Hi guys, along with my daily driver (03 gs300 sport design) I am now planning on putting a soarer engine into a SC 400 shell that I have. How do i pass a smog test in California with the swapped JDM engine? Any suggestions on what the process is and where I can go to get it done?

 

You can't..........................

 

Run a 2JZ and convert it completely to USDM spec. - basically make it a Supra.

 

Along with converting it to us spec, you'll need to get the swap BAR'd by a state referee which isnt cheap. When you go there make sure all your Ts are crossed and i's are dotted cuz you might get one of the guys that check every single little thing.

 

Thank you guys. This is food for thought as i make my decision

 

both are extremely difficult and the 03 will be harder because it is definitely odb2.
what people have said is correct you will need to add in all the usdm smog equipment and have it all functioning like factory and with a little bit of luck maybe you can get it all bar'd

 

^^ This, and it is going to be much more expensive than a common Aristo 2JZ swap. You need the USDM head from the 1998 Supra but your car would also need to be no newer than 1998 as well. Keeping the car automatic would keep the cost down somewhat but you really can't do this legally with a 2003 GS300.

 

so all these guys running 2jz-gte's in their GS/SC have to get it bar'd?

its all smog legal, DMV california registered, etc.?

 

No, they all have to get illegal smog which will cost you $200-300 .

 

Almost no one gets a BAR cert for these cars apparently even if you do have all the USDM GTE parts installed but yes, spending bucks on illegal smogs are what usually does it. Although as of Jan 1st of this year it might be harder with the squeeze being put onto smog shops that test pre-2001 vehicles under the new STAR program. 2001+ no longer gets the roller and tailpipe sniffer, just an OBD port scan and visual inspection.

Theoretically it would be interesting to find out if a 1996-98 Supra TT auto USDM ECU gives the same information through the OBD2 test port that a 2003 GS300 ECU would. No US 2JZGTE engines were VVTi but the 98-05 2JZ-GE's were (including the one-year-only '98 Supra VVTi non turbos) so possibly different signals. I highly doubt it would work and there is still a visual inspection that would fail you but it would be hilarious if the ECUs basically had the same information going to the port scan devices, which are only looking for readiness codes.

Of course the glaring thing would be that the 2003 GS300 probably put out less and/or drastically different emissions numbers than a 1998 Supra TT Automatic did. That's generally the kind of red flag the state is looking for between emission test intervals or your friendly roadside "survey crew" aka CHP assisted involuntary roadside smog.

 

Thanks guys. Looks like I might just go straight turbo. The information I received has been very helpful.

 

What about if a cop pulls you over and asks you to pop your hood and you have a 2jz-gte?

 

illegal modification ticket, car tags are invalid until you take it to a ref and they say the car is back to stock, and some more stuff that is a pita for you to deal with.

 

wow california = car **** state

 

^^ Pretty much. BAR doesn't even really care if a swapped engine runs cleaner than the stock one. If it wasn't originally sold in a passenger car in the USA they aren't interested.

Their reaction would be the same even if someone swapped in a 2JZ-FSE (direct injection non-turbo with better emissions and fuel economy numbers in the 30's).