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OK so I am moving to Newport Beach California and for all you guys in Cali I have a few questions. My CRX is obviously not going to pass smog being that the visual inspection it will fail (b18a1 swap). And its not going to pass emissions either. So being that is there any way that I can register the car in Cali? As a classic or some other special registration? I have until august to figure this out so a little time. I really wanted to get the input of some people who obviously know the system over there.

One sure way is to keep it registered where it's registered now. Out of state registration = no emissions.

If you can, I'd keep your Florida plates if you would still have residency over there. If not, then I know a couple guys who can smog it for you. But its not cheap lol

Keep your out of state plates or spend 200-250 bucks every time you smog (pay to play).

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Will your car for sure not pass emissions? (Is it JDM, and do you have other noticeable bolt-ons?) Like the others have said, it would be best to keep your out-of-state plates (assuming you still have family or friends back in Florida whose address you can use), but if you had to have it registered here, you'll need to find a place that will let you smog your car and let things slide. If you have your stock exhaust, I'd highly recommend putting that back on, as I've had a co-worker or two in the past who had a similar setup but got their car impounded since the engine wasn't USDM.

By the way, where in Newport Beach are you moving to? I live there.

Ever heard of these wonderful things called bribes?

Smog guys don't make that much money out here. HINT HINT.

mine does it a stack of 40 $1 bills he has a thing with tj hookers.

I am the last of my family or friends in Florida so no one here. It is a usdm motor out of my brothers Integra. My stock exhaust is on there but no cat and a big hole in the muffler, not my doing Florida weather no rust on the car though. I'm moving to 19th street with my grandma she has no one to live with so I figured that it would be best to live with her. And my whole family wants me to move there.

Does he go to Adelita's?

If it's a USDM motor from a car that is as old or newer than your car (probably, if you have a CRX), then there isn't too much to worry about. However, a lot of law enforcement agencies are cracking down on engine swaps since a lot of cars here were powered by stolen engines, so if you have any paperwork, that would help you out. You'll definitely need to throw your cat on, otherwise you'll definitely fail smog and probably get a huge fine if you get pulled over.

Which 19th St. are you moving to? 19th on the peninsula in Newport, or 19th in Costa Mesa where the 55 freeway ends and becomes Newport Blvd.?

19th where the 55 freeway ends like almost at Irvine ave but a block away.

hmmm...isnt it in cali you gotta smog cars every 2 years or something ??

Depends on the car, year, and a lot of things. 2, 4, 6 or never.

Ah, okay. Technically that's Costa Mesa (maybe 2-3 miles from the border of Newport), but no big deal. I'd take you to Goathill Tavern (pretty popular but crummy bar not far from there), but you're not 21. Further down 19th St. going north, there's a Mexican food place called Alejandro's on 19th and Placentia, I used to go there all the time in college but my New Years resolution was to stop going there haha. Diagonally across the street from it is a local Shell station that seems to have the lowest prices for super unleaded out of the decent gas stations (including 76 and Chevron).

If you buy a car brand new, you don't have to smog it for seven years. Previously it was six, but Governor Schwarzenegger let us slide for another year. After that, I believe you have to smog it every two.

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So then do you really think that every single car running around in California is smog legal and emissions compliant? My Honda wasn't, I got it passed

We don't have to get our cars smogged at state facilities, most shops or even gas stations with garages can do smog checks. If you get pulled over by the police and sent to the smog referee, then that's a different story.

Drifter, you obviously have a lot to learn about how our government really operates.

if you did have a cat or had no problems with the car in that area then you should be able to smog it fine. the law states that if its a newer engine and its the same liter then its ok.im not sure about OBD part though.

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Was it in Oregon where some of the lawmakers wanted to make some law where you couldn't even use non-OEM tires? It sounds like Oregon is run by even worse Nazis. But I like how they require people with DUIs to have more insurance than the state minimums, it makes me some extra money.

The owner of this shop http://www.shogunstyleperformance.com/ in San Diego has a lot of experience having imported a RHD MR2 from Japan to CA. You might want to give him an email.

OK here is the deal.

If your car is obviously modded many stations won't sniff your car. If they look at the engine for the visual and see chrome and turbos then you're getting a one-way ticket to BAR hell. If you don't know what the BAR is imagine the DMV as seven layers of hell. BAR is the secret eighth level hiding below that. You will have to go to a referee and get your engine swap approved. The referee will examine your car and tell you what needs to be fixed for it to be legal. If its legal he will put a sticker in your doorjam with what emission control systems the average smog station will need to verify visually. This means that once you get the referee to approve your swap, your car is legal. I'm told if you are nice to them they will actually help you by telling you exactly how to fix your car to make it legal. If you are a jerk they have the ability to make your life very miserable.

In CA you are allowed to swap motors as long as the motor is the same year or newer than the one you are replacing. This goes for a car you already own or a car you are buying with a swapped motor. If the car you are changing the motor on is a CA-smog compliant car then you cannot give it a 49-state legal motor. You can put a 49-state-legal motor or a CA compliant motor into a 49-state car. JDM motors are not certified EPA compliant in any state therefor they will never be allowed on a street car in CA (technically, they are not allowed in your street-car in any State, though some states don't strictly check). Note that a CA-smog certified car or motor is not necessary to register or operate a car if the car wasn't originally sold in CA. The common-sense version of the law is essentially that you cannot swap a more polluting motor into your car than was originally in it.

The car's emission control systems must remain intact. This means stuff like your evap canister, EGR valve, catalytic converters, and the COMPUTER! If you have a check engine light, it must work. If the motor is ODBII, then ODBII better work. Be prepared to point out your bits for the guy if he asks. If you have an AFC/SAFC, boost controller, or anything else that can easily modify fuel trim, timing, boost, etc. will probably fail your car. CA wont certify a car if they believe it is only "legal for a day".

Speaking of... your car will need to pass the actual sniff test. Quite frankly though, thats the easiest part of the test. Unless you've deleted your cat, or other emission controls, or really screwed with your motor (cam, fuel map, etc) you will probably be fine.

Good luck and keep us posted.

-n

EDIT: I reread your post, apex. A us spec b18a1 in a CRX is probably not going to get you into any trouble but you will need a cat (and probably your muffler fixed as well). Time for a cool new exhaust. :-) Are you shipping your car out (probably cost about a grand) or are you driving it? Your other option is to sell the car in FLA and buy one in CA. When you buy a car in CA all the smog stuff is done by the seller.

This post has been edited by neuro on Mar 23 2009, 03:58 PM

Stations won't rat you out or send you to some higher authority, they'll just tell you that they won't test your car. I've been in that situation before in five cities with a previous car, not a single technician ever picked up the phone to alert the authorities.

On the topic of smog, my car won't pass. Can anyone recommend me to a good test & repair shop?