Hi everyone!
This is my first post to the forums!

Anyway, I just bought a 2002 EP3 and when the fuel take was pretty much empty, I filled it with 87 octane. Shortly after this, my orange check engine light came on. So I called the previous owner and he told me he always filled it with 91 octane. Could this be the reason? Also I tightened the gas cap since then so I have yet to see if this is the source of the problem.

Thanks!

 

Take it to Autozone and have the code pulled.

 

I'm doing that tomorrow. But I guess what I'm wondering is: if the car has been taking 91 fuel its whole life, would filling it with 87 cause the light to go on?

 

i doubt using 87 would cause a check engine light. Like sicksi said, get the code checked

 

Does the fuel door on the EP3 say premium only? That will tell you...


I know the Type-S uses premium only and the base can use the cheap stuff... so I assume the EP3 being like a base can run the cheap stuff too...

 

(stock, usdm)EP3s are designed to run on 87, so it WILL NOT cause a CEL. Unless you are talking about a modified EP3 with Kpro, turbo, etc....

but I'll bet you a million dollars, the previous owner did some sketchy crap and reset the light just before he sold it to you.

So pull the code and come back.

 

I'm pretty sure it doesn't say "premium fuel only," reason being is I checked for that first when I bought mine a few years ago. Only reason I did that is because my EM1 required premium fuel only. The check engine light could be from anything, that's why you need to know exactly what it is before you self diagnose your own car and end up spending money on it and not fix anything.

 

Alright, going to Pep Boys today to get the code. Bringing along a trusty code index with me! Thanks for all the help everyone!

 

Find out what it is and post it here and we'll see if we can help you.

 

After you pumped gas youve been tightening the cap?
Evap leak dtc possibly. But still pull the code

 

Alright everyone. After I went to O'Reilly's, AutoZone, Firestone (who wanted to charge me $100), and two Pep Boys, I found a place who would pull the code. Basically, its said there were no codes to display. And they kept restarting it to see if anything would come up and after 10 tries the P0420 code came up (Catalyst System Efficiency Below Threshold), but then went away after the restarted once more. They reset the CEL and it hasn't showed itself in the ~20 miles since. I also put in some octane booster prior to all this.

 

Maybe the lower octane is messing with the O2 sensor.

 

i am having the exact same issue on my type s...!


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Looks the previous owner pulled a fast one on you. P0420 has nothing to do with the o2 sensors. It means your catalytic converter no longer works or you have no cat at all. My EP3 was throwing the same code when I bought it because the previous owner removed the cat and installed a test pipe. I got rid of the cel with a defouler and pumping premium gas. I've been cel free for over a year now . I don't know what state you're in but I've even passed 2 emissions tests like this . Here's where I got mine from: http://www.bigdaddiesgarage.com/angled-cel-fix.html

 

Okay so the light came back on. I can only assume its actually the cat. And I have searched all the forums and from what I can deduce, I'm probably going to have to get a new cat.
So how long should a garage take to install a new one? Estimated price for parts? I know these are vague questions but maybe someone knows.

 

You could do it yourself with a few tools and save yourself some money.

 

If you are replacing the cat, its not cheap to replace, and if you live up north, and have rust on the car, it will not be easy to unbolt. I had to cut mine off, the bolts were so rusty they didn't even look like a hexagon anymore.

If you don't know what you're doing, have a shop do it before you get yourself stranded. If the shop has the parts, they can probably get it installed in 45 mins with no rust, or a few hours if they have to cut out the old part.

 

It's at least worth a shot to do it yourself before paying $50+ and hour labor for a mechanic to do it. Spray the bolts down with some brake cleaner or something similar, let them soak and take a socket with a breaker bar after them. Worst comes to worst you can get them loose.

 

Is there a DIY of any sort for installing it oneself? I certainly have the experience replacing exhausts (not cats though).

And also, before I spend the money on a cat, can I be certain that replacing the cat will get rid of the code and CEL?

Thanks again guys!

 

So here's an update:

I took the car in for the smog for the change in ownership, and it actually passed emissions with flying colors. It only failed because the CEL was on. So naturally, I'm a little confused. At any rate, it seems my options at this point are to get an aftermarket cat (which some are apparently CA legal), or to get a defouler so that I can trick the ECU as well as pass smog.

So what I'm wondering is if someone can give some advice on going with either of these two things, because I certainly don't have the money to get a new OE cat. Can some of the eBay cats really be California-legal?

 

if you don't buy a new one then you need to cut the old one out and just install a pipe cuz it's restricting flow but then your exhaust note will change then buy the defouler I would say buy a new cat and replace it

 

Being that you live in cali, you're kinda screwed if you wanna get a new cat. I think legally the only thing you can do is buy a new one directly from honda, which is around $900...and I doubt you wanna spend that much on a cat. If you say you passed the smog and only failed the OBDII test, then try running premium gas. If that doesn't work just get a defouler from that site I linked

 

My tank has been entirely premium fuel for a week now. I ordered the defouler, because my car is still fine emissions-wise. I'll just have the CEL reset and take it back for my free re-smog.
I'm sure by next time I need to get a smog, I'll just end up getting a new cat. Who knows, maybe there'll be a better fix by then

 

Once you reset the ECU, make sure you drive the car at least 50 to 100 miles before you get the test again. It takes some driving for it to be ready to be read.

 

Not sure if this really works, but worth a try if you wanna try to yank the cat out and clean it. Its only 5 bolts and 2 O2 sensors you gotta remove.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5icTmYItwiE