Question in regards to JDM Engine swaps in California.

TACORICAN · Jan 9, 2008

I have a 01 Accord 4Cyl ULEV w/Manual Tranny. I am interested in doing a H22 Swap. After reading ARB’s site regarding Engine Changes is states the following.

Engine changes are legal as long as the following requirements are met to ensure that the change does not increase pollution from the vehicle:
• The engine must be the same year or newer than the vehicle.
• The engine must be from the same type of vehicle (passenger car, light-duty truck, heavy-duty truck, etc.) based on gross vehicle weight.
I am not sure if based on Vin number, if the car is California Cert. It was first sold in California, so I am assuming it is. This would make my search for an H22 more difficult. How would I be able to do a JDM H22?
• If the vehicle is a California certified vehicle then the engine must also be a California certified engine.
• All emissions control equipment must remain on the installed engine.
Would the emissions control equipment come from a CA Cert Prelude or just the Original Equipment found on the H22?
After an engine change, vehicles must first be inspected by a state referee station. The vehicle will be inspected to ensure that all the equipment required is in place, and vehicle will be emissions tested subject to the specifications of the installed engine.

Japanese Engine Replacements

Used engines imported from Japan can be used as replacement engines as long as the engine being used has been identified as functionally identical to the original engine. Please refer to the engine importers catalogue to determine if a replacement engine is legal for installation in your vehicle.
Does this mean that I can only swap a JDM F23A4 into my Accord?

DarkSideAccord · Jan 9, 2008

from what i know, as long as the motor is the same year or newer, u can have it inspected by the referee... if it passes, u can legally drive it... i think JDM motors will not pass smog tho

TACORICAN · Jan 9, 2008

Does anyone have contact info at ARB? I want to make sure it all passes. So the engine would not have to be from a California Certified vehicle specifically?

DarkSideAccord · Jan 9, 2008

-To get the motor SMOG legal and get the BAR sticker (To show the swap is legal) you must visit the state ref.

-To successfullly pass State ref inspection the motor MUST be USDM and of the same vehicle class as well. (Accord/prelude - Teg/Teg - Civic/Civic)

-To sucessfully pass the vacuum lines diagram on the hood must match the vacuum lines hookup on the motor. To do this on swapped motors, get the sticker from Honda and affix it under the hood

-JDM motors are automatic fail, HOWEVER this seems to be a case by case basis.

-To get the motor to pass successfully you must be the SAME YEAR OR NEWER OBD(x) system

-EVERYTHING under the hood for emissions must be hooked up, right down to the knock sensor.

i dun think where the motor is from is a big concern

PROJECT H · Jan 9, 2008

i think... but im not sure... if you have a jdm motor.. you need to swap all the jdm emmissions stuff with the usdm emissions (just get as much usdm stuff onto the motor)

thats from something i read a long time ago... so im not sure.

chasnsx · Feb 27, 2008

I've been doing the same research you've been doing, and I've drawn the following conclusions: 1) Swapping an H22 from a U.S. market '99 Prelude into a '99 Accord should be legal as long as the OBD 2 status is maintained and all the emissions equipment is hooked up and working. I think you get about 195 horsepower from such a swap. Bad news is, try finding a low mileage engine from a '99-'01 Prelude here in the U.S. 2) As far as going with a JDM engine, I've seen two types of H22 engine available, the Type S (red valve cover) and another type with a blue valve cover. The "bluetop" engine seems to be an older model, which immediately disqualifies it from use in a '99 Honda that is to be CARB certified. The Type S engine has an 11.0 to 1 compression ratio, which is higher than the USDM engine, so I think just swapping on the USDM smog equipment may not be enough. Even if the referee says that it is functionally equivalent to a USDM Prelude engine, and it has all the necessary external smog equipment, the thing could still fail the tailpipe sniffer test just because it has a higher compression ratio than the U.S. market engine. Or maybe I could just pour a bottle of octane booster in my car just for the smog test??? (I'm joking about that last one. Fuel additives usually increase emissions and cause a failed test) Comments anyone?

Chas