VashTheStampede

Good evening, folks. I’ve run into a really REALLY weird one.

Here’s the problem: I recently purchased a mint 97 Del Sol for my SO, automatic, low miles, I’m the second owner. Original owner purchased it new in August of 97 from a dealer in Florida. Build date on the car is April ‘97. I noticed something was a bit off when I checked the ECU out of curiosity and ran headlong into part # 37820-P28-346. That’s not a typo. Standard part number is supposed to be 37820-P28-A54. A quick google search of that 346 number reveals that only one person over the last 20 years has ever asked a question about it on HT, and received no help. It exists in Honda’s parts database, but doesn’t belong to any car. It shows that it’s a “California Emissions Compliant” ECU as it has a huge “KL”, and the California compliant OBD2 decal under the hood.

Honda doesn’t list a California compliant model for 1997, and the accompanying information in the parts searches gives me no help.

So, how different is my car than the standard 97 Del Sol Si? Could I just swap a standard P28-A54 ECU into the car, or would there be more parts that need removed or altered to get it to work? Why would a car purchased new in Florida ever have this, and how much difference is the performance/mpg than on a normal Del Sol? Were all 97 Sols California compliant?

Im assuming that my car would be similar to a California compliant D16Y8 car in a 97 Civic, but cannot confirm.

Thanks!

VashTheStampede

Just got a callback from a friend at Honda who said 37820-P28-346 and 346RM were a warranty repair/replacement ECUs for a defective design with the P28-A54. His thought was that the RM was installed by the dealer to swap out the bad ECU, and the 346 was installed in some of the very last Del Sols made by the factory to negate the need for a warranty repair.

Problem Solved?

tony_2018

I check honda parts site and they don't seem to have a different ecu for cali state. you got the green light to use what you have.