K&N Legal????

215

Asked by Zach Jul 28, 2008 at 09:38 PM about the 1997 Ford Thunderbird LX RWD

Question type: Car Customization

I have the K&N air intake kit installed on my thunderbird and its CARB exempt but i still hear its not legal. I need to know the exact laws for Massachusetts about modifing the intake system and the exaust system. I havent done exaust work yet because i know it will be harder to reverse to factory spec.
PLEASE ONLY REPLY IF YOU HAVE A DIRET ANSWER FOR THIS QUESTION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I have looked everywhere and i dont want to go to the RMV or the cops im just to busy to wait there for hrs!!!!

16 Answers

It should be legal all you are doing is changing the air filter,this is not modifing the intake system,and no exhust change is required.

16,725

Google IT!!! Chapter 19 Section 16. No person shall operate a motor vehicle, nor shall any owner of such vehicle permit it to be operated, in or over any way, public or private, whether laid out under authority of law or otherwise, which motor vehicles are prohibited from using, provided notice of such prohibition is conspicuously posted at the entrance to such way. No person shall operate a motor vehicle, nor shall any owner of such vehicle permit it to be operated upon any way, except fire department and fire patrol apparatus, unless such motor vehicle is equipped with a muffler to prevent excessive or unnecessary noise, which muffler is in good working order and in constant operation, and complies with such minimum standards for construction and performance as the registrar may prescribe. No person shall use a muffler cut-out or by-pass. No person shall operate a motor vehicle on any way which motor vehicle is equipped (1) with a muffler from which the baffle plates, screens or other original internal parts have been removed and not replaced; or (2) with an exhaust system which has been modified in a manner which will amplify or increase the noise emitted by the exhaust. No person operating a motor vehicle shall sound a bell, horn or other device, nor in any manner operate such motor vehicle so as to make a harsh, objectionable or unreasonable noise, nor permit to escape from such vehicle smoke or pollutants in such amounts or at such levels as may violate motor vehicle air pollution control regulations adopted under the provisions of chapter one hundred and eleven. No siren shall be mounted upon any motor vehicle except fire apparatus, ambulances, vehicles used in official line of duty by any member of the police or fire fighting forces of the commonwealth or any agency or political subdivision thereof, and vehicles owned by call fire fighters or by persons with police powers and operated in official line of duty, unless authorized by the registrar. No person shall use on or in connection with any motor vehicle a spot light, so called, the rays from which shine more than two feet above the road at a distance of thirty feet from the vehicle, except that such a spot light may be used for the purpose of reading signs, and as an auxiliary light in cases of necessity when the other lights required by law fail to operate.

605

Whats up Zach. Ya Ya I know U only wanted exact answers but Im in Ohio and have no Idea what Mass. laws are. They are legal in Ohio. But I just wanted to let U know of some dangers of A K&N filter First of all the filter does not provide suficient filtering unless U oil it,but what they dont tell U is this oil is silicone based and canfoul out the hotwire on your Mass air flow sensor.cuasing some bad drivability concerns like hesitations lack of power and so on. BTW Im a senior master Ford tecnician at a Ford dealer and I see this sort of thing quite often. Later!!!

35

the other guy is right changing your intake has nothing to do with the exhaust. i put a k and N cone on my 93 t-bird and im about to put side exhaust on it when i re do my rocker panels.

215

i know about the oil, and can it hurt the MAFS even if the oil dried into the cotton???

605

WEEEELLLLL Oil doesnt really dry does it, my suggestion is use a lite amount, and you should be ok. Inormally see the problems when guys really soak them down like dripping wet .

215

I get you now and K&N tells u how much to use to like 1.35 oz., like i can mesure it anyway but thanks for the warning i will oil light, im thinking that even if its ilegal the only time they notice it is at inspection since at normal RPM it is just a quiet as the factory. I have my next inspection in September and if i fail because of it i will just put the factory stet up on then pass and then reinstall the K&N. It will be a pain in my ass but i didnt spend $130 for this thing and then a bunch of old fat fart politicians tell me i cant have it!! But the thing i dont get is on the K&N site they say that the set up is CARB exempt and thus legal for emmissions in all states but then if you buy the exact filter alone not as part of the package there is a warning saying its only for racing and not legal which is causing all of my confusion. THANKS FOR THE ADVICE!!!! I actually want to become a technition myself i plan to go to UTI after i graduate.

21,135

YOU ARE RIGHT. THE K&N REPLACEMENT FILTER IS 50 STATES LEGAL. NOT ALL OF THE K&N COLD AIR INTAKE KITS ARE THOUGH. FOR ANY QUESTIONS, CHECK OUT THE K&N WEBSITE.

Belive me ,I live in VA,and we have some of the toughfst laws on a car,im a state certifed inspector for car inspections,so i know very well the laws,I have 2 89 T-BIRD super coupe with the 3.8 supercharged engines,and both have the K&N air on them,just put a drop of oil in every other sleve in the filter,air will do the rest,and you will be fine,I do mine at every oil change,rember just a drop of oil in every other sleve.if you check out my garage,you will see them,my avaitor is one of them,

115

CARB means your set. Just keep your eye on your gas mileage and use MAF cleaner here and there.

16,725

It's the only statute in Mass. General Law that involves modification of the vehicle... Note it also mentions addition of sirens and lights... The only part that may be a concern is if the OEM unit has a resonance chamber to reduce noise... "other device, nor in any manner operate such motor vehicle so as to make a harsh, objectionable or unreasonable noise"

165

yes you are allowed not like the e check will open up your air box any way. who ever told you is dumb no offence

215

Actually dude thats a rumer K&N has a special section on their web site for these problems, they denie it so much they help customers get theri MAF relaced for free if the deaalership claims that a K&N was the cause!! The thing is very detaied and i just am not buying it however i will be careful.

215

K&N oil doesnt even contain silicone, are you sure you have seen this before!!!

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