Toyota manual - Advance Adapters

SWAP LAWS
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SWAP LAWS
At the printing of this manual, these were some of the current requirements when preforming a smog
legal engine swap. Please check with your State Bureau of Automotive Repair, the Environmental
Protection Agency, or Department of Motor Vehicles before starting your conversion. This information
is to help assist you. Advance Adapters cannot be held responsible for any changes that occur in
these laws and/or that are not listed.
Swapping a V8 (or V6) engine into a compact truck is a great way to gain performance and put a lot
of fun into everyday driving. However, you may not be driving your V8-powered truck at all if you can’t
pass the government’s smog inspection. Fortunately, the toughest smog laws in the nation
(California’s) are straightforward and fairly easy to follow. The following (provided Joel Mollis of Sport
Truck Magazine) is a synopsis of California’s regulations regarding engine swaps:
1. The engine to be installed must be the same model year (or newer) as the vehicle it’s being installed in. For example,
a ‘92 engine can be installed into an ‘89 truck, but not into a ‘94 truck.
2. A car engine can be installed in a truck.
3. All engines (for any year) must have their emissions controls in place and functional.
4. A federally certified (49-state) engine cannot be installed into a California-certified vehicle.
5. No internal or external performance parts may be used on any engine unless they are EPA-certified or Air Resource
Board-exempted.
6. All vehicles must pass a visual, functional, and tailpipe-emissions test.
Of course there’s more to getting a V8 swap approved than those six rules, but it’s not as difficult as
it used to be. For the most complete information contact your state’s Bureau of Automotive Repair,
the Environmental Protection Agency, or the Department of Motor Vehicles for guidance and
regulations regarding legal engine swaps.
Provided courtesy of Sport Truck Magazine - PRIMEDIA