TURBO 4.5/4.2 Engineer...keepin' it legal

I've been looking at fitting a turbo to my 4.5 as many other have done. I've done V8 engine conversions before knowing they need engineers to keep it legal. If it didn't come out with a V8 from factory, it needs engineering. So knowing the petrol patrols didn't have factory turbo's my research into my 4.5 turbo results in also needing an engineer certificate to keep it legal.
I want to go this way so the car will be legally registered with a turbo and fully insured. Without the engineer certificate I wont be covered.

So after calling 5-6 different engineers I came up with the following problem. They all say the turbo modification must be emission compliant to pass. The engineer don't provide emission compliance, so they say I have 2 options.

Option 1: Buy a turbo kit that is fully emission and ADR compliant with a certificate for verification. Fit the kit and have it engineered. Cost of the turbo kit $??????? (have to find someone who sells these that provide an emission certificate. Estimate $6,000+) Cost of engineer $650-$900

Option 2: Buy, and fit my own turbo kit. Then take it to have it emission tested, to get a certificate of compliance. Then get it engineered. Cost to have it emission tested... $2,500. Cost of engineer $650-$900

Actually..... I have Option 3: Buy and fit my own turbo kit and drive it around not legally registered with a turbo or not insured. Fingers crossed I don't have an accident.

I'm keen on fitting the turbo as it's a fairly cost effective mod to gain good power. But to pay extra $4,000 - $5,000 for the extra compliance/engineer is a big dollar amount that could be spent on other great stuff.....
Also, if I get pulled over by the fuzz/RTA etc and they see the turbo isn't compliant, I'll probably be in the crap...

Questions:
Alot of people have fitted turbo's to their 4.5/4.2. What have you done in this instance??
Did you get it emission / engineered or did you do the work yourself and hope all is okay without compliance.
Did anyone call their insurance company to notify them of the turbo??
Did the insurance company accept it?

Any thoughts on this would be a help....

Says a test is $40 here that might just be the noise test try and call the certified tester and find out.
http://www.epa.vic.gov.au/noise/testers.asp

A tip for emission testing is to fit new exhaust and cat and don't run it until actually doing the test.

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Originally Posted by 97_gq_lwb

Says a test is $40 here that might just be the noise test try and call the certified tester and find out.
http://www.epa.vic.gov.au/noise/testers.asp

A tip for emission testing is to fit new exhaust and cat and don't run it until actually doing the test.

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That might be for noise. 3 of the engineers said they send me to someone in city (Melb) to have it tested at $2,500 cost. I recall they mentioned pollution emissions. I guess all the connections under the bonnet must meet pollution emission requirements.

Yeah down the bottom of that page is the certified emission testers.
I would call them both.
With engineers it pays to ring around as some of them are just money hungry dribblers out to rob you of every cent.

I`ll be giving them a call to check it out. If i can get the emission done cheaply than its worth spending the 600 bux to get it engineered. Fingers crossed.

yeh would like to know if anyone has had it passed yet

Be worth checking with your local transport authoritie as different states have completely different pricing i have even heard of people bringing cars up from victoria because it is cheaper.
I have also heard that their are even mobile testers in nsw going back a a while ago their were a lot of skylines put off the rd due to failing a roadside test.

Someone told me to call Shannons as they will insure the turbo. Great news, they will insure the car with the turbo. It will cost me about $230 per year more than my current insurer. They will insure anywhere including off and on road.
They don't care if it's not engineered. Their policy is that if you have an accident, you are covered provided the modification (turbo) didn't cause the accident. If the turbo did cause the accident then they will refuse the claim.
A defect is the only risk and if I keep my original manifold and parts I just swap it over if I ever get caught.

I spent ages on the phone a few weeks back with about half dozen engineers all saying the mod must be emission /ADR compliant. I left a message with EPA regarding this and waiting for their call back. Thanks 97_gq_lwb, I'll follow them up next week as I'm still curios to get an answer. Allot of homework to get it right, but now I can fit it and have the peace of knowing it'll be insured. Thanks.

It might b a good idea to call the epa testers in hoppers crossing, wen i got epa'd in my rx7 i had to go there to show my car met emmisions the first test cost me about $84 and the second was $40 you can also dl a epa rule book for legal modifications to make your vehicle comply with ADR'S and emmisions i'll have a look later to see if i can get you a link for that and a phone number.

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Originally Posted by Alitis007

It might b a good idea to call the epa testers in hoppers crossing, wen i got epa'd in my rx7 i had to go there to show my car met emmisions the first test cost me about $84 and the second was $40 you can also dl a epa rule book for legal modifications to make your vehicle comply with ADR'S and emmisions i'll have a look later to see if i can get you a link for that and a phone number.

