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Any other CA BAR approved V6 swaps get a registration hold?

9K views 81 replies 13 participants last post by  Jason.MZW20 
#1 · (Edited)
Apparently, my MR2's registration got a 30-day hold put on it, and no one can see what the hold is for until Aug. 9, 2014. The hold came exactly one day after my current registration expired, and I received no registration renewal or any documents from the DMV regarding the hold. They can't even give me a permit to drive it, at all. Not even a 1-day permit, and warned me that my car can be impounded for expired registration if driven.

The DMV called up to Sacramento, and they said that they can't open the hold file that contains the reasoning until the 30 days are up.

I know CA switched to STAR smog in 2014, but I can't think of any other reason that I got targeted for a registration hold.

Are your CA V6 swaps okay, registration wise?

It is my smog year.
 
#9 ·
How is that in any way legal for them to not allow you to re-register your car, AND refuse to tell you why? I mean, I know California smog rules are a PITA, but this just seems way out of line.
 
#10 ·
They aren't refusing to tell Jason why...they just don't know themselves why there is the hold, which is ironic.

Sucks, I hope you get this straightened out but I feel like its just a "clerical error" or something stupid you can get fixed easily.
 
#11 ·
Weird. I"ve been BAR'd and through smog two or three times since doing my swap and have never had any issues. My next smog due is this January. I'm in a "non-enhanced" area. Maybe that has something to due with it?

Did you get your normal renewal notice that the DMV mails out about 3 months before your actual registration due date?
 
#16 ·
Did you get your normal renewal notice that the DMV mails out about 3 months before your actual registration due date?
I did not. They sent me exactly zero correspondence regarding the issue as I had to find out by first going to AAA, then to the DMV where nothing was resolved. I don't understand it myself.

The DMV and Sacramento people said that they've never seen anything like it. Hopefully, it is just an error somewhere that can be resolved.

Thankfully, it's not my only car.

As August 9th is a Saturday, I'll call on August 11th.
 
#18 ·
This just keeps getting better and better. Now, today, I received a Notice of Delinquent Renewal for $147 even though I never received the original renewal, and all other cars registered at this address came without issue, even the non-op'd MKII.

Yet, the codes in my DMV registration didn't allow payment. I swear, they have no idea what they're doing sometimes.
 
#23 · (Edited)
It's been a fiasco, honestly.

Called the number they gave me, waited on hold for about 15 minutes, then they told me that everything was fine and to have my local field office waive the late fees. They never told me the reason for the hold even when asked. They just said it was a general hold and anything received from September 2013-on was invalid. The main office also said that they sent me a renewal, but I never received it (while 3 active, and 1PNO came without issue).

Then, the time at the local DMV office was worse. Arrived at 8am, and left at 11:45am without a full resolution because the car needed smog. But I couldn't have it smogged because they couldn't give me a moving permit when the hold was in place. On top of that, I had to fill out a form stating that I never received my renewal, like it wasn't THEIR fault. So, I was instructed to return once the car was smogged. So, 3 hours and 45 minutes later, I was pretty irritated. It just smelled of covering their asses for something they did.

Now, I went to get it smogged and the guy basically ____ed it up. I told him it had a BAR sticker for an engine swap and that it was a V6. I get my results and it failed the 15mph test miserably, but also notice that he smogged it as an MR2 Turbo, so it had the higher HC limits. That would've worked out for me in the 15mph test, if he didnt do the damn test in 1st GEAR (I heard the test).

Measured HCs at 15mph were 272ppm, CO% was 0.47%, and NOx was over 1000ppm. He shifted for the 25mph test, so it too registered higher HCs but passed at 65ppm/Max: 65ppm (normal max for the 1999 1MZ is 37). All others were normal, so the cat is fine.

So, I have an appointment with the BAR referee on Monday the 18th to contest these smog results. It's just been a big headache.
 
#24 ·
Why are you going to the BAR to contest the smog results?

You paid the smog shop to properly smog the car. If the tech did it wrong, go back and make him do it right. If you knew he was doing it wrong (in first gear), you should have gone out and stopped him right there.

Is going to the BAR really going to make it any easier on yourself? If I remember correctly, you barely passed at the bar after playing with the spark plug heat ranges.
 
#25 · (Edited)
I'd rather not argue with the tech about how to do his job properly. Trust me, I've had issues before with that. One tech tried to tell me that the TB heater hoses were part of the emissions system and affected the air-assist system. I said, "Uh, no."

It'll pass at the BAR and it's a free test. It is marginal at 15mph, but it has more to do with the position of the cat than anything else. I do need it moved, and IMO, the optimal location would be right after the y-merge. CA only allows +/- 3 inches from the OEM location, so I'd need to do it myself.

When I have the BAR results in hand, I'll return to the shop and point out some things. The BAR can issue the smog certificate too. The shop was STAR certified, so I want the BAR to issue a warning or something about doing improper tests. It carries more weight than just me alone.
 
#31 · (Edited)
So, went to the BAR today, and it failed the 15mph test again. I'll post the results later, but it got gross polluter on HCs this time. It also failed the 25mph test on HCs though just slightly (48ppm / 37ppm max). I'm gonna get a new cat and have it moved more upstream. I'll bring my previous smog reports as reasoning. The extra length the shop added to route the exhaust above my crossmember is causing me way too many issues. Honestly, if I were to do this again, I'd go the 3-cat route. It was a free test, and it verified an issue.

Fuel trims are decent (4-13%), timing is good. No codes, none pending.

My AFR sensors do have around 50-60k on them, so it might be time to replace them too. Waiting for the engine to cool to look at the plugs.

I need to change my intake around too and put in the adjuster for the MAF. Seems like the base fuel injection is off too much and the AFR sensors might not be adjusting it well enough.

From the O2 readings, it looks lean rather than rich. That would explain the high NOx. Should test fuel pressure in that RPM range.

I could use this down time to install the return-type 1MZ rails that I got not too long ago. Really not looking forward to dropping the tank though. =\ I can't go to the BAR with that. Meh, I'll put that off for now. My tank is completely full, and it'd be a bitch to drain and store.
 
#33 ·
I used 46005 on mine which is the predecessor to 448005.

My cat is mounted sideways behind the cross-member.

So, it goes y-pipe > over the cross-member > right turn > cat > u-turn > Magnaflow dual outlet muffler > tailpipes.

I was fine on the 15mph and close on the 25mph. Fuel trims are close to zero (under 5%), even after the supercharger/pulley/injectors/supra MAF.
 
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