What are my options - State Referee modified exhaust ticket

[IRON-E]

The ticket also states a ref smog check. No idea if that then means I'm flagged in the smog system as needing to do it at a state ref? In which case double screwed?

Aannnnddd....... this is where you're screwed. They are going to scrutinize everything about the car and give you a hard time until you're smog compliant. If you did a pirate smog, it'll be a red flag towards that shop too.
Most guys in the Nissan 240/Honda community, just part out their cars so to not deal with the ref.

[Sh3rpak!ng]

Aannnnddd....... this is where you're screwed. They are going to scrutinize everything about the car and give you a hard time until you're smog compliant. If you did a pirate smog, it'll be a red flag towards that shop too.
Most guys in the Nissan 240/Honda community, just part out their cars so to not deal with the ref.

This is what I've been most afraid of. So considering the ticket was written this way, it means I've been flagged in the DMV system for a smog check at a referee location?

I need to understand more about how to possibly navigate around this via non-op and Montana registration.

Or I guess it wouldn't actually be insane to consider buying an entire M20 drivetrain + exhaust + driveshaft and dropping that back in to pass.... should actually all plug right in.

[McGyver]

Or I guess it wouldn't actually be insane to consider buying an entire M20 drivetrain + exhaust + driveshaft and dropping that back in to pass.... should actually all plug right in.

It's real dumb, but should only take a weekend to swap back to an m20. Get the thing checked and have your car be clean in the system. Tell the judge the cop was just being a dick. Spend another weekend putting all the go-fast bits back in.

Side note, the Montana registration idea can be very risky because you're supposed to get CA plates within 2 weeks of moving to CA. There are several counties in CA that require an initial smog but don't have any yearly checks. You may want to look into registering it to a place like that to keep your CA plates.

[2mAn]

Or I guess it wouldn't actually be insane to consider buying an entire M20 drivetrain + exhaust + driveshaft and dropping that back in to pass.... should actually all plug right in.

Could always try and get your hands on a M21 Turbo Diesel setup and get the car registered as a Diesel IE Smog exempt... but picturing your car with a Turbo Diesel in it would be hilarious

[Sh3rpak!ng]

It's real dumb, but should only take a weekend to swap back to an m20. Get the thing checked and have your car be clean in the system. Tell the judge the cop was just being a dick. Spend another weekend putting all the go-fast bits back in.

Side note, the Montana registration idea can be very risky because you're supposed to get CA plates within 2 weeks of moving to CA. There are several counties in CA that require an initial smog but don't have any yearly checks. You may want to look into registering it to a place like that to keep your CA plates.

First I'd need to buy the damn drivetrain. I really don'y have the free time nor enthusiasm to do this.

Leaning towards Montana registration which will result in a registered road legal car within 2 weeks. Then I still need to deal with the ticket/fine/whatever here.

Trying to get a better gauge on the possible risk with the out of state plates... I actually had my E36 here for two years initially with NJ plates, got pulled over for stupid things several times and never got hassled. Of course that was 5-6 years ago already...

Could always try and get your hands on a M21 Turbo Diesel setup and get the car registered as a Diesel IE Smog exempt... but picturing your car with a Turbo Diesel in it would be hilarious

the intention is to pursue the easiest, least labor intensive solution here Simon... not source an impossible to find motor and re-engineer a motor swap

[2mAn]

Pretty sure theres on sitting in Long Beach for less than $500. Diesels are quite simple. No ECU, no fuel pump and they bolt up to your existing front subframe

[roguetoaster]

Pretty sure theres on sitting in Long Beach for less than $500. Diesels are quite simple. No ECU, no fuel pump and they bolt up to your existing front subframe

Would be nice if it were so, there are minimum 2, maximum 3 essential control modules to allow the turbocharged versions to run that I've seen. Maybe the N/A ones don't need that, but good luck finding one stateside. In any case, finding a whole running ETA car would be fairly simple, but not do paperwork simple.

[2mAn]

Quiet! Im just hoping someone else will take the plunge and then this diesel motor could be paraded from E30 to E30 making several smog exempt lol

[roguetoaster]

Quiet! Im just hoping someone else will take the plunge and then this diesel motor could be paraded from E30 to E30 making several smog exempt lol

Build it as part of an E30 trailer with stowage for the exhaust, then just swap subframe assemblies and exhausts.

[2mAn]

Now you're starting to see my vision...

[Sh3rpak!ng]

Quiet! Im just hoping someone else will take the plunge and then this diesel motor could be paraded from E30 to E30 making several smog exempt lol

Build it as part of an E30 trailer with stowage for the exhaust, then just swap subframe assemblies and exhausts.

This is actually a hilarious idea. I'll rent the whole system out to people one by one.... Could you imagine the headline if caught?

"One man responsible for loophole pirate smog exemptions on 137 classic BMWs in Los Angeles - paid off his student loans with the profits"

[2mAn]

If anyone could do it, it would be you Charlie

[reelizmpro]

Swaps are all done differently. If you are already OBD2 then you need the E36 exhaust system with 2 cats and 4 oxygen sensors, smog pump system and stock airbox. I'd see what the ref says first before you do anything.

[Sh3rpak!ng]

Swaps are all done differently. If you are already OBD2 then you need the E36 exhaust system with 2 cats and 4 oxygen sensors, smog pump system and stock airbox. I'd see what the ref says first before you do anything.

Evap system? Charcoal canister? crankcase air/oil separator? Fresh ECU with EWS coded out (since mine has all readiness monitors set to green)? I still also have a CEL from the swap I never figured out :P and I'd need a new harness since I got rid of all the wires in mine that weren't needed for the emissions stuff I no longer have, and then I'd need to adapt the wiring harness again to plug into the e30 chassis....

Would I not need to get it BAR legal first then do the referee inspection? Since technically even if it was BAR compliant, it'd still be an illegitimate swap?


The ECU with readiness monitors all set to pass is actually something I've been very curious about... would that get flagged in a smog check? Because if not I could just fake wire up all those things to pass visual

[bmwman91]

So is this a SoCal thing with cops going extra hard on modded cars? Up in the Bay Area I can't say I have heard of a case like this in more than a decade. Hell, I wish they WOULD get a little more aggressive about some stuff. New AMG's with (obviously) straight pipes rolling around at all hours, stuff like that. I'd have never thought that the V8 in those things could sound bad, but apparently lots of guys found a way to pay money to get there.

Anyway, I like the diesel "village bicycle" idea. LEGIT.