I hate smog

[phillip perez]

Well if anybody was woundering if the KKM true rev was smog legal in Cali, it is not. The kit has to have some sticker on it to pass the visual inspection and the KKM doesn't have that sticker. Does anyone know if the K&N filter charger has this sticker? Or what alternatives are there?
Is drilling holes in the air box illegal? Sorry for all the questions but I would like to start making some mods and need to know what I can do.

 

[B94Sport]

Yes, the K&N does have the sticker.. I think it's called an emissions exeption sticker. I went with the KKM though because it's cheaper and I don't need to pass emissions here, at least not yet. I've still got the airbox setup just in case that changes.

 

[Robert]

Originally posted by phillip perez
Well if anybody was woundering if the KKM true rev was smog legal in Cali, it is not. The kit has to have some sticker on it to pass the visual inspection and the KKM doesn't have that sticker. Does anyone know if the K&N filter charger has this sticker? Or what alternatives are there?
Is drilling holes in the air box illegal? Sorry for all the questions but I would like to start making some mods and need to know what I can do.

Yes, the K&N comes with the CARB (California Air Resources Board) emissions exempt sticker. This issue has been brought up before. That is why the K&N costs so much more than the KKM. K&N paid to have the FIPK certified whereas KKM hasn't. If you don't have emissions, never plan to, or don't mind swapping in the original filter box for each check the KKM is probably the better deal. I chose the K&N since the additional $100 was worth not pulling it out and putting it back in every year.

 

[phillip perez]

Thanks B94sport!
What is the difference between the K&N filter and the K&N filter charger? Is there a big increase in performance with the filter charger? I was thinking to save some money I would get the K&N filter and drill my air box. But I don't want it to be illegal and have had ruined my air box. What do you think?

 

[B94Sport]

If you just buy a K&N filter, that's all you get, a filter. You still have the restrictive airbox. The filtercharger replaces your entire airbox with a concical filter. The idea here is that there is more filter surface, and that surface is not inside an airbox, so there is much more airflow potential. Before I got the KKM, I had my airbox pretty much gutted.. I cut out squares from the sides and covered them with wire mesh, and drilled a few holes in the bottom of the box (Keep in mind that all of this must be done BELOW the filter). When I got the KKM, I did not notice much of a difference between it and my gutted airbox. Stomping on the pedal made a louder sound, but other than that nothing changed. I do not know if drilling your airbox will pass the visual emissions inspection. I would think that if you drilled the bottom and only 2 or 3 sides of the box, no one would notice. You might want to check around some more before doing that. If you do it and it turns out that it's illegal, I'm sure you can pick up a new airbox for relatively cheap.

 

[Ray Hutchinson]

Drilled Airbox

I have been told by a Smog Tech. that obvious modifications to the air box could be cause to fail the visual portion of the CA Smog check, Remember, the law says that vehicle must be maintained stock, or, if modified, the eng / drivetrain mods must be CARB approved. Now, I drilled my airbox.... used a 2" holesaw, made 6 holes. but I did it on the back, and side towards the fender where you have to remove the top and the filter element to see the holes. I also covered them with 1/4" mesh hardware cloth to keep leaves, mice etc, out. I passed the CA Smog check this year just fine...you just need to keep the holes in the airbox stealth!

 

[98greyxlt]

does anyone know if k&n makes a fipk that fits the SOHC engine for 98? looking around this message board, seems as though some people have them on their SOHCs, but i don't see k&n offer one on their site.

 

[Ray Lobato]

Logan,
the reason you don't see one is that from 97 on the filterchargers are not Carb approved. Those that do have them, at least in the
Republic of Kali know that they have to come off come smog check time. Get the picture?

 

[98greyxlt]

aah, i see how it is. thanks for enlightening me, ray. i'll stick with the k&n drop in that i've already got and turn my attention back to a borla cat back.