Bringing Vehicle into California

[rhedahl]

I'm moving to California and would like to bring my 82 suburban diesel. What is in involved in getting it licensed. I heard that diesel vehicles are smog exempt in California so it won't require the yearly smog test. But what will they check when I try to get it licensed. Would they do a visual test to make sure all the smog equipment is there. The reason I ask is because there are a lot of modifications that I have done to the engine including installing a non-egr intake manifold and headers/exhaust system. I have also deleted all the plumbing that went with the egr system. Should I worry about the DOT making a fuss about this or is it likely that they will not notice or not even check? I was also thinking about rebadging my suburban from 1/2 ton to 3/4 ton but the serial # and the 5 lug wheels will give it away. What do you think?

[TooMuchMuscle]

CA has some tricky laws but as for bringing in a truck to CA you dont have to worry about smog and that sort of thing. The DMV will look at the outside and make sure the vin matches the paper. and being a smog exempt truck you dont ever have to worry about going to a vehicle inspection place. best of luck

[rhedahl]

Robert,

Thanks for your reply. It looks like it'll be a lot easier to register my Suburban in California than I thought. I was a bit worried because it is far from stock although it burns a lot cleaner now.

I also have an 1988 Cadillad Eldorado (completely stock) that I will be bringing into California. Anything I should be aware of before I move?

[Dmax son]

I don't know if they consider suv's as trucks, but if they do, it is going to need to get weight here, trucks are considered comercial here. When my dad brought his 96 gas truck in here from Arizona they check to see that the smog stuff was there at the dmv, now this was for a gas engine so they might not check at all, but I would bet that they would check to see that all the smog stuff is there and hooked up.

Bryan

[TooMuchMuscle]

SUV's are not classified as being commercial... Only trucks. As for the ElDo it needs to meet CA emmision laws even if it didnt come with it from the factory. Do some searching and see what is on it. If you dont have CA emissions you might not want to bring it with you. It would cost a fortune to convert it. I learned the hard way and purchased a 76 Bronco from Colorado (for a good price) and then when I went to get it smogged in CA, it cost me close to $4500.00. You live and learn. Best of Luck and dont worry about the diesel. Watch out for the ElDo

[a5150nut]

If a vehicle has a Federal Emmisions Standards tag on it that is all it has to meet. If it has a California Emissions tag, then it has to meet California Standards.

I had a 74 c2500 and took it to Texas for a few years. When I brought it back I had a smog shop try to tell me it had to have new exaust manifolds with smog tubes and a pump. Well, one of the reasons I kept that truck was because the 8600gvw was exempt from the pump. If I would have listened to that guy I would have been out some serrious dollars. When I called him on it he said he would have to check the serrial numbers to verify. I told him he would need a 1/2 and a 9/16 to loosen the alternator.

He detuned the truck so bad it wouldn't hardly make it over 299 to the coast. That next week I got out the vacume gage and timming light and made her run again.

Do a little research and don't buy into the horror stories.

[BobNelson]

rhedahl.. Food for thought.. Silverdale? Is this a military move? Still in.? If vehicle is registered in home state of record, different rules apply. Check with home of record DMV on this.

[britannic]

Bringing a diesel into CA is a lot easier than gassers - in fact I wouldn't even consider bringing any post 1973 carbureted vehicle in.

I brought an unregistered diesel CUCV K30 in from Utah and only had to provide a weight certificate and bill of sale (because I had just taken ownership) and then they just checked that the vin numbers matched on the door, windshield and paperwork. Right now, diesel is still exempt from smog, so there was no hassle there at all.

I've also found that certain DMV offices are way more helpful and tolerant than others. I live equidistant from 2 DMVs and the one to the north is the only one I'll go to.

Here's a really helpful website with contact numbers and info, so you can be sure to get your info firsthand (cut and paste into your favorite browser):

http://www.dmv.ca.gov

[ 03-16-2003: Message edited by: britannic ]</p>