318is with m20 swap legal in CA?

[AlpineEdirty]

hello everyone!
Ok, i got a question for you guys.
I have an 91 318is with cracked head. All of the replacement heads I have purchsed have cracks on either #2 or 3 cylinders and I am already on my 3rd head.
Now, I am thinking about going towards m20 for more torque and low maintanence and its cheaper then m50.
I know some of you guys might say I should get rid of it and just get a 325is but this car has no sunroof which is the only reason I wont sell it.
So my question is any of you guys out there have m20 in 318i or 318is? Is it legal in California?
do you have any problem smogging the car? did you have to get it refereed? I know that the engine must be newer then the car that its going into to be to get it refereed. to my knowledge only 92 m20 was in convertibles, which makes very hard to find. do they know what year car the motor is out of?.
any feed back would be greatly appreciated.

Thank You
Kim (NCDA.net rocks!)

[e30sd]

it's legal, you'd have to go it ref'd to be legit, but if you're crafty, it'd be easy to get it pass visual (bryson did)

[CleanAzzE30z]

what he said.

[MR 325]

it's legal, you'd have to go it ref'd to be legit, but if you're crafty, it'd be easy to get it pass visual (bryson did)

Awesome.

[ptownTSI]

yeah most shops wont even notice.

in my jeep i could have had a big block in it with fuel injection and all the guy cared about was a CARB # for my headers, LOL.

[sidewaysdave]

Is there any real reason why CA has so many laws regarding cars and what you can do to them? What are some of the biggest ones you guys have to worry about over on the west coast?

[Mot]

no clue, oregon is alot more lax, hell 80% of oregon doesnt even have to pass emissions testing... cali just likes to have lots of lame laws?

[KevRC4130]

It's most likely because CA is extremely populated and has a polution problem (LA in particular). Plus there are quite a few shady cars from Mexico running around.

[Jand3rson]

no clue, oregon is alot more lax, hell 80% of oregon doesnt even have to pass emissions testing... cali just likes to have lots of lame laws?

That's because our state isn't covered in a cloud of garbage and noxious gas.

People can say whatever they want about Oregon, I love it here. This is the most beautiful place I've ever lived.

[dude8383]

what is so special about not having a sunroof? for me personally its nice to be able to open up the roof and get more air circulating in the car.

any reason why you like not having a sunroof?? besides it being "RARE"...

[hamann318is]

That's because our state isn't covered in a cloud of garbage and noxious gas.

People can say whatever they want about Oregon, I love it here. This is the most beautiful place I've ever lived.

No one in the world has any idea how to correctly pronounce it.

I personally say Or-gan, but I'm probably wrong.

[fretburnr]

what is so special about not having a sunroof? for me personally its nice to be able to open up the roof and get more air circulating in the car.

any reason why you like not having a sunroof?? besides it being "RARE"...

less weight (the whole mechanism need not be there) but more importantly, less weight up high which brings the center of gravity lower.

theoretically it also makes for a stiffer chassis, but i dont know how much of an effect that really has.

[Julien]

less weight (the whole mechanism need not be there) but more importantly, less weight up high which brings the center of gravity lower.

theoretically it also makes for a stiffer chassis, but i dont know how much of an effect that really has.

Sorry, that is a load of crap. i've owned both, give me a sunroof anyday. It's such a minute difference i bet not even the best driver could notice the difference .... unless it was open.. heh heh.


Thats like removing your center caps to lower your unsprung weight. useless.



Julien

[nando]

Sorry, that is a load of crap. i've owned both, give me a sunroof anyday. It's such a minute difference i bet not even the best driver could notice the difference .... unless it was open.. heh heh.

Thats like removing your center caps to lower your unsprung weight. useless.

Julien

you're talking to a group of people who'd remove their windsheild washer resivior to save weight on a street car.

[dude8383]

you're talking to a group of people who'd remove their windsheild washer resivior to save weight on a street car.

:rofl: