Speed Weed

Hi Honda-Tech I'm trying to smog my recently acquired EK (96 dx Canadian model). It's not passing because some of the emission systems are not ready.
The car has 200,000 miles on it but it was well-maintained (I have the service records). The last owner was trying to get the smog done but had the same problem, he took it to a shop and they determined that the ECU was probably the culprit. Last owner replaced the ECU (with what I don't know but I can find out). I bought a cheap OBD2 scanner so I could check what the status of the monitors are (evap,misfire, o2, Heated 02, CAT, etc.) There are two I have not been able to set. The CAT and EVAP. I have driven 1,000 miles (not guessing) in a month and half on this car since purchase and they are still not ready. I have the ALLDATA drive cycle instructions. I spent an hour doing them while my passenger read directions and set timers. We completed the drive cycle 1.5 times (without turning the car off) before I finally stalled it in reverse and we gave up. My 02 and H02 sensors were working, because the car was running.

Things I've checked/tried
-fuse 15 (radio is aftermarket, known to blow fuse #15)
-fuse 31
-tight gas cap
-fuel level 50%
-no codes and no codes have been cleared
-replaced a blown fuse 47
-Battery strength (tested, good)
-alternator (tested, good)

Bad fuse, wrong ECU, CAT too dirty to set the monitors, made a non-fouler, problem solved

Former User

Check the 7.5A hood Back Up fuse.

Speed Weed

Fuse #43 was the only slot having a 7.5a fuse. That was fine. Fuse #47 was blown, and had a 10a fuse. if that was supposed to be a 7.5a, my guess is there could be a short somewhere and the owner replaced it with a larger fuse. Super happy that I found SOMETHING. Gotta run to work~!

Former User

Fuse 47 = Back Up fuse

Make sure all fuses have the proper amp rating.

If fuse 47 blows again, start by checking for a short in the Wht/Blu wire for the stereo.

Speed Weed

I pulled those diagrams this morning and found the little ****. It's been replaced, and I tested my alternator/battery. Both good. After driving home, and turning my car off, the H02s was set. Now I just need to get up to a half tank, and get on the freeway tomorrow and see if I can set the others.


EDIT:
H02s - set
02 - set

I need to see how many monitors can be off or wait for the other two to pop!

Speed Weed

A little update:

Check-engine came on, codes p0450 & p0453 were present. This is kind of a good thing. It leads me to believe that the blown fuse I found has been the culprit the whole time and was causing the original ECU to lose memory and not set the monitors. So, the ECU was thought to be bad and inappropriately replaced with one that is looking for parts the car doesn't have (tank pressure sensor, Charcoal can. valve). So the check engine light coming on was a good thing, it means my repair worked and the EVAP tested itself and I now think I have found the solution, which is to re-install the original ECU.

Next: replace ECU with original

Former User

How do you know the ECU is a mismatch?

What year and trim Civic?

What engine and ECU?

Speed Weed

1996 civic DX (EK / hatch). D16y7 (with the cat built into the headers).

My thinking is that everything has been setting now that the fuse has been replaced. My cat and evap have not set, but the 02 and H02s (which were inspected prior to sale, and were not setting, as a part of determining why the smog was failing) are set. I called Autozone to ask about the evap parts, and I was told that my model did not have those parts. Also people swapping motors are running into these error codes. If there were DTC's I would have been told about it at the time of sale. So I think the fuse was bad the whole time, and he replaced the ECU with whatever he found at pick n'pull (I know the ECU was bought there).

https://honda-tech.com/honda-civic-d...ssing-3020679/


So, tomorrow I'm going to get into the glovebox and at least see what ECU is in there vs what should be. I suspect the orginal ECU was actually good.

NotARaCist

iTrader: (1)

EJ6. Not EK. Do yourself a favor. Don't make uninformed assumptions. Don't guess. Do diagnose. Do troubleshoot. If you were running the wrong ECU, you would be throwing a VTEC solenoid code (assuming you didn't overlook a motor swap), or the car would have more problems than just monitors not ready.

