Sponsored

Emissions and engine swap

Puch

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 10, 2020
Threads
63
Messages
499
Reaction score
668
Location
?
Vehicle(s)
Not a Jeep
I am considering swapping out the 2020 3.6 for ??? Not sure yet. After looking at a couple sites and this forum, I didn’t really find any great info on how emissions compliant a swap would be.
I understand that different states may have different laws for emissions or no emissions.
I’m sure I could contact a shop and ask specifically for my state (CT).
That being said, I thought I would post this in hopes that anyone who has purchased a swap or has done research already could share their knowledge for each state. I m not looking for long stories of success and failures or speculations. That will just make it harder for people to find quick reference.
What I was hoping for was something like this:
CT has emissions and you can’t do it. Or CT has emissions and you need to do XYZ to be compliant.
Sponsored

 

Mr._Bill

Well-Known Member
First Name
Bill
Joined
Jul 22, 2019
Threads
35
Messages
6,275
Reaction score
7,116
Location
North Las Vegas, NV
Vehicle(s)
2023 Gladiator High Altitude - 2013 Nissan Leaf SV
Vehicle Showcase
1
Do they put a sensor in the tailpipe, where you live, or just connect to the OBD port? Usually here, you just need the vehicle computer to tell the emissions computer that everything is fine.
 

ShadowsPapa

Well-Known Member
First Name
Bill
Joined
Oct 12, 2019
Threads
190
Messages
31,397
Reaction score
38,384
Location
Runnells, Iowa
Vehicle(s)
'22 JTO, '23 JLU, '82 SX4, '73 P. Cardin Javelin
Occupation
Retired auto mechanic, frmr gov't ntwrk security admin
Vehicle Showcase
3
Usually here, you just need the vehicle computer to tell the emissions computer that everything is fine.
Which is a real hoot as it means nothing. There's ways to trick that setup. VW knows how.
 
OP
OP

Puch

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 10, 2020
Threads
63
Messages
499
Reaction score
668
Location
?
Vehicle(s)
Not a Jeep
Do they put a sensor in the tailpipe, where you live, or just connect to the OBD port? Usually here, you just need the vehicle computer to tell the emissions computer that everything is fine.
I think 96 and newer only use OBD. Older use the sniffer.
 

Sandevino

Well-Known Member
First Name
Mike
Joined
Jun 14, 2022
Threads
20
Messages
912
Reaction score
1,790
Location
North Texas
Vehicle(s)
2023 Jeep Gladiator Rubicon
Check the laws in your area as they differ wildly from state to state. If you’re state requires the engine to be one available from the factory for that model year, you’re not swapping anything unless you register it somewhere that has no such restrictions.
 

Sponsored

Kevin_D

Well-Known Member
First Name
Kevin
Joined
Oct 18, 2020
Threads
53
Messages
2,382
Reaction score
3,171
Location
Inland Northwest
Vehicle(s)
2021 Sport S, 1971 J4000, a bunch of other stuff
Washington state did away with emissions testing in 2020.
However, it's illegal to modify emissions equipment, which you would do to perform an engine swap.

Kevin
 

ShadowsPapa

Well-Known Member
First Name
Bill
Joined
Oct 12, 2019
Threads
190
Messages
31,397
Reaction score
38,384
Location
Runnells, Iowa
Vehicle(s)
'22 JTO, '23 JLU, '82 SX4, '73 P. Cardin Javelin
Occupation
Retired auto mechanic, frmr gov't ntwrk security admin
Vehicle Showcase
3
Washington state did away with emissions testing in 2020.
However, it's illegal to modify emissions equipment, which you would do to perform an engine swap.

Kevin
That's where the "gotcha" is going to be in some cases. You'd be modifying the equipment for that specific vehicle.
Some states say that you can only go newer with an engine (can't use anything older than the model year of the vehicle), and others are sticky about modifying emissions equipment at all - like you said - an engine swap would do at least that.

California says the vehicle with the swap has to be certified - pass an inspection and be labeled.

CT seems to have composite vehicle laws - if it's not as assembled, it's got to be registered as a composite vehicle. Some say that the number of cylinders must match what it comes with.......
A lot of conflicting stuff on CT.
 

EdgeMan

Member
First Name
Shawn
Joined
Dec 21, 2021
Threads
0
Messages
12
Reaction score
1
Location
02745
Vehicle(s)
0
FWIW, I know there's a forum member in MA, andd as you know MA is super strict. He's got a 392 or Hellcat I think in his gladiator. I'm looking into this myself cause it would be cool, and cheaper than buying a new Raptor/Raptor R and or a TRX in a smaller format.
 

Mav4x4Chris

Well-Known Member
First Name
Chris
Joined
Jun 7, 2022
Threads
10
Messages
642
Reaction score
993
Location
Louisiana
Vehicle(s)
2022 JT Sport Max Tow
Build Thread
Link
Occupation
Fire Truck Builder
Which is a real hoot as it means nothing. There's ways to trick that setup. VW knows how.
(a certain tuning software) does wonders for anything GM. You can turn off basically everything in a newer LS vehicle - evap system, rear 02's, etc. You could gut a car of all its emissions systems and set it all to NOT turn on the CEL and to always show ready - so short of a tailpipe sniffer, an inspection station would never notice.

