Hey all,

I am formulating a plan to swap a different engine into my FB RX7 and trying to understand what it will take to get past the state emissions inspection.  For this year car, it's just a visual, and if I understand correctly, they will be looking for the cat, air pump and the heat riser that goes from the exh manifold to the air intake.

I have 3 options I am looking at that are all more modern engines (13BT, Renesis, and GM LFX). 1 of the 3 doesn't have an airpump, and none of the 3 have the heat riser.

I've also read that if you swap in a more modern motor, per the EPA you have to meet the emissions regs for the year of the new motor.  But have not found anything about how NC handles this situation.

Anybody successfully gotten a similar swap through the state inspection, and if so, what was involved?  Want to have a high confidence I can pass inspection before I start spending lots of time and money on this.

Thanks!

Most just create a LLC in Montana, and then license their cars there to that LLC.  

Ever notice all the Montana plates on Prevost motorhomes and high end supercars?  No sales tax.

I think you can title at least 7 vehicles that way.

Purple Frog (Forum Supporter) said:

Most just create a LLC in Montana, and then license their cars there to that LLC.  

Ever notice all the Montana plates on Prevost motorhomes and high end supercars?  No sales tax.

I think you can title at least 7 vehicles that way.

 

I thought they started cracking down on this dramatically a decade ago?

Has to meet emissions from the year if the car, or the tmyear of the engine. WHICHEVER IS NEWER. 

That being said, ive never had trouble as long as there was an attempt at emissions and it was obviously a fun car. Cat, pcv, charcoal canister,  well executed. All ive ever done for mecklenburg, stanly, watauga, ashe, and avery counties. 

Are you in an emissions county in NC? Also as long as it passes NC's test parameters i dont think it matters what engine is in it.  Its always just the obd2 scan from my memory. I dont think ive had a tail pipe test in a while, plus i live in a non emissions county now.

Wait just read FB. If its older than 96 its just a safety inspection in NC. you dont have emissions testing in a car that old

Exemptions

Vehicles are exempt from emissions inspections under the following conditions:

• Some light-duty vehicles less than 3 years old or have fewer than 70,000 miles
• ​Vehicle is 20 years old or older​​
• Diesel-operated
• Registered as a farm vehicle

From the NC site

And exemp from all inspection at 30

also as long as it has something that looks like a cat, that is all the visual is.

Visual inspections can be annoying here. I got pegged last year because my e36 came with a resonator but it doesn't currently have one. It's a full aftermarket exhaust with highflow cat and a muffler but because it didn't also have a resonator it failed. Guy just wanted to be a jerk for no reason. A different shop passed it the following day.

Thanks for all the replies,

I was working off old information.  I have a buddy that owns an inspection shop, and when I talked to him he was not very encouraging - saying even though the tailpipe test was gone, he didn't see how he could pass it based on the still required visual test.  But that conversation was back before the law changed in 2017 (man time flies).

I was concerned I would be required to add an OBD port or something, but looks like I can cross emissions testing off my list of problems to solve.  Now I just have to get past my analysis paralysis of which engine I really want to use.

Press release on change in law:

Emissions Inspections Exempts 20-Year-Old Vehicles Starting Dec. 1

OK, the crucial piece of information was never mentioned:

What engine are you putting into your FB?

In Reply To Brett_Murphy (Forum Patrón)

sevenracer said:

I have 3 options I am looking at that are all more modern engines (13BT, Renesis, and GM LFX). 1 of the 3 doesn't have an airpump, and none of the 3 have the heat riser.