86/87 ignition module on 84/85 motor in Calif?

[jiho2]

The state of California says: installing an ignition system from one year of a motor onto another year of the same motor is illegal.

But in this case it's just re-arranged wiring. Where coil current is limited (wire on 84/85, module on 86/87) has no affect on emissions, and in every other way the two are functionally identical.

In addition new 84/85 modules are not available, the 86/87 version is all there is.

So, does anyone know what the policy is here?

 

[Boost231]

They won't notice the change

 

[jiho2]

They won't notice the change

I might want to agree, but it depends on where you are and where you go. You'd be amazed.

Anyway, if it's an engine change it has to go past a referee first.

 

[jiho2]

Anyway, if it's an engine change it has to go past a referee first.

By that I mean, if you're installing the whole motor into a car that came from the factory with a different motor.

EDIT: Actually, that's not quite accurate either. What I mean is, installing into a car that did not offer the motor as an option from the factory. If you have any 85 or earlier Regal you can put the 85 turbo in it and take it to smog like nothing happened, but if you have an Olds Cutlass it's an engine change.

GAAAAHHH!!! The endless labyrinth of rules and regulations....

 

[jiho2]

On the other hand you may be right. It's kind of hard to see behind the radiator hose and the MAF/intake tubing ....

 

[ravege]

It might be just your luck to find a tech that knows Turbo Buicks of different years like that back of his hand, but the guy that passed me once asked "Where's the air pump?" Which was just wrong on a few levels

 

[Squid4life]

It might be just your luck to find a tech that knows Turbo Buicks of different years like that back of his hand, but the guy that passed me once asked "Where's the air pump?" Which was just wrong on a few levels

Smog guys here are hit and miss and most I have met don't know anything about "older cars" such as ours. Had one guy flip out and raised his voice at me saying "this ain't stock! Grand Nationals didn't come with turbos. I don't know why you are trying to sneak it through!".

{Close hood, leave before I hurt this moron...}

I would bet a paycheck they would never know a difference between the two.

 

[jiho2]

These "Tales of the Techs" are cracking me up.

Now for some additional fun. I just got off the phone with the local O'Reilly. If you go to their web site and look up a Hot Air Regal, you'll find that they list an ICM called the MasterPro Ignition 2-7041. However, it looks like the 86/87 type and indeed, it's also listed for those cars (and for a bunch of FWD, but not any 84/85 FWD, not even the Riviera turbo). For Additional Information they refer to an "Installation Sheet IS 11," and for availability they say to call the store. So I call, turns out they don't have it in any of their warehouses, I'm supposed to shell out $307+tax so they can try to get it from a "supplier," and there's no way to just get the installation sheet. But wait, isn't MasterPro an O'Reilly house brand? What's with getting it from a "supplier" anyway?

Meanwhile he offers to sell me a carburetor control module, my choice of 4-pin or 7-pin, that they also list for these vehicles. I point out that the car is fuel injected, and he launches into a vague ramble about control modules being used in both types of vehicles.

So that's where I thanked him politely and hung up the phone.

As a final footnote on this MasterPro unit, they give an OE number of 23318358, which is obviously a mistake for 25518358, the GM number for the original 84/85 module, not the 86/87 module that is pictured.

 

[jiho2]

It might be just your luck to find a tech that knows Turbo Buicks of different years like that back of his hand

If he knows these motors well enough to spot the module, he ought to know that there's nothing wrong with the substitution and that it won't affect emissions.

The problem is that the state relies on manufacturer say so. The only "manufacturer" that has said so is the MasterPro listing at O'Reilly.