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Is it Complete Mechanical Centre in Hoppers? I have to call them back on Monday and speak with Tony. He wasn't there when I rang earlier. A link to the epa rule book would be handy if you have. thanks Alitis007

4by did you ring Andrew like I told you, as he's done hundreds of turbo/petrol Trolls.
I rang him and told him you'd be in contact soon?

Thanks for reminding me. I was in the area 3 times in last 2 weeks and forgot to go past. Will go and see Andrew this week.

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Originally Posted by 4by

Is it Complete Mechanical Centre in Hoppers? I have to call them back on Monday and speak with Tony. He wasn't there when I rang earlier. A link to the epa rule book would be handy if you have. thanks Alitis007

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Yes 4by it is Complete mechanical centre in hooppers and theres also INDY AUTOMOTIVE REPAIRS 2/124 KEYS ROAD MOORABIN PH# 9555 8133.

And this is the link to the vehicle modifications guidelines for victoria

http://epanote2.epa.vic.gov.au/epa/publications.nsf/22770d59afe4b3beca2576be001b5fda/c90ec843f3bbbe8fca256d9f00181c59/$FILE/1031.pdf

And btw from my understanding in vic if we run streight lpg you can run just about any modification and still b compliant with adr's and the epa. Sorry for the late reply good luck with it and let us know how u go i was thinking bout throwing in a gen in mine but i will b keeping an eye on your post. Cheers bud.

Copy and paste that link into your browser and it should load the pdf file for you to print not sure how to make it easyer not that good with computers lol!

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Originally Posted by Alitis007

Yes 4by it is Complete mechanical centre in hooppers and theres also INDY AUTOMOTIVE REPAIRS 2/124 KEYS ROAD MOORABIN PH# 9555 8133.

And this is the link to the vehicle modifications guidelines for victoria

http://epanote2.epa.vic.gov.au/epa/publications.nsf/22770d59afe4b3beca2576be001b5fda/c90ec843f3bbbe8fca256d9f00181c59/$FILE/1031.pdf

And btw from my understanding in vic if we run streight lpg you can run just about any modification and still b compliant with adr's and the epa. Sorry for the late reply good luck with it and let us know how u go i was thinking bout throwing in a gen in mine but i will b keeping an eye on your post. Cheers bud.

Copy and paste that link into your browser and it should load the pdf file for you to print not sure how to make it easyer not that good with computers lol!

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Spoke with Tony today at Complete Mechanical (emission epa tester). He clarified what all the engineers have been telling me. I should buy a kit that has the paperwork to show it's ADR compliant. I'm not even sure if you can get a complete turbo kit that is ADR compliant. I know turbo kits are available, but at a greater expense which I'm not prepared to spend. DIY is more affordable.

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Originally Posted by 4by

Spoke with Tony today at Complete Mechanical (emission epa tester). He clarified what all the engineers have been telling me. I should buy a kit that has the paperwork to show it's ADR compliant. I'm not even sure if you can get a complete turbo kit that is ADR compliant. I know turbo kits are available, but at a greater expense which I'm not prepared to spend. DIY is more affordable.

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While i was searching for conversion kit for my Ti i came across this http://www.tuffcarparts.com/store/in...product_id=456 its a bit pricey but shoot them an email and ask the question. If you can wait till the end of october i have a mate that deals with hi performance parts if you want to remind me i can ask him the question aswell when he gets back from his holiday.

And DIY could cost you bout the same anyway if u dealing with retail prices unless you can get trade prices and even then the savings arnt the great. But you still have the option of just doing the conversion till you get caught and dealing with it then!

I can't see how it could be a problem diy as long as it passes emissions and has the same setup as stock like egr etc what is the drama.
some people just dribble on i did a manifold conversion on a 5 litre v8 and because it looked like a carb the first blue slip inspector carried on like a tool dribbling about all sorts of engineers bull.
I tried to explain to him that it worked the same as a standard manifold using the map sensor etc and was an efi throttle body using the same crap iac and tps as standard with oil breather return the same as well but he was just ignorant.
anyway went to someone that had a clue he passed it without a problem.

If all your bases are covered u shouldnt have any dramas but the problem is petrol patrols dont come from factory with a turbo thats why they want adr compliant stuff. IMO slap on a turbo, cooler and exhaust ( under 90db) run dedicated lpg preferably injected theres your emmisions covered! That would b the cheepest way out of it and as long as you run an airbox the EPA and the JACKS can go jam them selfs and you can suck some tree huggers thru ur snorkel haha!..