CARB, motor modifications, BAR.. help, I'm clueless

[kronus]

I'm putting together the various pieces I need to legally swap a 1985 M106 motor into my 1983 323i. Both cars were imported into CA as grey-market vehicles. The e30 has a BAR sticker for a 3.2L motor, which leads me to believe I can pretty much stick any M30 variant in there and not worry too much. (alternatively, S52? there is no engine code specified on the BAR sticker..)

Several questions about this:

How do I find out the legal restrictions around what I'm allowed to modify on the motor going in? I am planning to install a MAF, bigger injectors, and completely bypassing the OE management. Am I good to go as long as I keep the evap stuff in place?

If it's BAR'd for a 3.2, is that the same as being BAR'd for a 3.2 turbo (M102)? Will I need to be using something that looks like the M102 ECU (a weird L-Jet one-off), since smog techs probably won't be able to tell the difference between a 3.2 and a 3.5 by any other means?

To what smog standards will it be held? The chassis standards? The motor standards? Any idea if the 745i CA smog restrictions are fairly loose?

To what visual standards will it be held? Do I need CARB stickers for stuff, or is that only for post-OBDI stuff?

cheers

[decay]

Weeeell... you're in a grey area here.

You already have the car BAR'd for a 3.2, and you're putting in a 3.2 turbo- technically, that's not kosher, but is the smog shop going to know the difference? I doubt it, but you may end up doing what I did one year and running around to 4 smog shops till you find a cool guy who used to own an 02 and lets you slide on visual.

If you have to see the ref again, he will know the difference between M30 variants (or, his computer will).

If you want to be perfectly safe about it, you'll have to BAR it again with the new turbo motor. I advise doing that with everything completely stock. It will be held to the standards of the donor car, and will need to have all of the smog equipment the donor car came with installed (so don't do the MAF until after the ref... AFM is considered smog equipment).

One last thing occurs- if you leave the existing BAR sticker on, you'll be smogged as a 3.2 NA M30... will the turbo run clean enough to meet that standard?

[kronus]

interesting, ok.

I'm pretty sure the smog tech I typically go to would be able to tell a turbo from an NA, but he's pretty chill. How are the two distinguished on a BAR sticker, though? Mine just says 3.2L and has the expected smog equipment checked off. No engine codes or VINs or anything..

I'm also not sure if the turbo will run clean enough. Maybe with a new cat.. The legend goes that they were tuned to barely pass from the factory...

[decay]

When he scans that barcode on the BAR sticker, the computer will know what engine it's talking about- the engine you registered as "in this car now" when you went to the ref the first time. The sticker doesn't display everything the computer knows, what's on there is basically a summary.

[kronus]

this sticker was put on there in the early 80s. I wonder if I can drop by a smog station and get it scanned.

[decay]

this sticker was put on there in the early 80s. I wonder if I can drop by a smog station and get it scanned.

oh wow- the car got the M30 swap that early? I thought you were the one who'd done it.

that could very possibly open up avenues for you- there is no way there are computer records of engine codes going back that far.

[kronus]

well, here's the funny thing - it's got an M20 in it that has never been out of it, as far as I can tell. This is similar to a bunch of other grey-market cars I've seen. My theory is they upped the engine displacement to give them more lenient numbers for smog and federalization, and never actually changed the engine.

[mkcman17]

I need to find one of these cars...

[MR 325]

I'd say you could easily get away with having the M30 in there if the car has that sticker already. The smog tech won't know what injectors or ECU you're running but the MAF kit is not smog legal.

Even if you used a complete OEM turbo system I don't think you're going to get a pass from any smog guy. I'm willing to bet when a car is turbo'd the sticker will mention it.

The car will be tested using the smog standards of the engine that's been installed.

[decay]

well, here's the funny thing - it's got an M20 in it that has never been out of it, as far as I can tell. This is similar to a bunch of other grey-market cars I've seen. My theory is they upped the engine displacement to give them more lenient numbers for smog and federalization, and never actually changed the engine.

either that, or someone typo'd 3.2 where they should have put 2.3 and you got incredibly lucky :P

pic of this BAR sticker on it? i've never seen one from the 80s, only from guys doing modern swaps.

[kronus]

[decay]

That is *way* different from what BAR slaps on a swapped car now (like I said, there's a barcode that identifies the specific vehicle/configuration).

I say you're good as long as the turbo M30 has all of the expected smog equipment. No need for another ref visit- your car is basically grandfathered in.

You lucky fuck.

[2mAn]

Im jealous. that is awesome

[kronus]

heh, well, let's wait until this succeeds before being jealous :p

anyway, I've registered and smogged the car with the M20B23 in it so now I have 2 years to figure this stuff out.

[Wh33lhop]

kinda seems like they accidentally put 3.2 instead of 2.3...