SR Swap Legality

Post by **matt0941** » Mon Jan 13, 2003 1:57 pm

The SR20DET motor has not passed tests that are required in order for it to be legally registered in the US.

In a garage an SR motor is legal.In a garage and on the street the 240SX is legal.

An SR in a 240SX on the street is illegal.

Many of you drive SR swapped 240SX's on the street knowing the illegality of it. Granted, almost all of us go above the speed limit at one point or another knowing that it is illegal.

I am not here to bash on people for having a nice revving motor in there car but to ask some questions.

I have considered doing the SR swap into an S14A and one of the things that is a variable in my decision is the fact that it is illegal. I am willing (don't arrest me internet-police) to drive an illegal vehicle depending on if I get caught for it or not. I do plan on passing emissions with the SR but even after that it will still be illegal. I would like to hear from anyone who knows on the subject of non-registered motor swaps and if you can get impounded or your car fined. I would most definately stay away from street races (F&F2 rocks :rolleyes) and at the most do weaving on highways. If anyone has a good understanding of this and can tell me the risks I am running I would appreciate it.

Matt.

Post by **Phax** » Mon Jan 13, 2003 1:57 pm

Your average police officer will not be able to tell the difference between a KA24DE with Nissan stamped on the valve cover, and an SR20DET with Nissan stamped on the valve cover. As far as they know, it's a Nissan engine. The odds of having a cop actually ask you to pop your hood is pretty slim. Once I got pulled over by a cop here in California, after I unknowingly led him on about a 10 mile pursuit down the freeway. He did all sorts of things, like check my turn signals, windshield wipers, horn, seat belts, etc. He never asked me to pop the hood though.

The average cop could care less about going into all the minute details of what might be wrong with your car. So long as you drive responsibly, you'll have very little to worry about. If you give the cops an excuse to mess with you though, they will.

Post by **cory** » Mon Jan 13, 2003 1:57 pm

how can i make her pass smog?and i've been pulled over 4 times....not once asked to pop the hood.....and i got pulled over doin WAY over the speed limit....to the point i probably should have been in jail that night...but a nice officer decided just to give me a warning...

Post by **matt0941** » Mon Jan 13, 2003 1:57 pm

By smog do you mean emissions? And I am bad in geography... is that CA? People seem to be so damn proud they are from CA that they just list the town so I am assumin...

As for the emissions, tell me is that the year? a '91? If so I am pretty sure you can pass but tell me what state you are in so I can determine it.

Post by **S14_Beast** » Mon Jan 13, 2003 1:57 pm

<~~~Miami, Fl. no emmissions

Post by **Onizuka** » Mon Jan 13, 2003 1:57 pm

I think the only place you will have touble with the sr20 is in CA. Else where all you have to do is pass inspection ( if you even have it in your area). If you local inspection inclues a visual check of the engine bay, then you might have some problems. But its not like they record that you have an illigal engine, just keep looking for shops until you find a place that will pass you. Or you could just bribe the mechanic.

Post by **matt0941** » Mon Jan 13, 2003 1:57 pm

Why do people always say mechanic? Here we have to go to an emissions testing facility... and they have like 40 hours of training I wouldn't classify them as mechanics. But anyways there are no visual checks but don't you think you would fail the first test (computer to ECU part) considering that where they plug it in there would be nothing... can anyone comment on passing the OBDII test with a swap?

Post by **GTR-33** » Mon Jan 13, 2003 1:57 pm

Well at least here in WI, if you fail the emissions test 3 times, there is a visual test. If you fail at all though, your car must be taken to a certified mechanic, where it has to be fixed so it can comply. Hence, the bribe factor. Some mechanics will accept a bribe and say 'i fixed it' when they really did nothing at all...

Peace

Post by **matt0941** » Mon Jan 13, 2003 1:57 pm

I catch ya, is that what most people do with SRs?

Post by **Onizuka** » Mon Jan 13, 2003 1:57 pm

matt0941 wrote:Why do people always say mechanic? Here we have to go to an emissions testing facility... and they have like 40 hours of training I wouldn't classify them as mechanics. But anyways there are no visual checks but don't you think you would fail the first test (computer to ECU part) considering that where they plug it in there would be nothing... can anyone comment on passing the OBDII test with a swap?

mmmm, well where i live there are no testing centers, just regular auto repair shops with testing equipment and no ecu test. What state do you live in?

Post by **yellow_jacket** » Mon Jan 13, 2003 1:57 pm

Personally I would be very careful about putting an sr in any OBDII car. Here in GA they don't do sniffer on 96 and up. Instead they hook into the ecu and check for codes. The SR of course will not pass this. I don't think you can bribe your way either because more than likely the states computers can read your vin# and year since most decent scanners can. I would check with your state and see when they plan on implementing OBDII testing. I know a few more states are planning on doing it in the next few years. Just something to think about.

Post by **Cyberkreig** » Mon Jan 13, 2003 1:57 pm

J_Spec, They have emissions in philly? I'm out near york. We dont have any of that crap. They look to see if you have a CC under the car, and you can still pass without one if the car is old enough. Sometimes it pays to live in the stix.

Post by **matt0941** » Mon Jan 13, 2003 1:57 pm

Thats just the thing, we do have OBDII testing. It would fail that portion of the test but then be tested on a dyno/sniffer I bet I could pass that part and eventually pass emissions. But that would not be the problem. The problem is that all of illinois is switching to only OBDII testing as of Jan.1 of 2004. That means a year from now if I go testing, I will fail and there is no way out of it. Is there any way to pass the OBDII test with an SR? What is the exact problem when they plug it in to your ECU. Does it say "Fung Tao mui shi wak!" and then you fail it or what?

Post by **GTR-33** » Mon Jan 13, 2003 1:57 pm

WOW, I thought OBD was just a Honda ECU thing... I didn't think it had any implication to emmissions...

I would think that when they hook your ECU up, it just scans the exhaust output record inside, and if you are not putting out close to 'normal' numbers, you fail... If it checks the year and VIN, you are just SOL, because Japan don't even use VIN numbers...

Post by **matt0941** » Mon Jan 13, 2003 1:57 pm

Check the year and VIN on what... the motor? They dont do visual inspections here.

Post by **yellow_jacket** » Mon Jan 13, 2003 1:57 pm

The computer(ecu) on your car is programmed to detect a flaw in any system. It does not just read the output of cetain gases in the exhaust. Basically the ecu runs through each system and sees if it is functioning properly. Usually takes about 3 drive cycles. The ecu is also programmed with the vin# and mileage from the factory. The dealerships have the ability to change this. The Japanese ecu's are not OBDII so it is like speaking Japanese to a spanish guy.

Post by **Onizuka** » Mon Jan 13, 2003 1:57 pm

Cyberkreig wrote:J_Spec, They have emissions in philly? I'm out near york. We dont have any of that crap. They look to see if you have a CC under the car, and you can still pass without one if the car is old enough. Sometimes it pays to live in the stix.

I live in the suburbs outside of the actual city. It seams that i have a mishmash of defforent rules and regulations. It all depends on year model, miles driven a year etc... for example they check you brakes and tires and put your car though the sniffer. But if your car is under 5000 miles a year you dont have to go though the sniffer. Never had a ecu test on my car though...

Post by **SRJesse** » Mon Jan 13, 2003 1:57 pm

You can always just do the swap and worry about it later. Just go outside and scream "F*** the Law" really loud. It will make you feel so much better....

Geez, and I am thinking about going to State Police school........rofl

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SR Swap Legality

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