As an officer I can't find anything that remotly resembles what is stated above with respect to EPA regulations. I believe the guy is making up the rules as he goes to maybe fit into his personal views or points who knows. It is however illegal to remove or render inoperative any pollution control device that was spec'd for a paticular engine, example plugging the EGR valve from the bottom with a Dorman cup plug so it passes a visual inspection OR adding a 4bbl intake to an engine that was only spec'd with a 2bbl wheezer. Also it is illegal to install a dual exhaust system even with cats on a single exhaust car that had no provision or option for dual exhaust.

Pollution control laws on the federal level are almost never enforced on passenger type vehicles, they are on the books to discourage "mass alterations" of vehicles used in fleets ect. State and local laws however do carry some teeth and are almost universally based on existing federal laws. I can't find any pollution based case that bears any type of federal prosecution regarding privatly owned passenger vehicles.



I would go ahead with the swap but retain all the control devices and cats that came with the motor, might not be a bad idea to keep the title or other identification documents for the donor vehicle to prove that "yes this was a 1988 motor and it meets 1988 pollution guidelines and retains all the equipment" that way your behind is covered.


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