CA emissions ?

[DieselMan]

I want to add K&N cold air intake to my ride but the one I want to buy is not CARB exempt b/c of emission regs.

I just want to know how is it possible for the intake system to make a vehicle fail a smog test? I can understand how a catalytic converter can make it fail but not air going into to the engine.

I am due for the smog test Sep 2012 and want to know if I get rid of the factory intake and install the K&N one will I ACTUALLY fail? What do you guys think?

Topic

[yarddog1950]

I’m here in California. I think most of the K&N filter kits for late model cars will pass CA emissions and if they do not, the container will be clearly marked, “For Off Road Use Only”.
K&N filters can create problems for cars that run MAF sensors (Mass Air Flow). Nearly all newer cars have them, but most (or maybe all?) Hondas use Speed Density systems instead of MAF.
Maybe one of the Honda techs will ring in here and let us know if your car has MAF .

[3SheetsDiesel]

From what I’ve read, California will fail you for anything that the smog checker guy finds wrong. Granted, I’ve got no first hand experience with California and/or it’s emissions regulations. I know that as long as the CEL isn’t lit, and there at least appears to be a catalytic converter in the exhaust more or less anything will pass emissions here in Virginia.

That said, something you could do is install the K&N cold air intake, but keep your stock one, then just put the stock one back on when it’s time to get the car smogged, the just swap the CAI back on after the test is passed. Granted, that’s borderline illegal, at least in the sense that the CAI is (potentially) labeled “for off road use only”, but then again, by that logic, installing it in the first place is against the law.

Here’s what I’d do if it was me. Put the CAI on the car, go get it smog checked, if it fails, return it to stock, get it retested, then put the CAI back on and forget about it for the next 2 years.

[DieselMan]

Yarddog: I have a 1999 Mitsubishi Eclipse RS non-turbo; I am not sure which type of sensor the car has

3SheetsDiesel: I was actually thinking of doing that myself, install the new but keep the old one nearby, but then that’s just inconvenient if they make me change it

[yarddog1950]

Dieselman, I’ve had five K&N filters I installed on Chevy and Pontiac V8s – all carbureted modified engines I put together, and all of them without MAF or Speed Density systems, of course. The problem with K&N filters is that they have to be oiled and it is difficult to get get the amount of red K&N oil correct when the time comes to clean and oil a dirty filter. This presents problems for MAF sensors as they can be hindered by small amounts of oil or dust or crud. This robs power and mpg and would fail a CA smog test.
There are a lot of internet forums where you will hear this repeated by guys without any direct knowledge. I’ll tell you how I know this because (as a teacher) I think it’s important to know how to discriminate between those who repeat hearsay and those with relevant experience.
I used to buy stuff from a local speed shop and they carried K&N. They had a K&N display machine that allowed you to compare a typical K&N filter to a stock paper filter and see the difference in air flow. The owner of the shop knew I had a K&N filter on my PU truck and asked if I had cleaned and re-oiled my filter. I had, so he invited me to bring it into the shop and “test” it on the display. It did not flow as well as the paper filter because it had too much oil in it. I took it home and rinsed it out with some water, just enough to turn the water slightly pink, then dried it in the sun and reinstalled it. The PU had gained some hp and I took the filter back and tested it again, and it flowed as well as the other K&N filter in the display. The owner of the the speed shop told me that MOST K&N owners will over-oil the filter.
I would recommend the K&N to owners of carbureted cars, but especially if you live in CA and have to smog test, you should look into another re-usable filter that doesn’t require oil. If you do a Google search for “Mitsubishi Eclipse Forum”, you will find one, and I bet the experienced guys on the forum will recommend another aftermarket intake for you. I have a 2004 Acura RSX with a stock intake, but I have checked out the RSX forums to see their recommendations, so I know there are alternatives to the K&N that do not require oil.
K&N has an excellent reputation because they have been around a long time, longer than MAF systems.
I hope to hear about what you decide and how it works out for you. Best of luck.

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