Is it safe to use a universal Catalytic converter

[Tim]

Hi all,

My 1998 Honda Accord’s catalytic converter seems to have given up and needs replacement. The car has 199,000 kms on it.

Just wondering if it is better to get a genuine Honda CC? Are there any real benefits of going that way or would a used CC (from wrecker) or a new universal CC (like MagnaFlow from Ebay) do an equally good job?

I intend to get the timing belt and CC done so I can keep the car running for another 2-3 years.

Any thoughts?

Cheers!

Topic

[jason]

it is safe but to get the best results and flow and o2 readings. I would go with the Honda cc and would check for vacuum leak or fueling problem and make sure that something besides miles and long life may have caused the problem.

[Rob megee]

From what I’ve been told the universal unit don’t contain the same amounts of the active metals. They are good enough to keep the check engine light off. Their warranty in most cases is 24000 miles. Still, the price is much lower, I think if you are only keeping the car a few years they would be fine.

[Bill]

An aftermarket cat should be fine on a 1998 unless there is emission testing where you live. Depending on the limits set for pollutants it may or may not do the job but I don’t think there should be any problems as long as everything else is working correctly. I would replace the upstream oxygen sensor with a new converter if it’s old.

That said, I recommend an OEM converter if you live in California.

[EricTheCarGuy]

Unfortunately, especially with Honda’s, some vehicles don’t respond well to aftermarket cats. Meaning, even after replacement you still get a code for them. That said, you might try cleaning yours with dish soap and water before you replace it. If you remove it and the substrate is intact, you might try cleaning. Sometimes it works and if it does, it can save you a great deal of money.

Good luck and keep us posted.

[Tim]

Hey!

So I’ve got an new after-market metal exhaust on it. The rattling sound disappeared by the CEL was still on and the RPM was still falling to 400 RPMs.

So I reset the CEL by disconnecting the battery terminals, and now the CEL is gone and RPM is back to 800-900 RPM. Lets hope it fixes the issue.

Also, do I need to get a tune up now after getting the cat changed?

Also! Eric I just subscribed to your youtube channel – yours is the first I’ve ever subscribed to!

[Bill]

If it’s been a while I would replace old ignition components as a misfiring engine could damage your new converter.

[Rob megee]

You probably should check the up stream o2 sensor. Depending on how it’s responding, switching fast enough, you may want to replace it. I just went through this on my Suburban and every thing I read said the you should replace it when you change the cats. I would at least make sure what ever caused the cats substrate to break loose is corrected or you could damage the new cats. I would look at the o2 cell voltages and possibly the long and short term fuel trim to make sure you have corrected the original issue. Some of the responses you’ve received have suggested for you to make sure you have fixed the original issue. I didn’t see where you have found the culprit. The good news is that as of yet you haven’t got any new codes. Eric responded to my issue that if you are not getting codes you are most likely not doing new damage. I just didn’t see where you determined what caused the cats to break up and rattle. Just trying to give you useful advice to prevent more issues.

[Tim]

Hey Rob,

Sorry I didn’t provide a background to the whole situation.

The CEL that I have is indicating a P0107 MAP low input voltage. I got the MAP cleaned and put it back but didn’t help. Showed it to a Mech, and he said the catalytic is broken as it was rattling like anything, and that’s probably why the MAP is getting incorrect readings.

Hence I got the CAT changed, hoping it was causing the MAP to have incorrect readings. But it didn’t clear the CEL. I’m still getting the same code P0107, MAP low input voltage. I’m not getting any CEL for the CAT. Although replacing the CAT has resolved the rattling and ‘some’ power issues, but not all.

Regarding determining the root cause that damaged the CAT in the first place, I asked some mechs and they refuse to test voltages. They said the CAT just wore out, end of life.

-I have no codes on my car except P0107.
-Replacing CAT didn’t fix it
-CEL is sometimes on sometimes off
-When CEL is on, idling drops to 400, car shakes, seems low on power, gear shifts are jerky, and exhaust smells like petrol
-atm, I’m not driving my car at all, except warming it up in the morning for 5 mins then off. Will my new CAT get damaged in any way if I’m not driving?

I would appreciate your feedback on the above. Plus, what do you suggest my next step should be?

[Rob megee]

To save a lot of time, I would go to the home page on this site and type in “p0107” the second letter is a number 0 not an letter o. I checked and there are several post that apply. I saw at least one response by Eric that I would read. My opinion is you should pursue correcting the code. It may be the sensor itself or other condition that could be the cause of the catalytic converter malfunction. If you have access to a scanner that can read live data that will help. If you have a volt meter and vacuum pump you can test just the sensor. I can’t say for sure if you would damage anything by driving it, I would just not ignore fixing the code. I believe the OEM catalytic converter is designed to last the life of the car. I have only heard of them failing early because of some other reason, for example a misfire or vacuum leak over a long period of time. I don’t want to pretend I am a Honda expert, I am trying to help you find what you need on the site.

[Tim]

Hey everyone.

Update! It came out to be the map sensor. So the code I got from the blue 2-pin connector was spot-on. Got the MAP sensor replaced for $250 by a Denso MAP sensor for this model. The car is back on track 🙂

I got the Catalytic converter replaced as well as it was shattered from inside and rattling like hell. Got it replaced by an after-market high flow metallic cat. Thankfully, it didnt cause any other CEL to go off.

A couple of questions for everyone:

1. After replacing the MAP sensor, I checked the spark plugs and they were coated in carbon even though they should have 20,000 kms on them (Iridium plugs). Is it possible that the faulty MAP sensor would have caused this as the engine wasn’t running as it should for about 4 weeks?

2. Do I need to check why the last Catalytic was broken? Could the MAP have added to killing it?

3. My transmission service is due. It was rebuilt at 167,000 kms, and now I’m at 199,000 kms. A mechanic friend said we can just drain the oil and put in some Penrite tranny fluid. This is contrary to what I’ve read at some places where it was suggested to use the flush method (3x) and use ONLY Honda DW-1. Any thoughts?

Thanks for your help!

[Author]

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