ok, so im thinking of buying an old car (1991) that doesnt pass the smog test. Im thinking of modifying the engine to run on liquid hydrogen. i will make my own homemade hydrogen at home using water and electricity. when the car runs it will burn the hydrogen, which will combine with with the air, to create evaporated water, adn it will exhaust these water vapors via tailpipe. i wanted to know if its legal to modify a car’s engine to do this? and will the goverment allow this? i hear that they wouldnt as they couldnt charge taxes on gasoline or something like that..
thanks
Originally posted 2009-03-28 09:52:03.
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Really it’s up the individual states and their laws as far as modifications. But as long as your car can pass a smog test for the year it is, even with the hydro engine, then you should be ok. That is if you plan to register it to run on the streets. And the reason they wouldn’t because of taxing gasoline is ridiculous, electric cars are legal, and they use no gas.
Of course you can modify your vehicle to run on any fuel you choose, as long as you don’t blow yourself or anyone else up in the process. If your state has emissions or safety inspection laws, as long as long as you can pass those, you are home free. But unless you live out in the country, I wouldn’t tell your neighbors you are making and storing hydrogen near by, they might complain and cause you all kinds of grief with the authorities, and it won’t be over taxes but safety regs.
In some states like CA, there are emissions laws that prevent the altering of your vehicle’s emissions. This makes it illegal to alter your vehicle in any way that would change your emissions, even for the better. There are a lot of us out there in the process of changing the law, but we need more support.