.

[boostat4500]

I'm up here in Washoe County, which I doubt is much different than Clark. I don't run cats or any other smog equipment and passed no problem. Even with a cam the truck runs cleaner than a stock 71' ever would have. All they did was sniff the truck and check for a gas cap.

[mcmlxix]

Nye County doesn't require SMOG check on any vehicle. Clark County does. In Clark County, any vehicle 1967 or older doesnt require SMOG check. However, accordning to the paperwork I received from DMV, if you perform an engine swap you must meet all emission reuirements from the year of the engine manufacture date.

I spoke with Howell Engine Development www.howellefi.com and they said they can build a harness with the necessary emissions components built in. I dont believe this can be done with an aftermarket harness that doesn't use and OEM ECM. The engineers at Howell aslo said that California requires two other parameters that Clark County NV didn't mention. One was fuel pump pressure and.. (I forget the other)...

The normal engine swap harness usually has provisions for two 02 sensors. With the emissions requirement, you need two additional o2 sensors after the CATs. It also requires the fuel evaporation canister and the purge valve.

I assume that all these componets are vehicle specific. Sometimes you can cross reference parts from one vehicle to another, but not all sources are reliable. Just because its on the internet doesn't mean its correct.

The information above it based on talking to NV DMV, Howell EFI and checking parts on both www.rockauto.com and www.napaonline.com ....

[TrkEnvy]

Originally Posted by mcmlxix

Nye County doesn't require SMOG check on any vehicle. Clark County does. In Clark County, any vehicle 1967 or older doesnt require SMOG check. However, accordning to the paperwork I received from DMV, if you perform an engine swap you must meet all emission reuirements from the year of the engine manufacture date.

I spoke with Howell Engine Development www.howellefi.com and they said they can build a harness with the necessary emissions components built in. I dont believe this can be done with an aftermarket harness that doesn't use and OEM ECM. The engineers at Howell aslo said that California requires two other parameters that Clark County NV didn't mention. One was fuel pump pressure and.. (I forget the other)...

The normal engine swap harness usually has provisions for two 02 sensors. With the emissions requirement, you need two additional o2 sensors after the CATs. It also requires the fuel evaporation canister and the purge valve.

I assume that all these componets are vehicle specific. Sometimes you can cross reference parts from one vehicle to another, but not all sources are reliable. Just because its on the internet doesn't mean its correct.

The information above it based on talking to NV DMV, Howell EFI and checking parts on both www.rockauto.com and www.napaonline.com ....

MCM i appreciate you being so detailed.. Its gonna help me a lot. My dad put one in his 66 and because of the law he is golden.. No smog needed. They should really update the smog law. Like i said earlier Cali is good till '75 I think.

[boostat4500]

Hey, I talked to my buddy again today who is Smog certified and also has an LSx swap vehicle, a 71' FJ Cruiser. He said in regards to having all the smog equipment stuff that the new engine came with, that only applies when swapping into a 1981 or newer vehicle. Prior year vehicles only need what ever the vehicle was originally equipped with. This is all assuming nothing has changed within the last year or 2, which I don't think it has.

[mcmlxix]

Originally Posted by boostat4500

Hey, I talked to my buddy again today who is Smog certified and also has an LSx swap vehicle, a 71' FJ Cruiser. He said in regards to having all the smog equipment stuff that the new engine came with, that only applies when swapping into a 1981 or newer vehicle. Prior year vehicles only need what ever the vehicle was originally equipped with. This is all assuming nothing has changed within the last year or 2, which I don't think it has.

I like this explanation better... I was going to stop by the SMOG place that helped me tune my carb to pass SMOG last time. They should be able to corroborate the information. I will also go to the DMV Smog Lab and talk to someone in person before I do anything rash. It would be nice to avoid the extra cost and hassle of the additional SMOG equipment.

[mcmlxix]

UPDATE: I stopped by the smog lab on Sahar and spoke to the tech that would be filling out the paperwork and physically looking at the truck....

1980 and older dont even need to show the swap! No paperwork. No DMV notification.... All it has to do is pass the sniffer test and have a non cracked gas cap seal.. That is it!!!

Woo Hoo ...