The Specialty Equipment Market Association's (SEMA) newsletter
"Driving Force" in its May issue has the following to say about
engine swapping. Since there are a lot of swaps going on in our
vehicles, I thought it would be worthwhile to print their article
here. Remember to check your individual state laws as well. Old
story: be legal or be sorry.
Wayne
*****************
TECHNICAL CORNER
Engine Swaps Made Easier
By Frank Bohanan, SEMA Technical Consultant
Hobbyists frequently ask us about the rules governing engine
switching in project vehicles. First of all, those engaged in engine
switching activities are bound by specific state laws that may vary
from state to state. Having said that, there are some general
guidelines one may consider. This article will cover the rules for
switching the engine in production-type vehicles. Specially
constructed vehicles, street rods, kit cars and the like will have
different rules which will be discussed at another time.
The basic rule of engine switching (as opposed to installing a
"replacement" engine) is that the change must do no harm. This means
that the engine being installed must theoretically be at least as
"clean" as the one taken out. Several requirements may define
"clean" for the purposes of engine switching:
Model Year: The engine to be installed must be the same age or newer
than the one being replaced. Crate engines can be used if they are
configured to resemble an engine that was certified by the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency and/or the California Air Resources
Board. This essentially means that the required emissions parts must
be present on the engine.
Certification Level: The engine to be installed must come from a
vehicle certified to meet the same or more stringent emissions
standards than the one replaced.
Vehicle Class: An engine from a vehicle class such as a motor home,
medium-duty truck or marine application must not be used since these
engines were certified to different types of emissions standards,
using different tests.
System/Equipment: When swapping in a newer engine from a later-model
vehicle, all of the relevant emissions control equipment must be
transferred as well. This includes the carbon canister, the
catalytic converter(s) and even parts of the on-board diagnostic
(OBD) system. Some states have exceptions to this requirement, but
the general rule is that as much of the donor vehicle's emissions
system as possible should be transferred. The vehicle will likely
run more efficiently with a full transfer of the system and
shouldn't cause any undue heartache.
Of course, engine switching can be much more complex than described
here, but these are good general rules to follow and should keep
engine switchers out of trouble in most cases.
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