CAlifornia BAR/SMOG/engine swap thread.

[hambone64]

An exhaust shop can modify the downpipes of the e36 midsection for better clearance (I did this with my first m50 swap and it passed BAR), but I'd check with the referee station you're planning on using first. Some referees are more lenient where a full custom exhaust that matches the stock e36 configuration is acceptable, while others are more strict and require a completely unmodified midsection.

If you want to make the unmodified midsection work, you'll have to use the offset "eyeball" arm control arm brackets and clearance the subframe as shown here.

Thanks for the quick reply. I went ahead and ordered the offset condor solid mount lollipops and will clearance the subframe. Not a huge fan of having to run solid mounts since the car is more of a road car than track car, but I'd rather not take any chances with the BAR process. plus I figure I can get the car legal, then take it to an exhaust shop to be clearanced afterwards.

[e30strokr]

Well, technically, I passed ... But even after supplying the title to the donor car and showing the inspector that the VINs all match, I still have to go get a letter from a BMW dealership stating that the ECU has not been altered.

So close, but no BAR sticker!


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im getting my M50 stroker parts ready.. well Im pretty much got everything, but the ref needs the VIN number from the donor car now? I got the motor at Pick N Pull.... ?

[Sean S.]

They don't need the VIN from the donor car, I was just hopeful that they would be able to run the donor car vin and see that it was originally sold in CA and thus was originally compliant with CA emissions. No such luck so I had to go to a dealership and have them write how the ECU was not modified and was a California compliant car. $200 later, I had this: Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

[Kquigs_Yo]

We wire directly to ecu. They're all small amperage and one is 5v

Do you still preform ecu tuning? I was wondering if I could get an ecu tuned that bypasses ews2 and makes sure all the monitors are working correctly. How much would you charge?

[e30strokr]

is there a list of Ref stations that are know to be friendly to go to?!???

[Sean S.]

Where are you? I had a good experience with the inspector at Las Positas College in Livermore. It's really all a matter of if you are trying to get one over on them, or if you are honest and sincerely trying to get everything right and legal. If they want to, any inspector can make your life hell, don't give them a reason to and they won't Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

[robby41]

hello, i will be embarcing to go bar legal in my 87 e30 with a obd2 m52. im curious as to what i should expect going forward. I got the exhaust and air pump already, im working on ews delete. i am using to what i believe to be a modified m50 fuel rail? so that the fuel regulater is on the rail itself where as e36 regulater is on the chassis. now i know the e30 charcoal canister works for m52 but will that hurt me in getting it passed?
anything is helpful, thanks.

[e30strokr]

Where are you? I had a good experience with the inspector at Las Positas College in Livermore. It's really all a matter of if you are trying to get one over on them, or if you are honest and sincerely trying to get everything right and legal. If they want to, any inspector can make your life hell, don't give them a reason to and they won't Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

im in San Jose, just looking for a fair place.. not a "stickler"

[Sean S.]

I've heard that the ref at Evergreen College was pretty easy to work with. Good luck, and let us know! Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

[Sean S.]

hello, i will be embarcing to go bar legal in my 87 e30 with a obd2 m52. im curious as to what i should expect going forward. I got the exhaust and air pump already, im working on ews delete. i am using to what i believe to be a modified m50 fuel rail? so that the fuel regulater is on the rail itself where as e36 regulater is on the chassis. now i know the e30 charcoal canister works for m52 but will that hurt me in getting it passed?
anything is helpful, thanks.

There is a thread from mr. green that explains the adaptation of the e36 charcoal canister and evap set up swap into an e30. It is super helpful and a "must have" for a BAR legal swap. I dont know if you can use the e30 canister as you will definitely need the evap solenoid that is attached to the e36 style cannister. The BAR ref will send codes through the OBD to activate/deactivate the solenoid to check its operation and abillity to set a CEL. If you dont have it, you will fail.

[e30strokr]

something that I found out for OBD1 to use a Magnaflow CAT converter #332008 dual in-out OE D-193-117 for $200, not bad.. got everything ready but its easter weekend so next week for the swap!!

[peterdawolf]

something that I found out for OBD1 to use a Magnaflow CAT converter #332008 dual in-out OE D-193-117 for $200, not bad.. got everything ready but its easter weekend so next week for the swap!!

If you're doing a 1995 S50B30US, that $200 catalytic converter *WILL* fail your BAR inspection. That cat applied to the 1992-1995 M50 cars, but the S50B30US has two individual cats, one on each pipe, with the same otherwise mid-section configuration (both fit the mid section). I know this because I got turned away until I went back and had the $300 a piece 2 single cats installed by the same Magnaflow dealer a month later and then back for another inspection.

[peterdawolf]

Wanted to share, I did finally get my Dinan SC / S50B30US BAR'd. It took 4 appointments. The final 2 appointments were to get a mechanic to come to the appointment with me, bringing a scanner that could read an E36 speed sensor. Apparently the scan tools the guys have at both Fullerton and El Camino (Torrance-ish) have a known issue reading E36 Speed sensors from the diff via the diag connector. So I had to meet a guy up here in El Camino, have that BAR referee tell me he spoke to the other ref and knows he cleared my car, but since he didn't verify the V2 supercharger that doesn't match the Dinan EO for the kit (the EO says V1S), that's considered a fail, when the literally only difference is angle cut gears rather than straight ones to cut down on the noise with the ratios and pulleys untouched.

Was an incredible pain in the ass. Car needs to be running absolutely perfectly, no excessively high idle, vacuum leaks, or non working catalytic converters (Magnaflows typically need to be replaced every two years when you smog).

If I had to do it all over again in 2021+, I'd probably just electric motor swap it and call it a day :D

Peter

[e30strokr]

If you're doing a 1995 S50B30US, that $200 catalytic converter *WILL* fail your BAR inspection. That cat applied to the 1992-1995 M50 cars, but the S50B30US has two individual cats, one on each pipe, with the same otherwise mid-section configuration (both fit the mid section). I know this because I got turned away until I went back and had the $300 a piece 2 single cats installed by the same Magnaflow dealer a month later and then back for another inspection.

yep thats the motor im doing M50 2.5..but with M54 internals (crank/pistons/cams)

sounds like the shop messed up your catalytic order? plus all magnaflows are not available at the moment

BTW California Cats are suppose to be guaranteed to work for 5 yrs. hence the price......

also like in anything a simple single number change can mean a totally different engine or process... if its exactly the same they would not change numbers

layman terms OBD1 OBD2 its simple number change but a big difference in capabilities.. good or bad... lol

[e30strokr]

If you're doing a 1995 S50B30US, that $200 catalytic converter *WILL* fail your BAR inspection. That cat applied to the 1992-1995 M50 cars, but the S50B30US has two individual cats, one on each pipe, with the same otherwise mid-section configuration (both fit the mid section). I know this because I got turned away until I went back and had the $300 a piece 2 single cats installed by the same Magnaflow dealer a month later and then back for another inspection.

Do you have pictures of the aftermarket legal exhaust on the M50 swap? trying to see how to fit these 81101 WALKER cats in .. looks like there is no room to weld them right next to each other and fit into the stock E36 downpipe... any help is appreciated