How far do you have to take down an engine to pass EPA?

[BioHazard]

Let's say an overzealous border agent confiscates my engines without any real cause. Do I have any recourse in getting them back and talking to a more reasonable person who knows the laws, or am I just screwed? I know they are allowed some judgement, but I don't think they're allowed to be outright stupid or make up their own rules...(doesn't mean they won't try) Maybe I should try talking to a lawyer about the specifics?

The more I think about it the more I want to take a little "vacation" to Canada....

[dieselgman]

Life is a gamble! You takes your risks and deals with the good and the bad that results. I don't know of any lawyer that wants to battle the EPA, or try to sort out that minefield of regulations. If your pockets are that deep, you might as well just tackle the root of the problem anyway!

The laws (application and interpretation) will change to suit the times. I am unable to see things as black and white and clearly defined here. We have been left few choices but to work in the grey area. Don't expect a bureaucrat to help define that for you.

Just personal opinion of course!

dieselgman

[BioHazard]

Life is a gamble! You takes your risks and deals with the good and the bad that results. I don't know of any lawyer that wants to battle the EPA, or try to sort out that minefield of regulations. If your pockets are that deep, you might as well just tackle the root of the problem anyway!

The laws (application and interpretation) will change to suit the times. I am unable to see things as black and white and clearly defined here. We have been left few choices but to work in the grey area. Don't expect a bureaucrat to help define that for you.

Well, if I'm going to plunk down several thousand dollars on some engines and a trip to Canada, things need to be a little more black and white for me. There's a reason I've never been to Vegas.

Just the gamble on the foreign made engines is a bit much for me to handle...

[mobile_bob]

if it were me, and i am not saying i would, but...

i would make sure that whatever i was bringing back had a bill of sale and listed as either parts or scrap iron

none of it would be in a crate

all of it would be caked in mud, grease and cowshit

and i would declare it as barn find, or having been bought at a farm sale or garage sale.

in no way would it remotely look like something that has run, could run, or even remotely act like a running engine.

i would also take a copy of the epa regs, with the section regarding the exclusions granted for hobby use, so that if asked
i would be able to state that i am a collector of parts to put together antique hobby display engine's. this only if it were determined
that what i had might be an engine.

then once i got it all home, i would either sell off the parts, never assemble a working engine, or assemble a display engine for the use
only at antique engine shows.

technically speaking a short block, or even a long block is not an engine, and engine is defined as something that is complete and able to
be started and ran, anything less than a complete and running engine is just a collection of parts.  clearly any engine missing its cylinder head
is no longer a running engine, therefore is nothing more than  a part. The epa excludes all parts and does not define what constitutes a part.

they might argue that a short block is an assemblage of discrete parts, however so is a starter, waterpump, injection pump, and any number of other parts that are freely imported.

personally i don't think the problem is going to be getting the parts into the country, the problem will be in what you do with those parts once  you get them into the country.  technically and legally if they all stay as an unassembled engine, there is no problem, however if you decide to assemble a working engine, and then start that engine it needs to be epa compliant.

its unclear to me how a government agency that does not track parts, requires no  paperwork, and therefore no paper trail, would be able to determine the genesis of an assembled engine from parts of such origins.  how would they know the engine exists, where or when it was built, and buy whom? unless of course you rub it in there nose, or start spouting off about what you have done.

not much different than having a small still in your backyard, or growing a pot plant in your closet, either for personal use. as long as you don't go advertising what you are doing, odds are you will never have a problem.  this is not to say that doing any of these things are legal because they are not in most area's, i will leave the moral dillema to you. 

some things are best kept between you and your God

bob g

[Rom]

Easier way,

Rent a boat, or know a friend in the business, and do a trip over to the Bahamas. We'll throw the complete engine in the bilge, pour a quart or 2 of old engine oil over it and call it ships stores. They would be so busy looking for drugs they wouldnt care about a changfa or 2 in the bottom.

Only problem is cost.

Rom

[BioHazard]

i would also take a copy of the epa regs, with the section regarding the exclusions granted for hobby use, so that if asked i would be able to state that i am a collector of parts to put together antique hobby display engine's. this only if it were determined that what i had might be an engine.

Hmmm...I am not aware of this "hobby" exclusion...can you explain more? Technically electrical generation is my hobby.  

some things are best kept between you and your God

bob g

Personally I believe a person should do what feels right, not what the government tells them to do...so I don't have a problem there. I don't let anyone with a badge define right and wrong for me. My own little bit of civil disobedience if you will...

What will I do with them once they're in the country? Well, let's just say don't ask don't tell.

Only problem is cost.

Rom

Yeah, what kind of boat do I need to hold 10 or more Changfas? I got a friend that will keep the drug dogs buzy...

[BioHazard]

Seriously though...is there someone I can call and explain that I am importing Chinese air compressor blocks from Canada....and ask what all the requirements would be?

Engine? What engine? "Those things are going to have special compressor heads made for them at my shop in the US."

[Rom]

Something on the larger side,  a 40plus foot Grand Banks or International trader comes to mind. Just enough onboard systems to stifle searching, and enough cubbys n voids to hold loads of parts. Doubt there would be a reason to search if the dogs dun detect drugs of some kind.
Still alota expense if you didnt know someone that made the run otherwise,
Rom

[BioHazard]

I would sure love to, beats Canada any day! Don't think it's in the budget though...I'm over on the west coast. Maybe I'll end up there one day when I say F*** it all and move somewhere to be alone with my diesels....