got a question for you folks, I recently failed DEQ in my 94 accord, the guy told me that there wasnt enough exhaust coming out of the car to check the emissions, i got home got under it and found a few very small leaks, there was some black soot around the leaks, i welded them shut, back to DEQ and another fail for the same reason. would a clogged or old catalytic converter cause this? or am i just way off. im not getting any cel/mil lights and everything else is relatively normal on the car, i cant think of anything that would cause a drop in backpressure besides a catastrophic leak or a clog somewhere. its a bone stock 94 accord lx..? with 160k on the clock. and secondly, not to sound like a total noob (i'm not) can anyone show me a pic of the cat on the car. thanks in advance guys.

 

You may want to plug the exhaust pipe at the muffler with a rag and listen for exhaust leaks. If the inspection station is correct that you have a clog somewhere, the exhaust has to be going somewhere.

What parts were showing soot?

 

Someone had previously attempted to weld a leak closed and did a crappy job so there were some leaks through their welds, problem is I'm not really sure what I'm looking at, correct me if I'm wrong but the cat is toward the front of the car in between the front seats and covered with shielding, I also have a similar looking part covered in shielding between the front and back seats so I'm not sure which is which, it's the rear one that had spot marks on it, I was thinking its an exhaust add on (glass pack, cherry bomb type thing) but I can't be sure, can someone clear that up for me?

 

I doubt its a clog, black soot is normal where its leaking, the only way i see you having a clogged exhaust is if you have alot of blow by or had a head gasket go in the past, ive seen both of those not only destroy the o2 sensors but clog the catylast as well.

 

funny you say that because it is having issues, the head gasket is bad but i just have not had time to change it yet, its a pretty simple and small coolant to cylinder leak, not oil to coolant so thats all fine, the leak isnt a problem as far as the car running good but i never thought about the coolant leaking to the cat, would this plug it up bad enough to fail emissions but not bad enough to cause running issues?

 

Yes it would