I have a 2001 Civic EX with over 200k miles. It is a California car and requires a CARB certified catalytic converter. It has the D17A2 engine. I recently replaced the cat after getting a persistant CEL code of P0420. I purchased an Eastern Catalytic CARB certified direct fit replacement from RockAuto and installed on car. Reset codes and the P0420 code never came back. All's good until smog check time...

1st smog test: Car was failed because of not carb approved cat, and smoke from tail pipe during rpm ramp up. I gathered proof cat was carb approved and tested for smoke using CARB smog check procedures. No smoke.

2nd smog test: Returned to same smog check location (because follow-up check is free) and now am being told my car requires TWO cat converters. Apparently, the CARB Executive Order D-665-23 appendix line 1352 says 2001 Civic EX has 2 cats, SO MY CAR FAILED AGAIN as they say it is missing a cat converter.

As far as I can determine, the car is only supposed to have one cat converter, and being the EX model with D17A2 engine, the correct converter is the one located under the car downstream of the exhaust manifold (not integrated with manifold).

I'm at a loss as to what to do next. Why does CARB executive order say car has 2 converters when it doesn't?

Sorry for long post. And thanks for any suggestions.
EdV


 

Your car has only one cat converter so I am confused too. Perhaps their info is incorrect?

 

Unless Eastern gets CARB to correct Executive Order D-665-23 related to their part # 809577 converter, there may not be much a smog test station can do.

The Walker part # 82681 for the EX has a CARB Executive Order D-182-57 that is correct; with an approval of total converters = one.

 

I reset my CEL, drove car 2 days, printed compliance paper after using the self service kiosk, and I'm good for another two years. Just like I did last time. I think the small crack in the exhaust manifold is the reason for the CEL. Who cares if the downstream O2 doesn't heat up as fast as it should. Seems like they are a little crazy where you live. Maybe you can take the whole car to a shop that will test it and get you the proper paper work.

 

The smog station is correct and you got a wrong cat.....

There're 3 different 1.7L engines on 7th civic: D17A1 on LX/DX/VP, A2 on EX and rare D17A6 on HX.
LX/DX requires one cat on the front, EX 1 cat on the back(under the car), and HX needs 2 on both front and back.

Eastern Cat is only certified for HX so it wouldn't work on the EX.

Your engine family is 1HNXV01.7XJ9 make sure the cat is certified for this.