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Discussion Starter · #1 ·
been searching all over the internet for this info. i have found info on some websites, but im looking for something more OFFICIAL. i checked the DMV site but couldn't find it. can someone point me in the right direction.

ALSO: ive been seeing alot of this from what i've been reading...

"as long as the engine is the same year (or newer) as the vehicle."

"Motor, ecu and emissions equipment must be the same year or newer as the car it is being installed into"

what exactly does it mean by "newer as the vehicle/car"
please give me SUPRA related examples. thanks.
 

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skip said:
been searching all over the internet for this info. i have found info on some websites, but im looking for something more OFFICIAL. i checked the DMV site but couldn't find it. can someone point me in the right direction.

ALSO: ive been seeing alot of this from what i've been reading...

"as long as the engine is the same year (or newer) as the vehicle."

"Motor, ecu and emissions equipment must be the same year or newer as the car it is being installed into"

what exactly does it mean by "newer as the vehicle/car"
please give me SUPRA related examples. thanks.
Skip,

It's very simple. The engine must be of the same year or NEWER than the vehicle it's going in. The engine must also have all the emissions equipment on it, that it's supposed to have.

California DMV is very anal about that.

For instance, if you're going to put a 7MGTE in a Mk2 Supra, of course the engine will be newer than the Mk2 it's going into. Also...you'll need to make sure you have all the emissions stuff installed that the 7MGTE is supposed to have on it.

The smog referree will have no issues with your car as long as you do it right.
 

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Texas has basically the same rules. The assumption is that emissions have been improving year by year and so an engine from a newer model car should pollute less than the older original motor that you are replacing. For instance, you can put an 87 mk3 turbo motor into an 85 mk2 chassis so long as you also transfer the ecu and smog equipment that was in the 87. Then you have to pass the standards for tailpipe emissions that were set for 1987 and not 1985. What they frown upon doing is putting an older motor into a later model car. I can't think of a Supra example, but for instance it is very popular among the 79+ Fox chassis Mustang owners to install a simpler and much more powerful carburetted 351 windsor motor from a late 60s to mid-70s montego/torino/LTD etc in place of the 255 or 302 V8 motors they came with. They also further restrict you to engines from the same class of vehicle which basically means that you can't pull that 4.7L v8 out of a Tundra pickup and drop it in your mk2 even tho it is newer because trucks are held to a lower emissions standard than passenger cars. The 6m engine that is so popular for mk2 owners is technically not legal since it was never certified for sale in any vehicle in the US. However, since they are externally identical and will pass the tailpipe test so long as all the 5m EGR equipment is transferred in the swap, then they are overlooked. I've never seen anyone post a problem getting a 6m past smog in the 7 years I've been on the SOGI and mk2 lists. Hope that answers your question.

Phil D.
 

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Check here for the basic listing;

http://smogcheck.ca.gov/stdPAge.asp...cations/Engine_Change_Guidelines-Jan_1994.htm

My understanding is that after you do the swap you need to have a referee sign off on it the 1st time and they put a sticker in the door jamb. From what I understand from talking to some people is that some smog referees are anal as hell and other let little things slide. Also make sure what ever engine you swap in has CA emissions. So 7Ms would have to have the EGR temp sensor and the corresponding ECU and harness. Not too sure if you can upgrade a Federal car to Cali specs or if the donor car has to be CA spec already.
 

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funny you should say that zankone. my friend jeff wants to buy one of my 5m-e's in efforts to turbocharge it and get it to go very fast...

I said whatever, as long as he pays for it. hehe

hes pretty friggin convinced that he can get some resonable #'s out of a 5m-e... although I think hes crazy.
 

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i pity you poor folks, having to test and retest your cars.

is it as big a pain in the ass as it seems like it would be?

i fear the day our government tries to do something like that, and if you ask why...
well, our government spent something on the range of 2 billion dollars on a 100 million dollar project, and thinks its acceptable, even though the program still doesnt work :evil:
 

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Skip, I have looked into engine conversions for CA. Call your local BAR Office and request the guides on engine conversions and the listing for what engines/smog equipment is needed for your yr Supra. The link below for engine conversion is generic in my opinion after talking directly to my local BAR.

ie you can legally use up thru an '89 Supra engine to be installed in a '85 MK2, key point no mention of what engine 7mgte/7mge can be used :lol: You must retain ALL smog equip for the chassis and ALL smog equip must function. Probably a point of contention is using newer engines most newer engines MKIV/SC300/GS300 etc use a 3 way cat and OBDII/III, etc these eng would not meet the letter of the law since a 85 MK2 uses a 2 way cat of sorts and no OBDII/III. But I have seen a 92 7MGTE legally converted into a MK2??.

You will have to take the car to a referree station for certification and the chassis will receive a engine conversion sticker when passed.

Sites to check for more info
http://smogcheck.ca.gov

http://smogcheck.ca.gov/StdPage.asp?Body=/geninfo/publications/Engine_Change_Guidelines-Jan_1994.htm

http://smogcheck.ca.gov/stdPage.asp?Body=/toc/toc.htm

Regards,
Arch
'86 Supra MA67
USA


skip said:
been searching all over the internet for this info. i have
found info on some websites, but im looking for something more OFFICIAL. i checked the DMV site but couldn't find it. can someone point me in the right direction.

ALSO: ive been seeing alot of this from what i've been reading...

"as long as the engine is the same year (or newer) as the vehicle."
"Motor, ecu and emissions equipment must be the same year or newer as the car it is being installed into"

what exactly does it mean by "newer as the vehicle/car"
please give me SUPRA related examples. thanks.
 

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hay im in the LA area and i have a 91 7mgte in my car and i didnt go to the smog reff. if you take your car to get smogged the only thing that throws the smog guy is the fact that you dont have a distributer. if you can find a smog guy that will look the other way when it comes to the visual inspection you will be fine. side note california is on a sliding exempt scale every so many years the legal year of smog exempt is suposed to jump. for instance right now i think its 1975 or 74 anything older than that is exempt. if you get your car checked by a reff then your car will be considerd a 88 89 90 91 or 92 thus you have to wait longer to get your free pass.
 

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Discussion Starter · #12 ·
i have some relaxed smog stations were i can go...but for the last 4 years i have had to go to TEST ONLY stations...and thats were i get screwed...i dont know any relaxed test only stations around here. btw for you guys in cali, what is your smog frequency...i have to get smogged every 2 years, but what seems like every year :? .
 

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skip said:
i have some relaxed smog stations were i can go...but for the last 4 years i have had to go to TEST ONLY stations...and thats were i get screwed...i dont know any relaxed test only stations around here. btw for you guys in cali, what is your smog frequency...i have to get smogged every 2 years, but what seems like every year :? .
I know what you mean man, Smog every two years seems like every year. Its even worst when you have two mk2's to smog at the same month. :(
 
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