brucec59

I'm looking at a top end at some point in the not-too-distant future, and I'm thinking of options. After reading all the "how to get more power" threads, and knowing that some of those ideas will not pass CA smog, I wonder: will a 993TT engine in my NA car pass smog?

Thanks.

Mike J

If its stock and has its cat's, sure, why not?

axl911

How are you going to explain the snails attached to the engine during the visual exam?

nrubenstein

California actually has fairly generous procedures for getting engine swaps BAR approved. You'll have to get the car inspected and they will verify that ALL the required emissions equipment is present, but once you go through that, you get a sticker that answers the question for all future emissions inspections.

The key, of course, is that ALL of the engine specific emission equipment must be present and working. You could have some trouble with an OBD I car as a Turbo engine will need a full OBDII system functioning.

Edit: Which, of course, begs the question of why it was that Porsche felt compelled to sell the early Turbos as OBDII cars. It would have been so nice to provide OBDII level diagnostics without the annoyance of the testing.

goofballdeluxe

Well, if you're looking at a top end, that alone will cost you at least $10K here in CA. Probably more like $15K or more for a great job from a reputable shop with "while-you're-in-there" costs thrown in.

Why not take that $15K and just put that toward buying a 993 Turbo?

TheBen

+1 on what goofball said…

nrubenstein

And given what Turbo engines are trading for...

Mike J

We have smog testing here in BC as well, but they hire morons to run the tests. For example, they checked under the side of my car for the Cat, and put a fan at the nose of the car to "keep it cool". No way would they be able to tell the difference between a turbo and non-turbo, and as long as it burns clean, they do not care.

The scary part is they drive the car on the 4 wheel dyno - and since the wheels are so low profile, they do not use the guide rollers, so its freehand. Seems to be an accident waiting to happen.

Cheers,

Mike

brucec59

Thanks, guys. Food for thought...

Chris V

Another option if you have a resource: I went for a ride recently in a friend's 1986 "911GT" that is running a 3.6L, registered/plated outside California

brucec59

Yeah, there are so many options it makes my head swim. I might just keep it stock and put the $$ into re-gearing the tranny. It's just that I'd hate to have this opportunity to eek out a little more power and not do it. Going w/ 9M heads/tuning/etc. is taking it too far ($$$) and may not pass smog. I'm not interested in forced injection on a NA motor (hence the swap idea).

Maybe RS cams/intake valves/chip - but will that pass smog?

race911

Likely not. Mine doesn't. It was smogged on the owner transfer several years ago as Kim lives in Monterey Co. where a loaded smog test (dyno) is not required.

Can always register whatever in a non-smog county. There are surprisingly quite a few.

I was sort of involved in a turbo engine-into-4S conversion ~12 years ago. The guy gave up dealing with BAR. Has anything changed? Maybe, maybe not. Car ended up being put back to stock and sold, last I'd heard. Still have a bunch of Turbo engine parts for that someday when I go nuts on the 4S. Don't anyone hold his breath........ (I actually drove the car today for the first time in over 3 months!)

Chris M.

Keep your eye out for a 9M solution. I recently revived this thread and Colin says he's working on it.

brucec59

Hmmm... Don't you have to register in the county where you live (or I suppose you could rent a PO box)?