What are DMV issues associated with an engine swap?
 

Basically I found the roock 3.8L engine swap page with 370+ hp and all the goodies associated with it for about 12K last I heard and started drooling! So anyone done this to their car and what issues lie ahead as far as the deparment of motor vehicles is concerned? For example like smog (I live in Cali), registration, etc... Thanks in advance. :cheers:

Hi,

I am pretty sure you cannot swap an engine which is of a later date than your car, esp. in Cali. If it's the same model year, you're OK...

Happy Motoring!... Jim'99

CA regulations oare on their website. Specific answers to your questions are there.

after years of sneaking through the smog checks with my '77 911 with a later engine conversion, I got caught and had to make an appointment with BAR referree. The engine serial# was actually a '78 turbo, although it wasn't a turbo anymore. On top of that, I put a '83 injection on it so I wouldn't have to mess with air pump. Further complicating matters, it was a 49 state car and the "noncatalyst" sticker was blown off the door jamb during a re-spray. So, yeah, I was glad they would be testing the car and not my blood pressure. Result: :D

they accepted my word as to the year of the engine and tested accordingly. It passed and they put a sticker on the jamb so techs at future smog checks will know that the engine swap was approved and what MY to base their inspections upon.

basically newer engines are allowed, but all emissions equipment associated with the car that engine came from have to be on your car, and must pass the specs of the newer engine. good luck

I've always been under the Impression that here in Cali, you can swap in a motor from the same year, or Newer, provided that you still pass the emissions regulations, ie, cats, emission sensors, etc. to do it the "legal" way, and you can get it approved through the CHP/BAR Ref... This is what we had to do to do it the legal route for the honda motor swaps.

Though for a mid engine boxster, where they can't see the motor, I think as long as you pass smog, it's really your call if you want to go through the smog referee to get the approval sticker or not.

this is exactly what i remember hearing.

conradtan - please share your source for a $12K 3.8L swap. that's tempting indeed.

Im pretty sure the 12G is only the engine.

Engine swap + upgrades info
 

I copied and pasted this dialogue from a previous post from another member here. Its under performance talk I believe. Check out the website! It's pretty awsome.


Roock AutoSport in Atlanta Ga did my conversion and it cost me around 13k

6,000 - 99 996 engine w/ 45k miles
800 - new sport clutch kit
2,000 - used dansk headers / cats / muffler
1,000 - ecu reprogramming
3,000 - labor
---------
12,800 - total

www.roockusa.com

i was on a budget so i had to go with primarily used ...i found a fairly low mileage 99 996 engine which ended up being the replacement engine.

from my short experience with them i can attest to the mechanic's knowledge / experience / work ethic as i had several weeks of vacation at the end of last year in which i spent at the shop watching and asking Micheal (the mechanic) questions about the conversion process.... it was quite interesting and somewhat exciting for me to see the transplant taking place.

if you check their site...they do 3.4 / 3.6 and 3.8L conversions for the boxster.

http://www.roockusa.com/products/boxster.htm

unfortunately no there wasnt a BIG @ss boost gausge....that's probably why whomever had the car before me toasted the engine...heavy foot and no indication of possible overboosting....

- ian