LeX Posted January 18, 2011 Report Share Posted January 18, 2011 I would like to perhaps move to California from the east coast for school (LA). Right now I have a 1972 datsun 510 (swapped) which I know is smog exempt. (am i in the clear on this?) Problem is the car I want to use for my DD is a 1983 datsun maxima (swapped) with RB20det. Can this vehicle pass smog or am I going to have a problem? The one advantage is that the car is originally a diesel car. Does that mean that I can skip smog technically since I read that older diesel cars don't have to pass smog? -Alex Also any insight about Los Angeles. I just got back from Long Beach and it was great but I bet LA is much more hectic?? Quote Link to comment
bonvo Posted January 18, 2011 Report Share Posted January 18, 2011 since it was a diesel you shouldnt have to worry about annual checks but if you get caught in a rolling sniffer (moble smog station) your going to have issues when they pop that hood Quote Link to comment
Zeusimo Posted January 18, 2011 Report Share Posted January 18, 2011 The 510 Should Be Ok But With The Maxima You Might Need To Swap The Motor When Trying To Smog I Have To Do That Every 2 Years For My El Camino To Pass Emmissions <_< Quote Link to comment
datsunaholic Posted January 18, 2011 Report Share Posted January 18, 2011 Depends on if they inspect it when you move in. If they do, that RB is gonna have to come out. If the title still declares it a diesel and they find that gasoline engine you're going to have a big headache. Quote Link to comment
LeX Posted January 18, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 18, 2011 well i'm from GA so it's a no title car, just bill of sale. I just don't want to not be able to drive the car i've been working on for the last year Quote Link to comment
LeX Posted January 18, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 18, 2011 I'd like to maybe go to UCLA USC or UC Irvine and I'm pretty sure I don't have the grades to get into UCLA grad school. Quote Link to comment
Javin Posted January 18, 2011 Report Share Posted January 18, 2011 Without a title you may have a heck of an issue as well... I am fighting with Oregon and California to get my vehicle registered. California required Smog for my 78 and they also did a visual vin inspection (may be a give away that your car is a swap). Quote Link to comment
datsunaholic Posted January 18, 2011 Report Share Posted January 18, 2011 California requires titles. There's a way to get titles for non-title State cars, but you are going to have to get BOTH cars inspected. Quote Link to comment
LeX Posted January 18, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 18, 2011 the 72 has a title, but the 83 does not. Everything on the cars is safe and functional, it's just the issue of the swaps I guess! Neither have catalytic converters on them either. Georgia is just easy to get away with almost anything on older cars... bleh Quote Link to comment
datsunaholic Posted January 18, 2011 Report Share Posted January 18, 2011 It's not really so much a safety inspection that the DMV does as much as a "make sure it isn't stolen" inspection. The '72 wouldn't require a cat (at least in stock form), though CA requires all emissions to be installed for the year of the engine if the engine is newer... older engines aren't allowed at all. Non-US market engines aren't allowed either, though cars built before 1967 are smog exempt. '68-75 are not required to have semiannual tests, but they aren't smog "exempt"; they can still be BAR-reffed. Moving to Cali with those 2 cars is a can of worms. Quote Link to comment
LeX Posted January 18, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 18, 2011 oh well sounds like a pain indeed. Looks like if I do move to Cali, I have a lot more swapping to do! turbodiesel maxima and a KA in the 510 to move to Cali :P Quote Link to comment
Dirk Diggler Posted January 18, 2011 Report Share Posted January 18, 2011 '68-75 are not required to have semiannual tests, but they aren't smog "exempt"; they can still be BAR-reffed. Everything is smog exempt here unless it has a manufacture date of 1/1/76 or newer. Anything older than that does not need any kind of inspection or tests. The only inspection they do is if the car has no title, they treat it like a home built car and make sure it has working lights, seatbelts (if the car came from the factory with them), that kind of stuff. Just safety things, but you wont have any problems with the 72. The maxima is a no go. You will not be allowed to register it without it having a stock engine. You MIGHT be able to have it registered with a Historical plate, im not sure what the cut off year is, but I dont think they inspect cars registered as historical. Quote Link to comment
bonvo Posted January 18, 2011 Report Share Posted January 18, 2011 he could just swap in the stock motor reg it then throw the rb back in it Quote Link to comment
Dirk Diggler Posted January 18, 2011 Report Share Posted January 18, 2011 Thats his best bet. After you have a title for it, you never have to do another inspection. It wont pass smog by a shop that complies with all the laws, but most of them dont and will smog it for a little extra $, as long as it runs clean. Quote Link to comment
bredatto510 Posted January 18, 2011 Report Share Posted January 18, 2011 well there is another thing... motor swaps are legal as long as the motor is newer than the car... for instance i can have the sr20 in the sileighty because my stock ka24e blew and i kept the stock piping for it.. and if u have papers for the motor really helps... of course papers for a japanese motor are super easy to get a hold of.. again inspection is for safety but u could try saying its a replacement engine or swap it back to stock just until its inspected then swap it back Quote Link to comment
yellowdatsun Posted January 18, 2011 Report Share Posted January 18, 2011 Wait, wait, hold on a second..........you *WANT* to move to L.A. ?????? Quote Link to comment
