Originally posted by 165EJ1
umm......dumb question, but no all motors are older than all cars. they have vin numbers to get manufacture date and other stuff. just don't buy a motor older than your car 
Originally posted by tirodēslc
because the engine contains a VIN (be it jdm or w/e) and that tells you the year of the car.. :doh:
JDM motors have different VIN numbers that dont register up in USDM records.
Originally posted by tokyoracer
since the law in cali states that you can't swap an engine that is older than the car itself... then how does one go about installing the JDM engines into their car? wouldn't that be illegal to install the JDM engine? besides, how will one know how old the engine is other than from the CODE for (ex. 96-00). and can it be registered?
As far as your question goes... the way they can tell is by the tranny and OBD. OBD0 and OBD1 usually come in 88-95. Cable vs. hydraulic tranny also.
From what I've heard...there is ONE possible way to pass a JDM engine in California. You need to get your ECU verified to be California standards at your local Honda dealer. Once that is done, bring the papers of the verification to the Referee when he does the inspection. The JDM motor will pass visual, and the papers will take care of the rest. All you need is all the proper sensors intact and working.