"Dead Cat" and ?s
 

Acura Integra '99
Ok, here is how it lays out.
I bought this car a couple of months ago and after a couple of days the engine light went on. Went to the mechanic and they said I had a dead Cat Converter or dead O2 sensor. So I got the O2 sensor changed for like $250 and he goes and resets the engine light. I give it 3 engine cycles and the damn light comes back on. I went back to these guys and told them what is going on and they revealed to me that the cat looked pretty new and aftermarket when they looked at it, they also told me the manufacture gives cats at 80k or 8 year waranty so the guy that I bought it from voided the waranty on the cat. SO, inconclusion it comes down to spending 1800 on a Acura Cat or is there an aftermarket cat that you guys know about that will decipate the waste efficently because I know this one isn't.

Q/A
I heave heard that Honda/Acura cars are like clockwork when it comes to maintaining them. Anyone have a maintence schedule that I should like by? Thanks.

comptech has a nice cat...cost a lot more than just buying a carsound cat. Both are high flow :)

Well, first of all you need to figure out what happened to the cat. Cats don't just "go bad" by themselves. Either your engine is severely out of tune, or oil/coolant is somehow getting into the exhaust. You said that the cat looked new and aftermarket, maybe something happened there how. Also, there are 2 oxygen sensors...one in the header, one in the cat. As for replacement, Carsound offers an OBD2 cat that is legal, which I just purchased actually and had welded up.

So how much am I going to be paying for a new cat and weld job if I did get a new one? And how do I check what happened to the one I have now? The 02 sensor reading at the shop said it was running fine, but presumably they said at times because it was an aftermarket that it wasn't despossing of waste efficently all the time. I do frickin know, I just want to get it fixed before my next emissions check in like 2 years.

Thanks again for all the help.
Peace

The cat from Acura is about 9 bills for a 99 not 1800. My cat was replaced for free cause my failed CA smog before 80k and 8 yrs. They did everything they could to pass it, but it would not do it. Come to learn you should not use racing fuel in your car cause that coats the cat, makes it lazy and it will not burn all of the hyrdrocarbons. You may want to PM Master Yodub, I know he did some shopping a while back and decided on a certain legal cat. Not sure who made it though. Also, on my 99 gsr the 02 sensors are at the front and back of the cat not on the header. Maybe it is different for other models, but just a heads up. If the 02 sensors were going bad or were bad rest assured it would throw a code. There is a code for every sensor in the car.

remember they charge labor too man...

Well first thing you should check is the codes on the ecu. Check to see what it's giving you and take it from there. You never know you might be getting a IAC code and your looking at the CAT/O2 sensor. I read everything posted above but I did not see that you posted anything but the o2/cat. Have someone check the code and see what happends. Don't spend ANY money untill your 100% sure on what your problem is.

Dubcac = Master yodub...just a name change :p

Anyways, I ended up with a Carsound cat, the only obd2 CARB/EPA approved aftermarket cat on the market. It's on their site... www.car-sound.com and look for OBD2 compliant cats. I paid $200 for mine.

But, it could be possible that one or both of your O2 sensors is bad.

Smog...
 

I just had to smog and reg my baby, the cat was very bad, it was in fact, slag when I opened it up. I got a new cat + labor for $200.

my HC was over 180 ppm with the old cat.
New cat I was at 20 ppm.

Passed the smog.

Labour on a cat replacement is only about 1.5 hour COD. That's about $150 after taxes, plus $900 for the part and a couple gaskets. We only charge 8 hours for a COD transmission job (~$900) labour. If they're trying to charge you 8 hours to replace a cat, you need to find another dealer.

How do you void an emissions warranty? That's a federal requirement, that cat should be free until 2006. Once again, try another dealer.