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Ca. Gas to Diesel Smog laws

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M725 conversion questions

This might have been covered a few times before, but I have done a lot of searching and cant come up with much. I want to swap a 12-valve cummins in to a 97 chevy crewcab. Does anybody know what is needed so I can register it? I dont want to do this and be screwed when the smog test comes up. Any info would be great.
 
RRothenberger said:
This might have been covered a few times before, but I have done a lot of searching and cant come up with much. I want to swap a 12-valve cummins in to a 97 chevy crewcab. Does anybody know what is needed so I can register it? I dont want to do this and be screwed when the smog test comes up. Any info would be great.

:eek, I don't beleave California will allow that type of swap. the smog computers are at a set standard and wont allow change and if you try to smog the truck it wont pass.
 
Talk to a referee at the DMV, they can re-title it as a diesel. Beware, they may require you to use an engine of the same year or newer than the vehicle it is going in.

Travis. .
 
Thanks for the quick replys. I've heard of people getting trucks re-titled as diesels..... just wanted to hear from anyone that has gone through it before. Knowing how crazy this state is, I have a feeling it will be a BIG hassle to register. :(
 
Real easy, done it with a 91 Ramcharger , a 85 crewcab, both to cummins and 2 Right hand drive Toyota land cruisers, one with a toyota 4 cyl diesel the other a nissan 6 cyl diesel. No hassles just had to show them it was diesel.
 
Roth... going back to a chevy... shame. At least its a cummins. Travis is right, all you have to do is take it to a smog ref and they confirm its a diesel and then your done, pretty sure year doesn't matter for diesel conversions. All else fails my PO box has room for an extra reg up here.
 
I cant let you be the only one in santa cruz with a crew cab w/cummins. :-laf Getting sort of tired of this std. cab, cant fit very many girls in it... ... .
 
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Gas to Diesel

In California when you do a gas to Diesel conversion it must be inspected by a ref and the engine must be the same year or newer than the truck. Also if the Diesel engine is equipped with any emissions equipment, it must be there and working. After you have done this, they will never have to look at it again. Adam
 
I used to do smog tests , but I am no longer in Cal. and have not keeped up , but inaddition to the ref. part , when we built a car/truck you had to have any smog equipt. that was in what ever is the newest , as an example , if you put a 94 motor in a 2000 truck , it has to have all the equipt. in and working that matchs the 2000 ,
But go see the ref. and try to get something in righting so when you finish and go back for inspection you can say this is what the rules say , becouse the GOLDEN RULE is those that own the gold rule .
 
Roth... thanks for saving me from have to ask the question. I was wondering the same thing. I have a 2000 454 gmc 1 ton that a hate to part with but after the last road trip to CO towing the 5er something has to change. This is good news if it is as easy as the above post make it seem. Please let me know how it goes with the ref inspection.

Thanks

Eric
 
Mine went very smoothly. 92 CTD into 85 Dodge crew. I think that it depends on your referee about some of the rules. I've heard that the engine must be the same model year or newer, mine was so it wasn't an issue. Also heard that it must be an engine that was available in that classification of vehicle, ie 3/4 or 1-ton truck. (this is where the frito-lay 4bt is sometimes a problem, not available in a pickup truck). I didn't have any documentation to prove that the engine came from a 92 so they just took my word for it. My inspection was basicly, pop the hood, they looked at the CTD, checked the truck Vin against my paperwork and that was it.



I would reccomend finding your local referee and talking with them about it. FYI, the referee and the DMV are different things.
 
Look in the phone book under DMV then sub heading Ref , or call but that is usally a waste of time ,
The best would be a shop that does the smog test and ask where .
 
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