DMV notification when changing engines?

Hey everyone. Those of you who have swapped out engines in your Geos, do you need to report the engine change to DMV? I thought since you're putting in another engine with a different serial number on it that it would have to be reported to DMV and you need to have the vehicle inspected? Just curious. Let me know! Thanks!

Dan;
I don't believe you would need to notify DMV for an engine change (I'm assuming you are staying stock). You could always call them and ask what the official rules are. I think the major concerns are meeting the emissions requirements.

All the DMV cares about is that the VIN # on the dashtop matches the vehicle....Engine swaps happen daily.....Modified or not. If your State or area you live in does Emmsions testing (My area doesn't...:grinyes: )...It's up to the owner of the vehicle to make sure it's capable of passing an emmsions test....Engine serial #...??? I was under the impression that all that's on an engine is the part # (s) and engine ID for replacement purposes? I wouldn't worry about at all! If you change a dash cluster, just remember to write down the actual mileage of the car if the DMV asks that question....You dont want to be caught selling a vehicle that has say.....150K ACTUAL miles on it and your new cluster say it has 75K Miles on it, and when you bought the car, the mileage was reported to the DMV as 100K Miles.....Bad idea!

Fortunately vehicles in California over 10 years old, when you sell them, don't require that you put mileage on the pink slip. But yeah, my original cluster had 56,000 miles on it, and the new one has 81,000 something, so as far as the vehicle history goes, it'll probably show up as having 181,000 miles but it really has 156,000 something on it. But I did make a note when I changed clusters. :)

Different places have different rules. For instance here in Idaho if you change an odometer you are officially supposed to register that change with DMV and they will charge you a fee and rivet a metal tag to the door post showing that the odometer has been changed. Personally I doubt that happens much but it wouldn't hurt to find out what the rules are where you are. If you aren't required to disclose the mileage on older vehicles then there may or may not be a disclosure requirement dealing with changing an odometer.

Only when you sell the vehicle you have to disclose it on the pink slip when you sign it over to the new owner. I've sold many vehicles in the past, and never had problems with it. I just always fill in the X marked "not actual mileage" then I write off to the side what the actual mileage is. :) At least that's what I do in California.