I live in California and its time for my 02 LX to be smogged. I switched out my air box for a generic intake and now the smog guys are telling me i can't pass the "visual inspection" of the smog check. I've since lost my old air box so I figured i've got 3 options... what do you think is the best? (i have no mods on my civic besides current generic intake)

1) pay 150 for a used stock air box

2)pay 180 for new AEM short air ram intake ( do they have the CARB sticker?)

3) pay 200 for K&N intake ( do they have the CARB sticker?)

 

or borrow a local civic member's box and pay nothing...just an idea

 

wtf just by looking ? can they do that?

 

Apparently they can fail you just based on a visual inspection. There are two basic criteria. One being a visual inspection to see if you're in compliance. Even though my car can probably pass the dyno test, they'll fail me on the visual.

 

I have an AEM sri, and yea AEM has the carb sticker. I'm pretty sure that K&N has the carb sticker too. I recommend AEM though. Great stuff.

 

ya just find out that it does have the CARB sticker before ya buy!

tho ill second the find local honda guy to borrow/RENT his stock intake. but 150bucks for stock intake. ya what new.... ebay man...

 

Both AEM and K&N intakeshave theC.A.R.B. sticker. I just took my Civic in for its (every 2 year) smog test and the guy never mentioned my V2. The C.A.R.B. sticker is in plain view, so it really doesn't surprise me.

I really like the V2 - revs in the upper range climb noticable faster!