Modern problems require modern solutions :CWL:
 
Last edited:

ShadowsPapa

Well-Known Member
First Name
Bill
Joined
Oct 12, 2019
Threads
190
Messages
31,397
Reaction score
38,384
Location
Runnells, Iowa
Vehicle(s)
'22 JTO, '23 JLU, '82 SX4, '73 P. Cardin Javelin
Occupation
Retired auto mechanic, frmr gov't ntwrk security admin
Vehicle Showcase
3
HP Tuners does wonders for anything GM. You can turn off basically everything in a newer LS vehicle - evap system, rear 02's, etc. You could gut a car of all its emissions systems and set it all to NOT turn on the CEL and to always show ready - so short of a tailpipe sniffer, an inspection station would never notice.

Modern problems require modern solutions :CWL:
The EPA will likely do to them what they've already done to several other companies doing that exact thing. One ended up going out of business the fines were so stiff.
Right now they are concentrating in diesels more than anything, but insiders suggest they are dead serious - especially since CA, VA and the EU have cracked down bigly.

Best not to openly name names ?
 

Sponsored

Escape.idiocracy

Well-Known Member
First Name
Rich
Joined
Jan 23, 2022
Threads
36
Messages
1,526
Reaction score
1,750
Location
PNW
Vehicle(s)
Jt
Occupation
Hitchhiker
Washington state did away with emissions testing in 2020.
However, it's illegal to modify emissions equipment, which you would do to perform an engine swap.

Kevin
Not Washington state- maybe the people’s republic of Pierce and King County??
Rest of the state has been deleted and emissions test free for the last 30 years I have been here ??
 

Kevin_D

Well-Known Member
First Name
Kevin
Joined
Oct 18, 2020
Threads
53
Messages
2,382
Reaction score
3,171
Location
Inland Northwest
Vehicle(s)
2021 Sport S, 1971 J4000, a bunch of other stuff
Not Washington state- maybe the people’s republic of Pierce and King County??
Rest of the state has been deleted and emissions test free for the last 30 years I have been here ??
The bigger counties had testing (Spokane included) and the rest didn’t.
Either way, testing was abolished statewide in 2020.

Kevin
 

AHenry014

Well-Known Member
First Name
Alex
Joined
Oct 6, 2022
Threads
15
Messages
143
Reaction score
133
Location
Haddam Neck CT
Vehicle(s)
2020 JTR
Having done an engine swap on a 2002 TJ, I have gotten away with it in CT on an OBD2 vehicle. I did a 5.3 LS swap, mated to the OEM GM PCM, and wired in its own OBD2 port. As far as the emissions "computer" knew, it was testing a 2003 silverado. I wasn't able to get the check engine light in the cluster to interface, so I ran my own light on the knee panel. I went to an emissions place on the Berlin Trpk and explained the swap to them (engine comp stating all systems good and ready for emissions testing). Aside from them being a bit apprehensive about the independent check engine light, they got me squared away without issue. All they said they had to do was change the engine size in the state's system and I was good to go. It was no longer a 2002 wrangler with a 4L, it was now offically considered a 5.3L 2002 wrangler. Being a 2002, its now out of emissions testing requirements, so that Jeep's good to go.

All that said, the CT law is that the swap must meet all the emissions requirements of the specific vehicle's year. So, if you have a 2020 gladiator, your swap must have all the emissions equipment that the 3.6 had on it; all o2's, catalytic converter(s), evap system, etc.
 

Rusty PW

Well-Known Member
First Name
Russ
Joined
Jan 10, 2022
Threads
24
Messages
8,271
Reaction score
20,538
Location
Fayette Nam, Pennsyltucky
Website
www.youtube.com
Vehicle(s)
'22 JTRD, '11 370Z Nismo, '07 Honda VFR
Build Thread
Link
Occupation
Muff Diver
The EPA will likely do to them what they've already done to several other companies doing that exact thing. One ended up going out of business the fines were so stiff.
Right now they are concentrating in diesels more than anything, but insiders suggest they are dead serious - especially since CA, VA and the EU have cracked down bigly.

Best not to openly name names ?
The EPA is now going after the big gas tuners. Know of a couple people who have builds going on starting to shit themselves because they are scared that they may not get any turner to tune their car. Know of a couple of tuners not taking any new customers. Just doing EPA comp tunes.
 

ShadowsPapa

Well-Known Member
First Name
Bill
Joined
Oct 12, 2019
Threads
190
Messages
31,397
Reaction score
38,384
Location
Runnells, Iowa
Vehicle(s)
'22 JTO, '23 JLU, '82 SX4, '73 P. Cardin Javelin
Occupation
Retired auto mechanic, frmr gov't ntwrk security admin
Vehicle Showcase
3
The EPA is now going after the big gas tuners. Know of a couple people who have builds going on starting to shit themselves because they are scared that they may not get any turner to tune their car. Know of a couple of tuners not taking any new customers. Just doing EPA comp tunes.
Hmmn, well, my info about who they had already gone after, who they nailed to the wall, who they took down and forced out of business is a year old. No surprise to see you post that..........
Sponsored

 
 





Top