I have 2 questions that i need help with.
1. How do i know which catalytic converter i need for my 1994 accord lx?
And 2. How can i tell which one i have now?

Reason for questions is that i tried smoging my car and the smog tech told me i had a cat of a 5.6L engine so i am trying to figure out if i have the correct converter installed. Please help!

 

Did you fail because of the cat....or because of the "numbers"?

If you failed because of the cat.....not a code for it, just the visual inspection. You are in CA, so you have to get one that is CA CARB approved......which in CA the laws are different - surprise

 

Is this a V6 or InLine 4 cylinder? Put info in your signature line to be sure it's always available.

How many miles?

good luck

 

Poorman212- he had failed me cuz of the numbers on the cat itself. He looked up the number on his computer and he said that it was meant for a 5.6L engine, so he marked my car down as tampered.

TexasHonda- its a 4cyl manual, it has about 140,000 miles

 

There is only one converter on 94 4-cyl. It is a bolt on item, readily available. check ebay for many options at reasonable prices.

good luck

 

California's Air Resource Board (CARB) site states in part, aftermarket catalytic converters must be exempted from California's anti-tampering laws in order to be legally sold and installed in the state.

The aftermarket converter needs an Executive Order (exemption) to be legally sold or installed in California. Aftermarket converters has to have an assigned Executive Order (EO) number to be exempt. That EO assigned number can be verified by Smog Check stations, BAR Referee stations, or by the ARB.

California no longer allows used converter to be legally advertised for sale, sold, or installed.

"http://www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/aftermktcat/aftermktcat.htm"

"http://www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/aftermkt/devices/amquery.php"

 

For new aftermarket converters sold in California, the parts store or muffler shop that have the applicable converter for your car should have the assigned Executive Order number.

 

Redbull-1.. I am trying to find out if i have the correct converter on my car. Im not trying to buy one if i don't have to. I bought the car about a year ago and when i went to smog it to transfer the title to my name the smog tech marked it down as tampered and told me the car had a cat for a 5.6L. I took it to another shop and they passed it, and now i have to renew the registration and it says to smog it at a star station. I know that once you smog your car you don't smog again for 2 years but my guess is that since that first guy that marked the car down as tampered is why i have to smog it again. So i am trying to find out weather i have the correct cat for my car.

 

The smog station that previously passed you, even though you didn't change the converter after the first one didn't, probably didn't check the converter number through CARB's database if the converter was not OEM. The first smog tech either checked the database, or easily saw it was not what came with the car and seen the same converter on another type car before.

If it is an aftermarket converter and you can identify the maker and number on the converter, you can check CARB's database of aftermarket converters that have an Executive Order number.

The STAR certified station may be stricter in checking, as they are smog check stations that meet higher performance standards established by the Bureau of Automotive Repair.

 

A lot of stations don't check the converter too closely. There are others that will either jack up the car or use a large inspection mirror with a long extension to examine the converter.