The first 111 digits of my '92 Civic VX (1.5L D15Z1) are: 2HGEH2361NH

Using this VIN decode site: VIN View /// AnalogX it decodes:
Region: North America
Country: Canada

Indeed, a plate on the radiator mount reads "Honda Of Canada Mfg".

However, I have the original Owner's Manual, and the inside the front cover, the dealer filled out the dealer information in ink, in part:

Delivery 5/15/92
Metro Honda
Montclair, CA 91763

So, when reading service manuals etc. should I consider the car as "Canadian Domestic Market" or "USDM"?

But it gets more interesting: When I bought the car 10 years ago it sported a 5-wire LAF, but that may not have been the OEM LAF. If the car was sold in California, should it employ a 5-wire LAF? Wikipedia describes the D15Z1 engine in part "VTEC-E (USDM- Lean Burn Federal Emissions 49 State)"

Confused? So am I. Anyone out there know how to mitigate the confusion?
-

 

There’s is a Honda plant in Ontario, so I’m guessing it was built there and shipped to the US? Two ways to distinguish Canadian cars from American cars is that the speedometer would be in km/h and also have daytime running lights equipped. There would be a DRL icon along with the other dash lights.

Does it really matter? It’s a North American car.

 

Fair question. I'm convinced now it's a USDM car even if it was made in Canada.

But consider the LAF aspect. Someone here mentioned in another thread I have open that, unless my car is a California-spec, it requires the 5-wire LAF sometimes described as "lean burn 49-state". The implication was that a CA-spec car took a cheaper (4-wire?) LAF for whatever reason. The fact that my car was delivered and sold in CA yet sported the 5-wire LAF got me wondering about just what I have. It could be the "CA vs 49-states" is incorrect, and that all '92 VXs had the 5-wire LAF, even CA cars.
-

 

I do believe all USDM Civics were manufactured in Canada for the 92-95 generation.

5 wire LAF is Federal emissions. There should also be a sticker on the underside of the hood that would confirm Federal emissions. And the final and most important nail in the coffin would be the part number on the ECU. It is very possible in the last 30 years someone converted to Federal emissions to get a few more MPGs.

 

The Service Information sticker under the hood should say Federal or California.



The engine number stamping will also tell what emissions it was built for.



How to decode.

 

The engine stamping is "D15Z1".

The under-hood sticker suggests Federal + California compliance. (Also, 600+-50 idle speed.)


-

 

Looks like it should be a CA emissions car but that doesn't mean someone hasn't swapped it.

The D15Z1 stamping should have a code after it as well.

Now it would be time to peel back the kick panel on the passenger side and check the part number sticker on the ECU.

 

Below "D15Z1" is stamped:

1000307

Re: the ECU, I haven't dug into that, but I'm the 3rd owner, for 10 years. The previous owner, my best friend, owned the car for 15 years, and never touched it, except to have the serpentine belt replaced. From what little I've heard about the original owner, he was extremely unlikely to have swapped anything on the car. A middle-aged family man, far from a "tuner".

PS well one happy turn, now the only CEL code I'm getting is 12 EGR. No longer the 48 O2 (LAF). On a hot day, I had to drive 15 miles, hard uphill, to get the CEL 12 come on. Just driving a couple of miles around town won't trigger it.
-

 

Update:

The car passed its third smog test, while still displaying OBD-1 code 12 "EGR". I don't know what the latest CO or HC levels were, as no values are provided for a passed test.

Also, the engine idles steadier now, whereas before renewing the LAF it was uneven and slower. The test machine displayed a no-load idle speed of ~700 rpm.

Thanks all for the help. Any follow-on comments will not go unappreciated.
-