California Emissions Legal
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ECMs started in 1980 for CA, 81 for the other 49. CA hunts for scufflaws who register their cars out of state to avoid emission testing. Best bet is to sell your current car and buy a intact CA car.
I've been lost in the California smog for years, so I'll weigh in here. Excuse me if I cough from time to time.
To get registered in California from out of state, the car will have to pass various inspections. Then depending on where you settle, you may or may not have smog inspections every other year after that (forever, if at all).
For the 350 to be legal, it must be outfitted with the complete emissions control system (the "certified configuration") that came from the factory on any 350 that GM put in any passenger car, model year 1978 or later. For example, you might use a police motor setup, or maybe the TPI setup out of a Camaro. Any aftermarket parts that differ from factory must have an EO (Executive Order) that indicates they have been "certified" by CARB (California Air Resources Board) for use with the chosen "configuration." There are limits to what they can catch, however, since they aren't going to take your motor apart.
It's a life out here. Get used to it.
To get registered in California from out of state, the car will have to pass various inspections. Then depending on where you settle, you may or may not have smog inspections every other year after that (forever, if at all).
For the 350 to be legal, it must be outfitted with the complete emissions control system (the "certified configuration") that came from the factory on any 350 that GM put in any passenger car, model year 1978 or later. For example, you might use a police motor setup, or maybe the TPI setup out of a Camaro. Any aftermarket parts that differ from factory must have an EO (Executive Order) that indicates they have been "certified" by CARB (California Air Resources Board) for use with the chosen "configuration." There are limits to what they can catch, however, since they aren't going to take your motor apart.
It's a life out here. Get used to it.
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It's still similar to that in my state, still have to pass inspections every two years and use EPA approved emission parts and no age cutoff. Federal law forbids emissions tampering in all 50 states regardless of the vehicle's age, but some don't bother enforcing it while others enforce it with zeal.
I had always heard that the car's engine (when swapped) must meet its factory emissions standards from the year the engine was built. i.e., a '78 350 needs all the emissions crap and a '68 350 doesn't. I believe that's the law in some states, but I know California is about as uptight as you can get. My suggestion is to just do as much research as you can, to attempt to find a little loophole or exemption that applies to your car
It is indeed emissions for the year the engine was built, but that year must be the same year the car was built or later. It cannot be earlier. That's the federal regulation, but as Clone TIE Pilot noted, not all states care.
EDIT: Actually it's model year, not year built, for both car and motor.
And the cutoff year is 1966, earlier cars are not "emissions controlled." Later cutoff years have to do with which cars need smog inspections, and that varies state to state and even county to county. But it's all due to federal regulations and how bad the local smog is, the states don't decide these things on their own. It's just that some states or counties don't have smog inspections, so they don't enforce.
And basically, all in all ....
😕😵
EDIT: Actually it's model year, not year built, for both car and motor.
And the cutoff year is 1966, earlier cars are not "emissions controlled." Later cutoff years have to do with which cars need smog inspections, and that varies state to state and even county to county. But it's all due to federal regulations and how bad the local smog is, the states don't decide these things on their own. It's just that some states or counties don't have smog inspections, so they don't enforce.
And basically, all in all ....
😕😵
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CA is the only state allowed by the Feds to decide their own emission policy, mostly because they were the first to have emission testing, CARB predating the EPA, and because their standards are more strict than the Federal standards for the other 49. The EPA even copies their standards and rules from the CARB. Some states have tried to sue the Feds for only allowing CA to make its own decisions in emission testing and not other states.
That's all true, GM field tested their first computer here and so forth. I was thinking more of the "anti-tampering" and "engine change" rules, though, since these were the problems posed by the OP. These are basically the same everywhere, but like you said, enforcement is more or less tied to actual smog inspections in the areas that have them.
I might add, I was born in Los Angeles (though I certainly don't live there now), and I support smog control in general, I just continue to struggle with how it was implemented. I don't think that's how I would have gone about it. 😀 In my view you implement a very robust tailpipe test, and don't even bother popping the hood.
Beyond that, I read a study commissioned by the state on roadside detection, according to which you could scrap regular inspections at stations entirely. Oddly, though, the authors did not recommend it, so don't hold your breath (pun intended).
I might add, I was born in Los Angeles (though I certainly don't live there now), and I support smog control in general, I just continue to struggle with how it was implemented. I don't think that's how I would have gone about it. 😀 In my view you implement a very robust tailpipe test, and don't even bother popping the hood.
Beyond that, I read a study commissioned by the state on roadside detection, according to which you could scrap regular inspections at stations entirely. Oddly, though, the authors did not recommend it, so don't hold your breath (pun intended).
Living in California and knowing a few s
unfortunately everything after 75 here in cali has to be smogged. your gonna need all the original smog stuff under the hood plus you have to go back to a y pipe with one cat. not only that but it ha to be a replacement cat with the right numbers on it. I suggest doing an ls or Lt swap or you can get a hot smog.
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