suitable (legal) engine swap for 240sx in ca

[roundworldsobig]

I know that the 99 SR20DET would never pass the smog check in CA and I was wondering which swap would pass the smog check. Which engines pass 200hp that is =] would the SR20DE ? RB20DET ? Give me info ! so i can learn

[grncivicdhr]

why not turbo charge your ka and not worry about it.

[roundworldsobig]

engine has 200,000 on it

[240sxAddict]

well i would rebuild the entire block put new performance and everything on it and install the turbo thats wat im planning on doing as soon as i can get the right kind of maney

[LaYzIeNoY]

two words
rebuild it

rebuild plus getting forged internals and what not would run roughly the same or cheaper as a swap, and emssions wouldnt be as bad,plus parts are easier to find

i really wanted to do the swap thats why i got a SR[well that and the RB motors werent werking out too well for me*sigh*] and as i have a 89 i would have to do some kind of swap anyways to DOHC,[finding a 240 on the east coast is a b1tch as stated in another thread]

just a thought do what fits you and not what people tell you is good

[SHO411]

from what I've hear about the laws in Cali, is there any real legal swap, cuz I hear if you pass smog you still have to pass visual.

[KenOhki2112]

It is illegal in california to swap any engine which was not offered as a factory option into a chassi.

Your legal options are KA24E and KA24DE.

Also note that modding either of these with forced induction is also illegal.

Sucks don't it =(

[CKAMC]

also as in california... you find a shop that does emmissions testing and use some per$i$tance and i bet you will find a $uper cool guy to help you pa$$ with what ever $wap

[BaDmAn]

Its been a year since I moved up to Canada from cali. And last time I checked it got way harder to pass emissions in cali from when I was in high school rocking with all the big block kids. I still all the time hear about VW's passing all emissions while being turbo'd and running 500 hp at the wheels. So dont go by word of mouth and go ask a Tech. that knows his "$hit".

[SHO411]

I did't mean the moment you turbo your car you are going to fail, I said it sucks cuz someguy told me if you have ceramic coated equal legth headers and they see them, you fail the visual inspection, basically if you go chrome plate stuff, and they see it or add like NOS or Turbo, then pass emissions, you will still fail Visual. We don't have any visual inspection here.
What is visual inspection then???????????
what makes you fail visual???????????

[BaDmAn]

Yes that is so true SHO411... o so true. I've seen guyz get busted for having a chrome intake or even getting jipped for exhaust. It all depends on if your lucky enough to get caught or not lol... thats only if your driving your car around knowing you can get jacked for it. like gambling cept with the man!

[SHO411]

That sucks, like I said in another post, all y'all need to go protest or sign a petition to revoke all those stupid laws. Man I love the southern states, pull up on a cop with an RB in a 240 and he'll think it came stock like that. Just as long as you pass emissions they don't care, or you can swap an RB and register it out of Metro county limits, and you don't have emissions whats so ever, their less than 20 counties that require emissions. Infact, when I finish my project, I'll register it at my uncles ADD, and this way, I can do whatever, and not have to pass emissions.

[BaDmAn]

Hahah thats nuts(about not having emissions) and yeah the rules in cali are supposidly the toughist in the country so what can they do with the governator in office.... he'll terminate them. and me for being from there and hating the rulez

[KenOhki2112]

The smog laws in california were funded for mostly by GM and Ford who made millions of dollars in 'donations'. The laws encoruage people to go out and buy new cars rather than fix up their older models to comply with the encreasingly outragious smog requirements.

I'm pretty sure that this is the only state where you have to put your car on a dyno for a fucking smog check, thats why they cost up to $120 in the bay area. =(

[mrflip69]

Ok, there ARE smog legal engine swaps for the 240, and it is not limited to the KA. Example, a Corvette engine would be legal if it is from the same year or newer than your car. If your car is a California model (separate from Federal), you will have to swap it with an engine from another California model. Example, there are California/Federal models for the 240sx and etc...

I think I've seen an S2K swap in an S13 too. That would be smog legal as well.

There are guidelines on what need to be swapped over in order to be "smog legal". Call up a state referee or your local smog tech if you want to find out.

I'd go on, but if you're truly serious about doing something like this, you would research on your own instead of relying on 2nd/3rd hand information. Try searching this forum. This topic has come up, and people are still confused about what's legal and what's not. It's not by chassis, but by class. Example, passenger vehicle, van, light truck, suv, etc... The swap laws are there so you can't lower the emissions standards of your car.

BTW, it cost me about $60 bucks to get my car smogged at a Test Only center, here in Los Angeles.