I am new to the forum and I own a 1998 Honda Civic HX with 100K miles. The car runs great, but the check engine light has been on for the last year. I ran it through it the diagnostic computer and it stated that I had a bad O2 sensor or a bad Catalytic Converter. I replaced the O2 sensor, but the still the check engine light came back on, which makes me believe that I have to replace the Catalytic Converter. The car is now over due for inspection, since I live in NJ I will fail because of the check engine light. I have pulled the buld for the check engine light, but I will still fail because I just learned that in NJ they hook the car up to a computer and it will read all of the error codes. I am trying to avoid changing the Catalytic Converter because it is quite expensive, but I need to pass inspection. Any thoughts on what I should do?

 

You should change the catalytic converter...

other option is to reset the ecu, then inspect it a couple days later, but if you haven't been through enough drive cycles, it won't pass, and if you keep driving it, the light will just come back on. it's a gamble and it might not work, and it's probably illegal in your state anyway

 

If there's no bulb in the light it will fail. If anyone admits to taking the bulb out, they will be in trouble. If you reset it and go in before the light comes on again it will show "not ready" on the computer and it won't pass. If they analyze the exhaust at the tailpipe and the converter is bad, it will fail. That might be good to know though to confirm the converter is really bad.

 

good call, I think they actually do that in new jersey

 

I think your cat is bad. How many miles you have? I replaced my cat around 235000 miles.

Currently,on my97 HX with 278000 miles on it. So far I replaced the exhaust manifold that also includes the catalytic converter(welded to it) and the oxygen sensor after the cat. The only reason I replaced the exhaust manifold because I had the notorious crack. The only two things that cause my CEL to go on is the bad o2 sensor and clogged up EGR valve and EGR ports. Other than that, no other problems with smog. I owned this since new.

This what I replaced so far with my Civic not counting the usual stuff ieoil, filters, batteries, and tires.
Both front axles, rotors and pads, distributor, radiator hoses, and the transmission. The trans was just little noisy I didn't want to hassle with it later since it was making noises for about 90,000 miles. I went ahead replaced it when the clutch was replaced. I'm on my second clutch.

 

My civic has 101,000 miles.

 

inspection? i never knew car in new jersey have inspections, in florida we dont do that

 

When they inspect the car, they will run it through the machine, so your gonna have to replace that part. Owning a car is not cheap, even if its something as reliable as a honda.