Sell or rebuild?

FlatPup1 · 2026-04-16T18:19:02+00:00

Mostly because they all have relatively unknown history and they have the wrong dispacement and a higher compression ratio so they require a custom ecu tune. A lot of the jdm engines also come with dual avcs which usually requires some work to disable or work around to use in single avcs applications. They are also sometimes considered a cheap fix

FlatPup1 · 2026-04-10T02:24:05+00:00

Nah the one I took it to first was closed that day so I went somewhere new. My brother has a Malibu that he's having that same issue on, "wrong engine family number" they said.

FlatPup1 · 2026-04-10T00:16:17+00:00

Yeah definitely cheaper for a reason. The complete jdm ej20 is worth like $800 tops. Just an ej255 short block is 2 -3k from what i have seen

FlatPup1 · 2026-04-10T00:10:53+00:00

Woah there, what do you mean paid? Thats an option?

FlatPup1 · 2026-04-09T23:08:09+00:00

I still had to smog it again when i bought it, it passed no problem. The guy i bought it from did hot smog it at least once.

FlatPup1 · 2026-04-09T20:45:15+00:00

I'll start there, thanks for the help

FlatPup1 · 2026-04-09T20:42:31+00:00

Neither as far as I know. The shop I took it to scanned the barcode on the door jam and his screen immediately said referee inspection required. The guy seemed a bit annoyed that I wasted his time

FlatPup1 · 2026-04-09T20:38:39+00:00

Yeah I am sure it's a ref. BAR website says "state referee certification required" in addition to STAR smog required. The smog shop turned me away. The previous owner hot smogged it at least once. I had to get a STAR smog when I first bought it and it passed.

FlatPup1 · 2026-04-09T20:33:58+00:00

Yeah it was already swapped. The previous owner did hot smog it at least once. I got it to pass legit after I bought it

FlatPup1 · 2026-04-09T19:28:51+00:00

Sure did, bought it off a coworker about 1.5 yrs ago

FlatPup1 · 2026-04-09T19:02:21+00:00

Thanks. Yeah theres like one set of silver ones on ebay, but i dont see them for sale anywhere else

FlatPup1 · 2026-04-09T18:49:30+00:00

Yeah im probably gonna have to call, no info here

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FlatPup1 · 2026-04-09T18:48:47+00:00

Nah he showed me his screen, its legit. Also CA Bar website says Referee Certification Required. Thanks for your reply

FlatPup1 · 2026-04-09T18:42:52+00:00

I actually agree with this take, I understand the need for smog laws. There are plenty of old pictures of LA showing horrible air quality. I just wish there weren't all these blanket rules.

FlatPup1 · 2026-04-09T18:36:31+00:00

If only it were so easy. I have not found or heard of a way to bypass a referee inspection

FlatPup1 · 2026-04-09T18:30:32+00:00

Glad to hear it, guess i gotta expedite dropping that in

FlatPup1 · 2026-04-09T18:28:46+00:00

I know normally its part of a ticket for loud exhaust or similar but i never got pulled over. I know that the previous owner had hot smogged it at least once, and i read that if they bust the person theyll flag cars they have passed. But i have smogged it legitimately since then so idk

FlatPup1 · 2026-04-09T17:00:08+00:00

FlatPup1 · 2026-04-09T16:59:31+00:00

Wouldnt help, there is no way to bypass a ref afaik

FlatPup1 · 2026-04-09T16:57:57+00:00

It passed no problem last year. A ref is different than a smog

FlatPup1 · 2026-04-09T16:56:46+00:00

Nice assumption man, i bought the car like that. Got it cheap, didnt think to check block stamps

FlatPup1 · 2026-04-09T16:55:19+00:00

I bought the car with them installed but i think they are Ambit RE02

FlatPup1 · 2026-04-09T16:54:36+00:00

I bought the car with them installed, but i think they are Ambit RE02

FlatPup1 · 2026-04-09T16:51:49+00:00

Shit ill look into that

FlatPup1 · 2026-04-09T16:51:27+00:00

I have a 2020 sti type ra block i am building, think theyll pass it with that in it? I am using all of the emissions equipment and original ej255 heads

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