AAZ swap California Registration

[vwdriverfoundvw]

Hello,

The engine in my van was swapped to an 1.9TD AAZ in 2008 by a previous owner. I just received a smog test notification. It was never registered with the referee system. I'm not sure how it got re-registered all these times over the years.

I need to provide documentation to the DMV referee to be cleared to get an inspection. They are asking for an engine diagram. Is there a source online somewhere I can get this?

Also, what is the best way to identify my engine?

[erste]

Using the term "referee" might cause some confusion. You should not need to take it to a BAR referee. You do need to show the DMV that it's a diesel if the current registration says it's a gas vehicle.

Do you have AAA? This is something you should be able to get done there, or at least it was an easy process through AAA when I brought my TDI swapped vanagon into California (and it was incorrectly registered in Virginia as a gasoline vehicle).

If the diesel engine is older than 1998, it does not need a smog check.

[vwdriverfoundvw]

Thanks Erst.

I have been talking to a BAR referee. He says I will need to configure the engine as if it were a 96 in order to have it cleared. I hope I didn't open up a can of worms by talking to them. I called a smog shop to see if they had any idea why I would be asked for a smog check and they told me to call the BAR referee.


This is what the DMV site says:

https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/handbook/vehicle-ind...ive-power/

[?Waldo?]

Interesting.

Unfortunately, the AAZ was never offered in the US or California. One option you might have is to swap in a 1.6ECOdiesel (1V engine code) which was sold in the VW Jetta in 1991-92. Those were mechanically injected 1.6 turbo-diesels with a catalyst fitted and without any boost fuel enrichment. That would definitely be easier to accomplish than the 1Z swap with electronic engine management. The 1V performance would be quite sad, but after the smog exemption is done you might have more options. The full 1Z install would result in a better van, though. Better than the AAZ even, although you might want different gearing also. Yup, a can of worms.

[erste]

I'm curious if / how it's been smogged in the past. You can look that info up through the plate number or VIN here:
https://www.smogcheck.ca.gov/pubwebquery/Vehicle/PubTstQry.aspx

[vwdriverfoundvw]

Here's what I got when I searched it :

[erste]

Was it out of state after 2006?

The info in this thread is old, but it may be helpful:
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=4760810

Most likely you're going to be dealing with a referee since it's been flagged. Did you tell the referee the VIN? I'm guessing it was flagged already, hence the letter, but you might still try to get things sorted out on the paperwork side before going further with a ref.

You might reach out to the guy Jon_slider mentions in the thread above, Ron in San Diego.

[termuehlen]

Not sure I am understanding this completely, but it seems your vehicle was gasoline powered until 2008. It went through bi-annual smog checks through 2006 with a gasoline engine. Then it was converted to diesel. It is likely it was exempted from smog checks when converted to diesel in 2008, because diesels weren't required to be smog checked. Now, and my guess it is the result of California Senate Bill SB-1 which taxed diesel fuel and made resources available for things like enforcement of phased in diesel emissions compliance, your vehicle has been flagged. Someone at the State is likely looking at diesel vehicle conversions and requiring them to be compliant with State laws. So any old diesel engine in a Vanagon is no longer acceptable. Now it is being checked for compliance with the State's engine conversion standards. So, as Waldo stated, you may be looking at installing an engine that was sold in US vehicles. I'm sorry to say it, but I don't think there is an easy way out of this problem.
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1988 Westfalia automatic Subaru OBD1
1986 syncro tintop wbx

[ScottShelley]

Looks like a can of worms. I have a 1990 DOKA that has always been a Diesel so no smog checks. What does your title say? Have you yourself ever smogged it?

[vwdriverfoundvw]

OOF.

This is turning out to be no fun. I bought this thing to learn about diesels, run renewable fuels, and not have to deal with Smog rules. Now I'm dealing with it in the worst way.

According to the BAR referee, the system is just catching up to a bunch of improperly registered conversions. He said a ton of Toyotas are being flagged now too, that have been converted with engines that CA never got.

I guess I am left with another full swap or selling out of state and looking for another van. Such a shame, as this thing runs so smoothly and I love the simplicity of the all mechanical AAZ.

[11BC2]

[MarkWard]

I've got a complete 1.6 Vanagon diesel engine I removed from my 82 for sale in the classifieds. It's minus the pan and oil pump.


Shameless plug.
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=2289690
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[ethand]

I know this post is old, but just reading up on it myself. Wondering how it will go to try and register a Boxeer Conversion in CA that is currently out of state titled and registered.

The good news for anybody in CA; Americas Mailbox is always an option to register your vehicles. It's a mail forwarding service that gives you an address and allows you to register your vehicles through the mail! You get South Dakota License Plates. Was super useful when I was a full time traveler!

That's my plan B if my registration attempt doesn't work out!

[Abscate]

[ethand]

Thanks!

I was told that the vehicle would likely have to pass a DMV inspection before they would allow if to be registered in CA.

Any idea what that entails?? The van is either going to be an '87 or a '90, which should be exempt from smog, but I am curious how much poking around they will want to do in terms of the 2012 passat tdi diesel that has been swapped in there.

[Abscate]

I am no expert on CA emissions , I just moved my last CA car to NY.

There is a metric ton of bad information on fora so go to primary sources for information. The enforcement of this stuff is changing so anecdotes of the past are poor guidance.
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.ssS!

[iliketowalk]

If your van came with a gas motor and was built after 1976, you have to smog it in California. If you put a diesel in it (or someone else did), it's supposed to be blessed by a referee who requires that the engine is installed with all the emissions equipment from the donor car which is basically impossible in many cases. Sometimes in the past the DMV system has allowed converted vans through, but it sounds like that loophole is closing and/or has closed.

Your best bet is registering out of state and telling your neighbors that you're borrowing it from a relative or some such as CA encourages people to rat out vehicles with out of state plates via the CHP website.
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1986 Weekender "Birch"

[Red Ryder]