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Thread: Finally passed my BAR referee appointment for my S50B30US / Dinan SC 1994 325i

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
    Location
    Torrance, CA
    Posts
    163
    My Cars
    1994 325i sedan

    Finally passed my BAR referee appointment for my S50B30US / Dinan SC 1994 325i

    After approximately a 2 year odyssey, I passed my ref inspection today.

    Some tips for anyone trying.. Your car needs to be 100% factory functional, with all emissions for the year. This includes paying attention to details like.. an OBDI E36 without the S50 uses a single cat with dual in/out. The '95-96 OBDI M3, uses two discreet cats, with a Y directly ahead of them, and the single o2 bung in the Y. Charcoal canister, every little possible detail.

    Took me 4 separate appointments, because of a few reasons:

    1) I had the wrong cat the first try.

    2) Dinan changed the Vortech model from a V1S to the V2, without updating the EO, the only difference is straight cut vs angle cut gears, all ratios are the same. The ref had to actually call into Vortech's tech support to verify that while I was in between appointments. Without that verification, it was a failure to conform to the EO, which is automatic fail. This was done for me in between my 1st and second appointments.

    3) On my second appointment, the scan tool for the ref (I used Johnny down in Fullerton) couldn't read my vehicle speed sensor, so I failed because California *really* cares about that VSS input. The sensor was fine, I had it verified by a local mechanic with a better scan tool who works on cars with Roundel's a bit.

    4) On my third appointment, the mechanic agreed to bring his tool with me to the appointment, but requested I move it to Compton to make it closer. The Compton guy got hung up back on the Vortech model but verified the speed sensor to be working, and even though he spoke on the phone to the first ref, couldn't reach anyone in Vortech who could verify because they were on vacation (last December).

    5) Finally, my 4th and final appointment, I got a pass and my new sticker that says my engine is from a 1995 E36 M3.

    This process overall took about 2 years, mostly because I had time before the next smog required to wait.. but also because I had to track a bunch of stuff down.

    Super fucking stoked. Should have been the easiest swap ever (uses the same 413 DME, FFS) but was a nightmare because California likes to make it an incredible pain in the ass to do it right / fully legal. The only other annoying part, is I have to wait like 30 days for my sticker and allegedly a cop can still give me a ticket for my 2018 sticker on the plate.

    Peter
    --
    '94 //M325i Saloon - Too much money spent between UUC, Turner, and Dinan. 258.6 @ 6psi with a bad exhaust.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    Los Angeles, California
    Posts
    444
    My Cars
    1991 320i M-Tech II
    Laws here in CA are f'd... I had similar issues on some vehicles, it actually is one of the big reasons I'm moving out of here. Crazy how none of the other 49 states (except maybe Hawaii) give problems like these. CARB is a bureaucratic mess and is only there to leach more money from us.

    Congrats on passing the ref though, although you shouldn't have had to go through that hell to begin with.
    My YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7l...rJvxZHr_00nuhA

    Current cars: 1990 Mercedes-Benz 300E, 1991 BMW 320i M-Tech II, 1991 Mitsubish Galant AMG Type II, 1992 Nissan Figaro, 1993 Toyota Chaser Tourer V

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