got a state ref ticket for rx7. modified emissions. car is a '88 n/a but i swapped a t2 motor in. got the ticket for a fmic.

if i were to get it state reffed by replacing the motor with another n/a motor, does the state ref still smog it? i heard they only do visual now, but would like to know the truth.

any help would be appreciated. I heard some people get away with just paying the fine, but some pay the fine, and still have to get their car reffed.

any help would be appreciated.... as i'm currently in the market for just picking up a new rx7 and swapping to that chassis if this is going to be ridiculous

 

you cant get a modified emissions ticket for a fmic, according to smog laws, if the vehicle has a swapped engine, and that engine conforms to emissions standards (aka, fully done stock t2 swap), it doesnt matter where you put your intercooler, just as long as everything is plummed the same

Lloyd

 

Exactly.

Try taking the ticket to the police station, speak to the traffic supervisor and politely ask where a FMIC would deserve this citation. Perhaps another forum member can provide printable excerpts you could take with you to show why you're asking. The purpose for being there is that it will be detrimental to your job (read financial hardship) to take time off to deal with that process, especially considering the recited foundation is without merit. So you hope he/she could correct this situation.

Keep your conversation 100% focused on what recited as reason for the citation, the FMIC. Do NOT let the conversation sway to what other modifications you might have done. As far as you know, everything else is stock or CARB certified replacement.

 

yeah i've found the citation from where while smogging a car, the smog tech or referee cannot fail a car due to an intercooler for an oem turbocharger.

i forgot to update my original post in saying that he got me for an unattatched vacuum hose.............................................. .................................................. .................................................. ............................... as well as the fmic. this guy was out to get me for something....


but this does change everything because they would still want me to go to the state referee just to make sure that the "tiny vacuum hose that is so detrimental to the environment" was reattatched. i'm honestly at the point where i'm in the market for a rx7 shell or to go oldschool and skip this smog nonsense.

 

Time dated picture of the re-attached hose might do the trick considering it's such a minor thing. Hopefully the supervisor might change it to a fix it and sign it off so all you have to do is pay the dismissal fee at the clerk window during your lunch our.

More over, it sounds like you're another over active san diego police story.

 

goddamn bro, that sucks hard. if everything is properly swapped, and all emissions are there, you can go to a ref and have him sign it off, and not deal with the charges of modifications of emissions, cause thats a load of ****.
and i thought the cops around here were bad......

Lloyd

 

I believe it has to be a "bar" legal swap. As in, taking it to a state ref to make sure the swap passes inspection and everything. They will smog the car and check to make su I has all the smog equipment installed. Or you could just pay the fine.

 

Remember crap like this, any time you vote "D" for any state office.

 

Nope. Reason being, the Turbo engine was available for that model year. So as long as he stayed with an '88 or newer turbo engine with all emissions in his '88 car, nothing further needs be done regardless if his car came off the assembly line as an NA.

That is exactly what the ref told me when on my own accord I took my TII swapped Vert to the local ref. I had him put it in writing and I carry that paperwork with me at all times just in case I run into a dead headed cop like the OP did.

I suggest the OP simply go to a REF and ask if an aftermarket FMIC would be justification for a ref inspection. I'll bet he gets a simple answer of no. If you do, have him put that in writing, show it to the judge, then keep a copy in your car at all times.

 

This isn't what I was told a few years ago, but that's a much better answer than I got! Are there any specific regulations/codes that are cited that could help other turbo swapped people?

 

Nope. The core is that if the turbo drive trane was factory offered for the model year (or later year) as the NA in question, it is per se conforming to state guidelines to swap the factory turbo stuff into the NA shell so long as every emission bit is installed as well. Printout verifying the Turbo set up was available in '88 when my vert was built was part of the package the ref gave me. You could get away just as well with a RX7 factory brochure for the model year(s) in question.

You technically can't get away with putting an '87 Turbo engine in an '88, but any ref would be hard pressed to recognize the difference. But you absolutely could put a, say, '89 turbo engine in the '88 so long as you also install every emission bit from the '89 (or the S5 like) as well.

 

all this information can be found on bar.ca.gov and smogcheck.ca.gov

Lloyd

 

Yeah im transferring the title to my friend before my court date and see what happens. Will keep you updated. For now im going to be working on my car making it visually legal. Wishing I had a CARB sticker for my front mount kit since police are ill-educated on the legality of front mounts. I understand why they give tickets for them and in no way complaining on the, giving me a ticket.

I do like how with the fc chassis, you can do a turboswap without police even knowing the car was originally n/a. Got me out of alot of tickets already

Thanks for the help as usual from the rotary community

 

Then I stand corrected. I've had some friends deal with similar situations, not me personally. It was a very smart move to get it in writing.

 

Too bad Arnold (R) was the one who stopped the 30 year rolling exemption, but I hear what you're saying.


Wow, any chance I could get a scanned copy of that? I'm turbo-swapped too and always thought I had to get it passed with the state ref. I swapped it with full emissions equipment though, just with upgrades like the CARB legal K&N intake and a front mount intercooler.

 

Remind me before any next meet.

 

Thank you very much.