I have a cold air intake from AEM and I got my car all good to go for take on smog cause I failed the 15mph and passed the 25mph...question is I can get ahold of a stock air intake box for the crx and was wondering if you think it makes a diff if I use stock intake or my cold air intake from aem, cause my NOx was out the roof at around 1800 and should been lower than 850...just wanted to see what some had to say before smog tomorrow

 

Just use the AEM, assuming it has the CARB E.O #'s on it.

NOx is formed by high combustion temperatures.
How old is your cat? Is it an OEM or Magnaflow/Carsound/something siimilar?
What's your timing set at?

 

i just retarded my timing 1 degree and I just put on a new magnaflow cat today. its carb on AEM so thats not the problem then?thought it would help if i used that...also what kind of gas should I be using when i go smog it tomorrow if I am getting high combustion temps?

 

If you have a new magnaflow cat, you should pass fine. The magnaflow cats just don't usually last more than one smog test from what I've seen.

If your AEM intake has a CARB sticker, you'll be fine with that.

As for octane, run the lowest octane you can without risking detonation so you get a complete burn.

 

you say run the lowest I can but what would cause high combustion then...thought if you riase the octane it will cool it down? I got a heavy duty magnaflow cat from my friends exhaust shop, he said its better then when they put on cars normally. How can I lower combustion temps? what a lower thermo do it cause stock thermo is 160 and I have a 180 in it right now.

 

Yeah, higher octane will bring down the temps a bit, but you also run the risk of not getting a complete burn and having leftover unburnt gas in the exhaust. (which will raise your HC's) If the cat is brand new and a larger unit, it should be able to cut most of this down, but smog is always a give/take process. That's why I hate it so much

 

so running 100 oct wont be the brightest idea?...should I just run 91 octane and put an additive in it?

 

What do you usually run?

 

run 87 in my zc sohc but motor seems hot always...I heard the higher thermo cuts down the NOx but then I hear that it heats up the engine alot more being 20 degrees hotter

 

I would probably run 89 octane.

In all honesty, that new cat should make you pass alone.

I'm in the same boat right now. NOx is about 700 over what its allowed, and everything is brand new, so the cat is all I have left.

 

anyone else on here with more ideas before smogging again tomorrow?