Legallities of putting a smaller engine into a car - VIC

[stradlater]

Just a quick one.

Granted that nobody here is going to give 100% legally correct advice on a forum, ROUGHLY speaking, is the below legal in vic?

If I had a car that came with a 4.5L V8 from the factory (OHC, Injected, etc...) and I put a 1UZ in it (clearly 4L V8), would that be legal without engineering?

[woggin]

doesnt vic have a government website you can download car legalities from? i doubt anyone could give you a reliable answer!

[oldcorollas]

if it requires many changes, or gives an increase in performance, then other stuff needs to be done to cope, then may need to be gingerbeered

if it can be considered a "replacement" engine, as in, keep the car going, and doesn't require any structural/safety changes (and emissions are ok) then it should be fine.
(at least in N(azi)SW )

[lexsmaz]

Sounds like at a quess you are talking about a old Mercedes or old Porsche ? ... Power is the thing they used to go by years ago, if the power was increased by 10% or more it technically required a engineer certificate even if it was the original motor used & also if doing a engine swap the engine needs to be newer than the car which i'm quessing is the case here ..

[nathanshnoz]

Just a quick one.

Granted that nobody here is going to give 100% legally correct advice on a forum, ROUGHLY speaking, is the below legal in vic?

If I had a car that came with a 4.5L V8 from the factory (OHC, Injected, etc...) and I put a 1UZ in it (clearly 4L V8), would that be legal without engineering?

unless the vehicle came out from factory with that motor as an option then in Victoria you will need a VSS (engineers certificate) for the car. unless it is in similar in general configuration, power, mass, and emissions standard to that of the original or an optional engine for the vehicle model and can be installed without any structual alterations.

which i assume swapping a 4.5L (i'm also assuming SOHC) engine which has lower power with a more powerful (DOHC) and i assume more advanced (don't know the exact vehicle/4.5L your referring to) engine emissions wise then you will definitely need a VSS (engineers certificate) for the car.

For your reference:
http://www.vicroads.vic.gov.au/Home/...ifications.htm

[Hen]

I agree with the Nathan above. When I looked into it (admittedly a few years back) if the new engine was not an option in your chassis (in Australia) then you need to get it engineered. Regardless of years, emissions, capacity, output, etc.

Eg:
4AC into KE70 is fine as AE71s use the same chassis and were sold in Aus.
(and now to start a shitfight) 4AGE into AE86 requires an engineers as that motor never came in that chassis in Aus.

[SHEPPO3930]

(and now to start a shitfight) 4AGE into AE86 requires an engineers as that motor never came in that chassis in Aus.

You are 100% correct. If the motor wasn't a factory option in an AUSTRALIAN DELIVERED car, then you need the vehicle to be engineered. This is FACT.

[CrUZida]

Sort of...

If the engine was available in that chassis from factory somewhere in the world, and you change all the ancilliaries to match the engine (brakes, suspension, exhaust, intake, emissions, etc), then strictly speaking, you don't need engineering...


That said, to answer the original question, yes, it will be perfectly legal, but unless it complies with my above sentence, it will need engineering...

[Hen]

Did I mention that tends to spark a shitfight?

Copy and paste from the link Nathan gave:

Change of engine
1. Replacement engine is identical to the original engine, or is an option allowed by the manufacturer for the same model vehicle
The optional engine must be offered in Australia by the vehicle manufacturer as an option for that vehicle (or certified variants).

I seem to remember this being discussed on here a few years ago, with input from a Toymods member who worked at Vicroads. Subsequently "in Australia" was added to the rules. It seems to make sense since there is no proof an engine/chassis combo meets ADRs, Australian safety rules etc, unless it's been sold in the country.

[oldcorollas]

same for 20valve in Twinky...

[dumbass]

a certificate doesnt just check if motor is legally able to be fitted
an engineer checks the workmanship of the conversion aswell
so im guessing if u have to make things to fit the engine in then
u really need a certificate
i think these days unless u blow motor up and are changing it for exact one then u need certificate
but why not find number of an engineer and ask them
they should know the rules
capacity wise should not be a problem

[SHEPPO3930]

You did say shitfight! LOL

I went through this all with Vicroads 5 years ago.

[CrUZida]

Did I mention that tends to spark a shitfight?

Copy and paste from the link Nathan gave:


I seem to remember this being discussed on here a few years ago, with input from a Toymods member who worked at Vicroads. Subsequently "in Australia" was added to the rules. It seems to make sense since there is no proof an engine/chassis combo meets ADRs, Australian safety rules etc, unless it's been sold in the country.

The current NCOP's still don't have the 'In Australia' comment in there.

And in reality, there aren't to many engine/chassis combo's that aren't available under SEVS or RAWS which you can use as an example of an existing approval.

[jfallen]

You are 100% correct. If the motor wasn't a factory option in an AUSTRALIAN DELIVERED car, then you need the vehicle to be engineered. This is FACT.

That is true enough, but in the case of the AE86, you could simply argue that you replaced the head All engine codes are 4AXXXXXXX. The rules in SA are pretty lapse. My TA22 is legally registered with a CA18, as it's a 1.8L replacing the old 1.6L. that said I'm not dumb enough to drive an avgas burning, side piped car on the road.

JA

[SHEPPO3930]

You can argue with Vicroads all you want... but at the end of the day common sense does not prevail and their only answer will be "you still need an engineer's certificate".

Been there, done that.