I have a 96 honda civic dx. I just put in a header (ebay one, I know it was stupid), and now I have no catalytic converter. I'm smelling fumes inside the car. I thinkit was since the o2 sensorsdidn't reach. I'm thinking I should just go back to stock, since I don't think this will pass emissions. Does anyone know what I could do to pass smog?

 

You could go back to stock, or buy a header that doesn't suck [8D]

 

ya man. cheap ebay stuff is only good sometimes-

 

I went back to stock. The muffler guy said I could put a universal catalytic converter, but you still wouldn't pass the visual smog check here in cali. I would have to switch back and forth. Anywho, if I want a good header, I would have to get a CARB header. The ebay one was ok, just didn't like the idea of being a gross polluter messing up the environment.

Thanks for the info., exspecially the header faq section on this forum.

 

Yeah the only header that will pass emission here in Cali is DC Sports ..Thats the reason I went with DC Sports header. No exceptions. I also live in Riverside Bro

 

ya man the only way on a dx to pass emissions is with the stock header. unless you get a high flow cat that you put in. but you can also extend the wires on the o2 sensor and it should get rid of that smell your having. i have the same exact car as you and thats what happened to me. but right now i swap out the aftermarket header and stock header to pass emisiions. a good quality header for a low price is at megan racing.com thats what i have. its like 150$

 

Megan is a BIG no no here in California..It will still not pass Emission just because it doesn't have the carb tag. Only acceptable brand in Cali is "DC Sports" Any header should pass emission here in California at longest it uses the Cat and O2 sensors..It will fail on the Visual Inspection just because it doesn't have the CARB # on it so that's the reason everybody in here Uses DC Sports. People who don't use them, get there cars inspected at those shops where they do crooked tests for about 150.00 for emission test>> so it can pass .
I keep my stuff legal So i just can pay about 35.00 for the test with certificate

 

If you're smelling fumes inside the car, it could be from an exhaust leak. And since you bought an eBay header, it wouldn't be that suprising if it had a crack in it already. I have a 2 piecemegan header and one timethe joint where the manifold meets the downpipe came loose, creating an exhaust leak, and I could smell it inside the car. My guess would be that the header is either cracked or you have an exhaust leak from it being loose somewhere or from a bad gasket.