I wanted to know if anyone out there who has changed to a high flow cat, did the CEL come on after it was installed?it only came on after about a week, and i still havent gotten a chance to see what code its throwing, but i'm wondering if anyone else has had this problem and what code has come out?what was your fix for this....TIA

 

Hmm... the CAT shouldn't throw any codes. Pull the code to determine what it means. Btw, did you check the gas cap to make sure it's tight?

 

yeah...i checked the cap....and put gas too that night...lol....i gotta try and get the code though.....thanks

 

If you don't have the equipment to pull the code like most of us the paper clip trick helps narrow it down. This obviously works for the K24

http://www.k-series.com/tech_detail.php?Tech_ID=CEL

 

this may be a dumb question...but is this the same for the tsx?

 

Certainly is!. Just make sure you have your orientation right so you put the paperclip in the correct holes. It should work for any K-Series engine of which the TSX (CL9) has the K24A2. It worked on my CL9 without a problem and enabled me to confirm my primary A/F sensor was responsible for the CEL.

However it doesn't enable you to discern the finer details of the fault. For that you'll need an OBDII scanner with software that can decode Honda codes.

I was a little nervous when I decided to try it, but when it worked I chuckled like a twit!.

 

ok....thanks for your help....i reallly appreciate it

 

ok....so i took my car to acura...and they read the code...and its because of the high flow cat ....so what to do now????do i just keep riding around with the CEL on or put back the stock cat??????

 

Hmmm.....I wish I could give you an answer......I was fortunate that when I had my primary a/f sensor fail as a result of my split DC-Header that Honda replaced the sensor under warranty.

I found it hard to tolerate driving around with the CEL illuminated basically because you never know at what point it may actually be indicating a real fault of concern and that it's probably (I don't know for certain) causing the ECU to not manage the engine as efficiently as if it were working (ie extra rich, timing etc)

I'd consider swapping back to the original cat and if there's another Acura dealer you can go to see if they'll fix it for you. Otherwise you'll have to possibly bear the cost yourself. Unfortunately it's one of the risks inherent in modding a car. At some later stage maybe reinstall the RT Cat using seals/gaskets indicated in another post.

I'm having my DC-Header repaired and installed tomorrow along with the RT cat at a very professional and experienced exhaust place. I'm insisting they use seals for the cat, and am sure their extra experience in dealing with A/F/O2 sensors should eliminate a lot of my concerns. I'll still be paranoid about future CEL's and if they happen I'll quit modding the exhaust and return it to stock.

Good luck!!!!

 

I gotta believe that the seal pre-cat and post-cat are the possible reason for tossing a CEL.

Did DC send a new ring gasket with their header? I know Comptech did.

 

Yup. DC package three new ring gaskets with the header. One for the header to cat, and two for the primary-secondary manifold.

I too am of the opinion it's pre and post cat seals that's thrown hawiiantsx's CEL's...if I had one complaint about the RT cat it's why on earth did the go for this "floating flange" design. Oh well

 

Well, its definitely quicker to manufacture and possibly a little cheaper to. To weld the flanges on, you have to be pretty good on making sure the bung is in the right place.

 

thanks guys....i'm probably gonna put the stock cat back on just for the simple reason that you said....that i wont know if there really is a problem later on down the road...just gotta figure out what to do with this cat now....

 

Did the dealer tell you what the code was? If the code has been reset, I would make sure all bolts are tighten including the rear O2 sensor. Then continue to drive the car and see if the same code returns. The cat shouldn't throw a code. It has to be caused by something elses.

 

I had my DC Sports header flex pipe fixed, and RT Cat installed today and I let them know I was paranoid about the A/F-O2 sensors, and the sealing of the cat flanges.

The first thing they told me explains why so many DC Header people complain of the hissing noise. The simple fact is DC cheeped out. For all Hondas/4Cyl NA etc (and infact they prefer to use it on all cars) these guys only recommend using double braided flex pipe, and not corrugated as it creates excess noise and is prone to cracking like mine had. The double braided pipe has the same stainless weave mesh on the outside, and inside. I'm not sure if there's corrugated pipe in-between these layers but there is something there as it’s perfectly airtight. But without a word of a lie I am now "HISS" (or angry bees in a can) free, and I dare say the flow is better. All I hear now is a nice and quiet sucking/whooshing noise. I would say the reason the OEM flex doesn’t suffer the noise problem is that the corrugated pipe is of a tight, flat profile. I’d be interested to know what type of flex pipe is used in Comptechs header.

They first installed the cat gasket free and tested it for leaks even after a few hard runs and there were none. It seems as I surmised in another post, and others have implied that as you torque the bolts to their correct value, the bell mouth on the pipes crush down and flare out forming a perfect seal. However this would only be of any good once, so I think it’d be wise for any reinstall to use the universal gasket.

Only downside is when I clambered back under to install my Cusco Type II bar I found the exhaust hangar for the header is broken. It's still capable of holding some load, but I'll have to get a new one.

So I guess the point of this post is to reaffirm what JTso said and if the bolts are torqued to spec, and you can’t detect any leaks I’d start to think there may’ve been something foul/burn the O2 sensor, or possibly damage it. I’m just disappointed they weren’t willing to warranty fix it.

 

by the way.....the code was p0420........anyone know what that code is?

 

CEL code P0420 - Catalyst System Efficiency Below Threshold.

 

thanks man....so it would be safe to assume that no matter what i do, this cat is always gonna throw this code?

 

So are you getting the CEL with gaskets installed on both ends of the cat?

 

I'm not sure. I had mine installed for about a week now and no CEL yet. I didn't use the gasket either. The installer used somekind of compound on the post cat side.

 

According to the service manual, the first item on the list that might have caused this code is "poor quality of fuel". I would suggest refilling the tank with some premium fuel from a "top-tier" station. Didn't you get this code the same night you filled up the tank?

 

Just an update...I've had the cat installed without gaskets for a few days now including a track day (circuit not 1/4mile) comprising 15+ very hard laps and touch wood as yet no CEL(I'm using 100RON Fuel (91.5MON, 95.8PON))

 

That's good news!!!

 

actually.....i got this code before i filled up that night.i took it to the dealer a week later....he read the code and then the CEL came on again that night.....as for fuel....we only have 92 octane here in hawaii...and i only go to shell....the gaskets are installed.....still at a lost at what to do????anyone else with suggestions???

 

What does that mean, its means that I have to change the CAT ?