What's new
CK5
Register an account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members.

More is better... Is it legal in Calfornia?

retroblazer

retroblazer

1/2 ton status
 Premium
Joined
Nov 30, 2003
Posts
359
Reaction score
380
Location
Gustine
sub.gif

My 94 Sub has a 388" stroker small block with a 4L60E. Now that I live in California and have to tow through the mountains to get anywhere, I need more engine. I'd like to swap a Vortec 454 out of the 95's and up, or to go to a 6.0 LS . What can I get away with in the land of lunacy?
 
That 388 is going to make more torque off idle then a 6.0l

The 454 would be more so. The loose rule is that the motor needs to be same model year or newer and retain all smog equipment. If you put a 454 in their id be tempted to go smog it as is and not say anything about it. If you go lq series then youll end up having to go to a BAR ref and theyll go over it with a fine tooth comb.

Best advice ever: before you pull the trigger, call the state ref. Theres way too many "one time my brother" stories out there.
 
yellowK20 said:
Register it in a non smog county
Click to expand...

There's so few of those now. You really have to get far beyond population to get that. I know one of my coworkers lives way up in the woods and he still has to smog.

The days of registering elsewhere and playing the po box game are long gone.
 
What I really need is a dedicated tow vehicle, pre smog 75 crew cab dually with a big block of size. Oh another project. I have some buddies that have late 90's crew cab F350 Oil burners with straight axles, that seem do pretty well.
 
Back to reality, so within the realm of possibility I could swap in a 94 TBI 454. Which doesn't really get me much other than ditching the 4L60E. I can't imagine the power output is that much better than my 388, which has had it's bowls and chambers massaged by my engine builder, an aftermarket cam, and a reprogramed chip by Howell.
 
What did the truck have in it originally? If it had a small block I don't believe you can swap in a bbc. I could be wrong about this.
 
skunked said:
What did the truck have in it originally? If it had a small block I don't believe you can swap in a bbc. I could be wrong about this.
Click to expand...

I believe you can. Just have to assume the role of the bb smog stuff, which is probably exactly the same as the sbc.

It would be no different than a v8 s10 which have been around a long time. I do wonder if a bbc will run as clean as a sbc...like could the bb pass the sbc smog?
 
It was my understanding if you can can get a smog referee to sign off on it is good. I don't know if that has changed or not but about four years ago a buddy swapped a in 5.3 vortec into his jeep and got the smog referee to sign off on it.
 
CrpMag122 said:
It was my understanding if you can can get a smog referee to sign off on it is good. I don't know if that has changed or not but about four years ago a buddy swapped a in 5.3 vortec into his jeep and got the smog referee to sign off on it.
Click to expand...

It's a lot more straightforward than most people think.

There's just some things that they will send you home instantly for like having a turbo trans mated to a 5.3l. You have to have the same model trans that the new engine would have left the factory with and so on.

That's why I always tell people to call them before they do something that won't fly.
 
wetoolowdingbangow said:
It's a lot more straightforward than most people think.

There's just some things that they will send you home instantly for like having a turbo trans mated to a 5.3l. You have to have the same model trans that the new engine would have left the factory with and so on.

That's why I always tell people to call them before they do something that won't fly.
Click to expand...
Good advice for sure. The stupidity of it all still kills me!
 
CrpMag122 said:
Good advice for sure. The stupidity of it all still kills me!
Click to expand...

Yeah it's overwhelming in the stupid category.

I always wanted to put an ls1 or l33 in a miata but you can fit oem manifolds so it's impossible in this state.

I've always thought if it's really all about the money to this state, which it is in the end...why not charge $1000 for every item that's not up to par...like long tube instead of manifolds. There's no difference in emissions provided it's got the correct cats. I know tons of people that would gladly pay 2 grand to get it to pass the bar.
 
Hey Chris! I've been through this before and have done a ton of research and my crap is in a non smog county now..
But.. If you wanted to swap motors one really big thing is the gvw of the donor must be close to the rig it's being transplanted into. This would eliminate a motor from a 1 ton truck, unless your burb is already 3/4 which would put you into the 8600gvw range. If you are tbi the swap should be very straight forward as long as you maintain cat location. Egr and Evap work properly and you have the cel. One thing people don't realize is the motor must come from an automatic if it's going into an auto. Sometimes there are different emissions levels because the Trans changes how and when some of that operates.
Someone mentioned calling and talking to a ref. Good advice but make sure you find the local guys and talk to them. Because one tech is ok with something does not mean the other guys are too.
I just got a bbc burb, I'll never go back.. It's insane how much better this moves itself vs my sbc gmt400
 
https://www.bar.ca.gov/Industry/Engine_Change_Guidelines.html
Here's the website and has a few snippets about the light duty heavy duty swaps.

If it was me.. Because this is s pretty simple swap, and you can pretty much build it as it would be from the factory.. I'd find a donor and swap it over, make sure it sniffs clean, make sure you have the proper core support label for the larger engine.. And take it to a po dunk place the next time you have to smog it. Chances are you'll get no questions if it looks factory..
It's pre obd1 so that'll help your chances even more because they won't check the Ecm for vin.
 
http://www.novak-adapt.com/knowledge/emissions

This has what California considers a heavy dut chassis, something over 6kgvw and under is light duty.
So your burb likely had a 6700gvw and the bbc burb has an 8600 gvw. Based on the Novak website the c1500 is technically heavy duty.. I don't know how much I believe based on that statement because I've had hd vehicles that had almost no emissions and are 7600gvw. I'll see if I can find California's definition of what's heavy duty and not
 
image.png

image.png

Lol I guess the cutoff is 8500, but if your can call and confirm that because the burn in its 2500 state is not heavy duty and you can find an engine from that model I believe you might be ok, it's not technically hd soo that's a little bit of a grey area. SUVs are weird how their classes in ca for towing and safety etc..
 
What size tires and gears do you have in it and does it need to be regeared? If you went to a larger tire and didn't regear, you would feel really underpowered. I know my blazer w/ 3.73s didn't like it when I went from 31s to 35s. I drove it down to GA right after the tire change and it was dropping down to 2nd gear to get up some of the hills on I-81 around Roanoke VA. It perked right up after I put the 4.56s in and now it easily holds OD on even the steepest hill.
 
Man o man am glad I just about as far as you can away from that state....I don't know how you deal with it.

Ever think about a 8.1? I know they came in 3/4 tons.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest Posts

Top Bottom