Former User

Enter your VIN here:

Majestic Honda - The Internet's #1 Honda Automotive Parts Store

Does it verify that your car is a 96 Civic DX hatchback?

Next Google search the ECU code to see if there's a mismatch.

Here are Civics that throw P0453:

Speed Weed

NotARacist, thank you. I knew my car generically as an EK. I saw the "EJ6" in my vin and had a little chuckle.

RonJ, Here's what I got
Model CIVIC
Year 1996
Door / Version 3DR / DX
Transmission 5 Speed - Manual

If I'm reading right my car is NOT equipped with these evap parts:

Vehicles equipped with an FTP sensor:
1996: Civic EX / D16Y8 (All coupes), Integra GSR & possibly LS
1997: Civic HX D16Y5 (All coupes; California sedan: LX)
1997: Civic LX D16Y7 (California coupe; California sedan: LX)
1997: Civic EX D16Y8 (All coupes; California sedan: LX)
1998: All Civic models
1999: All Civic models
(the above list came from a Helms manual)

Vehicles un-equipped with an FTP sensor:
1996: Civic DX/CX hatchbacks, Integra RS
1997: ?
1997: ?
1997: ?
1998: ?
1999: CX/DX hatchbacks

http://technet.ff-squad.com/code91.htm

Former User

Post the ECU code printed on the label.

Speed Weed

The replacement ECU that was in the reads: 37820-P2E-L32, marked "1995".

I went ahead and swapped the ECU to the original. When I plugged in my code reader it said "EVAP: N/A", instead of "EVAP: NOT READY". So I think I was right. Blown fuse, misdiagnosis and here we are now.

Former User

Yep, the ECU 37820-P2E-L32 is for a 98 Civic DX 5-speed.

Speed Weed

Alright. Original ECU is back in. EVAP is gone from the I/M menu. HO2s set immediately after driving around the block, O2s and CAT are still holding out after going up and down the freeway. With the 98 ECU, both of my O2 sensors set immediately. Now I can only set one. Is this ECU damaged, how can I tell?

Note: Both of the 02 sensors were tested in a shop prior to the sale, and were found to be working. Remember, I don't have EVAP parts.

Seems like some people are saying the 02 should be ready as soon as the car is warm?

Speed Weed

A little update, I waited until this morning when the engine was 100% cooled down from running. I checked my 02, still not ready. H02s was ready, like before. I removed the back up fuse to clear the ECU. It reset my 02s and h02s, then I started the car and warmed it up and drove until it reached operating temps. 02 did not become ready, H02s did. I think this ECU may be bad, the other one was the wrong one. I ordered another ECU off of ebay, the top row of numbers matches the cars original ECU. P2E-L01.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/231377073385?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

Speed Weed

Hi Honda-Tech I'm having trouble getting my O2s and CAT monitors to set for smog. Here's what I've done:

-replaced fuse 47/back up ECU power.
-switched to the correct ECU
-tried a second (correct) ECU
-tested the under-dash fuses and hood fuses

Both of the P2e-L01 read "not ready" for the 02s, but the P2e-L32 gave me a ready status but wasn't compatible with my car for other reasons. I've never seen the CAT monitor read "ready" with any ECU.

Speed Weed

Made an 02 non-fouler to see if the ECU will take that lower exhaust reading. PLugged in a second ECU and H02s set immediately but not not 02s.

Speed Weed

Yo I plugged in my non-fouler into the secondary 02, went around the block and BOOM, only my 02 monitor is ready. Looks like the CAT must be pretty marginal since it wouldn't take a reading. YOLO.

Got my smog cert with 1 unset monitor. I actually had ALL of them set but when I removed the non-fouler (its an instant fail if caught, maybe worse) I left the sensor unplugged putting just the 02 sensor back in. >.< and got a CEL so I had to clear and reset.. Everything online about setting monitors is BS. I think EVAP is the only test that runs over night. They all set in 15 minutes of freeway driving from a warm start, not a cold start. If it's taking weeks and weeks something is wrong. I should not that my car passed the tail pipe sniffer just fine. I should also note my monitors will STAY ready after I remove the non-fouler. My results are 100% repeatable.