LeX Posted January 18, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 18, 2011 Wait, wait, hold on a second..........you *WANT* to move to L.A. ?????? I want to go to school in California. I'd rather go to UC Irvine but I'm interested in UCLA USC and UC Irvine. I don't actually want to live in the heart of LA but I can't stand it on the East Coast anymore. This is for grad school (2 years) then wherever the money/jobs are after that Quote Link to comment
Dguy210 Posted January 19, 2011 Report Share Posted January 19, 2011 If you can get a title that makes it easier. Hypothetically, I might know someone who brought a diesel volvo (with a gas engine) from Oregon to Cali and got it registered without problems, but with a totally stock looking swap. If you are just going to be here 2 years then why not just keep it registered at home (with the parents for example), that's not really uncommon for alot of students and the cops don't seem to cause problems about it. Quote Link to comment
LeX Posted January 19, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 19, 2011 If you can get a title that makes it easier. Hypothetically, I might know someone who brought a diesel volvo (with a gas engine) from Oregon to Cali and got it registered without problems, but with a totally stock looking swap. If you are just going to be here 2 years then why not just keep it registered at home (with the parents for example), that's not really uncommon for alot of students and the cops don't seem to cause problems about it. If I can do that then it's definitely the way to go. I had just heard that they make you change it within 30 days if you have out of state plates. If that's not the case then I guess I could be good to go. Quote Link to comment
Dirk Diggler Posted January 19, 2011 Report Share Posted January 19, 2011 If I can do that then it's definitely the way to go. I had just heard that they make you change it within 30 days if you have out of state plates. If that's not the case then I guess I could be good to go. Its actually 10 days. Same with drivers license, although just say you are visiting and they will never know. My brother came here for school for 2 years from Minnesota, he kept his car registered in MN and kept his MN license and never got any hassle Quote Link to comment
john510 Posted January 19, 2011 Report Share Posted January 19, 2011 Your best bet is to keep your cars registered in Georgia.California is so f%cked up when it comes to smog BS.Your maxima wont pass the 510 should be ok assuming its stock.Ive been through all the headaches involved with smog here.You can find ways around the BS but it will cost you $$$$$.You will save a lot of headache and cash by keeping your Georgia registration.Just an example of the BS,i have 2 toyota trucks both of them pass emissions easily,both are well below limits on nox and co.But because the check engine light is on and the code says weak catalytic converter,they wont give me a smog certificate.So i have to find a smog guy who will help me out.I did but it cost me.Have you ever been to L.A. ? are you sure you want to come to cali ? Quote Link to comment
hang_510 Posted January 19, 2011 Report Share Posted January 19, 2011 you should really call the ca dmv and ask what a diesel requires. assuming u get a ga title first = title in your name. Your best bet is to keep your cars registered in Georgia a student can easily get away with that. but if your pulled over frequently it'll get flagged, then youll have to. because the check engine light is on and the code says weak catalytic converter,they wont give me a smog certificate. reset the ecu before you go in next time. my 4runner just passed, again. Quote Link to comment
HRH Posted January 19, 2011 Report Share Posted January 19, 2011 Yeah, seriously. LA=blech. No offense to any ratsuners from there, but I'd just as soon not live anywhere near there. I think your best bet is to keep the cars registered in GA, or at least take all the shiny crap off the RB, and hook up any old pieces that were on the original motor. Don't make them functional, just hook them up! ;) My Datsun guru Joe passed smog here in Spokane with a Mazda B2200 with a Weber 32/36, but he mocked up all the original pieces, ran some lines here and there. Surprise surprise, they couldn't tell the difference and the truck passed emissions easily. That's why I hate emissions. It's not about emissions. It's about not letting people play with things and fining them if they do. Quote Link to comment
steve g Posted January 19, 2011 Report Share Posted January 19, 2011 Yeah, seriously. LA=blech. No offense to any ratsuners from there, but I'd just as soon not live anywhere near there. I think your best bet is to keep the cars registered in GA, or at least take all the shiny crap off the RB, and hook up any old pieces that were on the original motor. Don't make them functional, just hook them up! ;) My Datsun guru Joe passed smog here in Spokane with a Mazda B2200 with a Weber 32/36, but he mocked up all the original pieces, ran some lines here and there. Surprise surprise, they couldn't tell the difference and the truck passed emissions easily. That's why I hate emissions. It's not about emissions. It's about not letting people play with things and fining them if they do. In california all vehicles from out of state can and usually will be inspected by DMV... your maxima AND the 510 could get tagged easily. Diesel to gas swaps are illegal unless you go through BAR... Smog exempt vehicles are not exempt from emission devices mandated by the federal government at the date of production.... so if you have altered emissions or swapped motors you are asking for issues. Quote Link to comment
LeX Posted January 19, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 19, 2011 you Cali guys seem to be hating on California. Us East Coasters are desperate to get out of here. Quote Link to comment
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