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I'm -><- this close to getting the Chevy v8 powered Porsche 944 back on the road, after many months (years?) of being mothballed due to other life stuff.

Wondering if anyone has experience getting a swapped car thru inspection. Here's what I think I know:

- It's a 1985 car, so it has 3 more inspections until it's exempt from all inspections (35 years)
- As a pre-1995 car, it has to have a safety inspection. No problem there
- As a pre-1995 car, it appears that the visual check for emissions and no tampering is still in effect

Now, the car has none of the Porsche-installed 1985 emissions, and with the exception of the cat, I think it has little to none of the 1995 Camaro Z28 emissions installed. I could be wrong, since I have never owned a 1995 Camaro Z28 so I have no idea what would be required.

The rules-following white angel on my left shoulder says, figure out what's required visually for a 95 Camaro and make sure it looks like it's present. The shit-eating-grin devil on my right shoulder says, go find a good old boys inspection station, talk them up, and bribe them with a six pack.

I digress. Anyone been through this and have advice? PM or email me.

PS - did a little happy dance this spring when my '82 Honda XL250R had it's last inspection ever
PPS - the ironic thing here is that, the 944 will probably get maybe 1000 miles a year, while the race car has 29,000 emissions-free race miles on it. I suppose it's not ironic, just annoying that there's not a way for niche applications like a toy to have a way to be exempted from the rules.

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Mike Whitney
whit32@gmail.com, 919-454-5445
V10, V8, V8t, I6, I6, V6, F4t, I4, I4, I4, I4, I2, 1, 1

It has been a few years since I was an inspector, but here is how I remember it. Also, this kind of situation is highly dependent on the inspector you get. Some are just more thorough than others.

If you follow the exact letter of the law, you have to have all the emissions components that were installed on the engine. However, if the car is registered as a 1985 Porsche (which I assume it is), then the inspector is only required to look for emissions components that would have been installed in 1985.

That being said, I believe you are fine having the catalytic converter and EVAP installed. Those are the easiest things to spot for emissions failure. The MIL must light up when "key on engine off" and go off when cranked. Also, remove any emissions stickers you have on your hood. Mechanics are notorious for just going by what is on the sticker and not what is actually in the car.

Hope this helps.

the place I go to in sanford they take a quick look under the hood and that is it, I tip well, they always have a car on the lift so they never look under

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2008 135i
2005 mini S
1999 540i aka valdez

When I went to inspection school we were taught that with a swap you have to go with which ever is newer engine or car. In your case engine is correct. The emission controls have to appear to work. This leaves you open for such things as a gutted cat. You might check to see if for instance a 95 truck did not have all the same controls. I would suspect that they do. And does the motor look the same as an earlier engine. I assume it is an LT-1.

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George Bright Member # 141
One of the youngest of the old farts.
Yes I voted against you joining the club.

Wasn't there something about not being able to install a engine that was older than the model year car also? Due to emissions generally being more strict in newer model years so you weren't allowed to put a motor in which spewed more emissions.

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2017 Autocross Chief of Tech

2000 E Street Miata
2015 Focus SE EcoBoost 6 speed
2015 Fiesta ST (Wife's ride)
2012 Yamaha FZ1 sorta crotch rocket? All I know is 150HP and 487 lbs is fun!

Pretty sure on any pre-OBDII car they are going to look for the presence of a cat and send you on your way. If they bother to look for anything at all. They state has basically thrown up its hands at anything pre-OBDII, though they do still have the "visual" language in the regulations. They know the reality is there aren't enough old cars on the road to matter.


--Donnie

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My Blog

Thanks guys for the responses. @George, yes, it's an LT1. Sounds like most all the applications from 92-95 are all OBD1 and use similar emissions equipment... From a few quick searches it looks like the only things I'm "missing" from a 95 LT1 equipped car are the smog pump and EGR. Cat, O2, and all the necessary FI and ECU stuff is in place. The only thing I'm not sure about is where if at all the CEL light / circuit ended up. Probably under the carpet. (This is a "rescue" car after all, I didn't do the swap).

I think I'll get it running and head out to take my chances. Any favorite places for inspections in/around western wake county?

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Mike Whitney
whit32@gmail.com, 919-454-5445
V10, V8, V8t, I6, I6, V6, F4t, I4, I4, I4, I4, I2, 1, 1

Bob Kendrick did a LT-1 swap on his Jeep cherokee. He has the EGR and air pump in place, but the ECU is reprogrammed to not use either of them. He has since redone the motor and it is now a 396 stroker motor with LT-4 heads. I helped him with grafting the Road monster wiring harness into the Jeep harness the cel light is wired to one of the unused indicators. At the drag strip he can take fox body mustangs.

BTW keep extra opti-spark pieces on hand. They are rather problematic.

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George Bright Member # 141
One of the youngest of the old farts.
Yes I voted against you joining the club.

I used to have to keep extra HEI modules for my 85 K10, thank goodness I did too, wound up having to swap on in the snow after work one night.

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2017 Autocross Chief of Tech

2000 E Street Miata
2015 Focus SE EcoBoost 6 speed
2015 Fiesta ST (Wife's ride)
2012 Yamaha FZ1 sorta crotch rocket? All I know is 150HP and 487 lbs is fun!