[V8] Transplants

[QSHIPQ at aol.com]

Currently, the EPA allows Transplants, but emission laws apply to whatever is newer, engine or chassis.  The best bet is to put the same year motor in the same year car.  You can even get proper documented certification in many states using that strategy.

IMU, there currently isn't an enforced ruling on engine swaps cross-marque.  I know the LT1Q ran thru state run IL EPA emissions without a problem (cats installed).  One obscure rule that could change all that is the placement of the cats must be in the original location and have the appearance of being the same size and design as original (manufacturers lobbied this rule, including audi, to sell original parts).  That said, the LT1Q had 2 cats sitting exactly where the stockers would have been.  Luckily for Bob, our local test station also didn't notice those Lakewood header plates on the downpipes.

HTH

Scott Justusson
QSHIPQ Performance Tuning
'91 v8 autobox

In a message dated 1/6/2005 7:37:05 PM Eastern Standard Time, "Kent McLean" <kentmclean at mindspring.com> writes:

>Scott <scott_matus at yahoo.com> wrote:
>> I thought that there was a Federal Law that states, you cannot replace 
>> the engine of a vehicle with one which was not originally offered by the 
>> manufacturer.  What is the real story about this law?
>
>You can put a new engine in an older vehicle, but it must meet the 
>emissions of the year of the engine.  You can't put an older ending 
>in a newer car.  I don't think matching the manufacturer of the engine 
>to the body matters.
>
>--
>Kent McLean
>'94 100 S Avant
>'89 200 TQ, "Bad Puppy" has a new home