I recently failed my smog inspection in CA. Aside from the basic tune up
stuff like changing oil, new spark plugs, new oil filter, and new air filter,
what else is critical to insure i pass? Someone mentioned something
to me about an oxygen sensor, but it seemed really confusing when
i tried to look up the parts for it. How many are there? and what kind
do i need exactly for a '92 Accord DX 5sp manual. Any advice is
greatly appreciated.

 

Are you getting a check engine light? What we're the results of the check. They should have given you a paper that indicated what failed the test.

 

Agreed. You can't fix it IF you don't know what's wrong with it.

 

Yeah they did give me some kind of print out, but I couldn't make much sense
out of it. I'll see if I can find it, and have another look at it. Essentially what
the guy told me was that I needed a new oxygen sensor

 

He might be right, but we can't agree or disagree with that unless we learn exactly how/why it failed. There's different things measured, like NOx, CO, and unburned HC in the exhaust.