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1999 Honda Accord Coupe Catalytic Converter

S

Schfifty Five

Lifer
My car recently had the check engine light come on. I went to Auto Zone to get a diagnostic done and it came back saying that my catalytic converter is failing.

I called one Honda dealership who quoted me at $110 for 1 hr labor and $1077.49 for part!!! That's ridiculous imo.

Anyway, there's no way I'm shelling out that much for it and I looked online for spare parts and I see them at around $100-200.

My question is if anyone knows of a reliable brand that I can get from a reliable dealer (online or B&M). Has anyone had experience with this? Did you end up passing emissions test after installing the spare part?

Thanks!

BTW I'm a big car noob.
 
My dads miata needed the cat changed so I went online and got one. I forget which site I used - RockAuto maybe? I think it was an Eastern Cat and the only hard part was getting the rusty nuts off the old one.
 
Napa has one for $219, but for some reason it says not legal in California.

edit:
a search came up with a place called RockAuto that has them for $150, $463 for the California version
 
Thanks for the info.

Do you guys know if these are reliable parts? Will they break apart after a few years only to have me replace them again?

BTW, I'm not in CA, i'm guessing they have a more stringent emssions test so some catcons can't be used.
 
There is not a code that says "catalytic converter is bad". There are codes that say that the O2 sensor readings are off and may be related to the CC. It could also be a Bad O2 sensor or other problem upstream. Don't replace your CC until you know for sure.
 
Originally posted by: Marlin1975
There is not a code that says "catalytic converter is bad". There are codes that say that the O2 sensor readings are off and may be related to the CC. It could also be a Bad O2 sensor or other problem upstream. Don't replace your CC until you know for sure.
Click to expand...

Should I just go take my car into a shop and have them diagnose it?

So far the only indication I have of a failing CC is from the free auto zone diag test they did.
 
Originally posted by: Schfifty Five
Originally posted by: Marlin1975
There is not a code that says "catalytic converter is bad". There are codes that say that the O2 sensor readings are off and may be related to the CC. It could also be a Bad O2 sensor or other problem upstream. Don't replace your CC until you know for sure.
Click to expand...

Should I just go take my car into a shop and have them diagnose it?

So far the only indication I have of a failing CC is from the free auto zone diag test they did.
Click to expand...

Depends on the shop. Some are lazy/under trained and will just replace the CC because a code came up that may be caused by a bad CC. Then you find out, $XXXX later, it was bad O2 sensor, leaky F/I, etc...
 
Originally posted by: Marlin1975
Originally posted by: Schfifty Five
Originally posted by: Marlin1975
There is not a code that says "catalytic converter is bad". There are codes that say that the O2 sensor readings are off and may be related to the CC. It could also be a Bad O2 sensor or other problem upstream. Don't replace your CC until you know for sure.
Click to expand...

Should I just go take my car into a shop and have them diagnose it?

So far the only indication I have of a failing CC is from the free auto zone diag test they did.
Click to expand...

Depends on the shop. Some are lazy/under trained and will just replace the CC because a code came up that may be caused by a bad CC. Then you find out, $XXXX later, it was bad O2 sensor, leaky F/I, etc...
Click to expand...

i see...well thanks for the input, i guess i'll look around for a mechanic to take a closer look.
 
I went to Midas today, looks like they want $500 for catcon, and optional O2 sensor replacement for $299, w/ labor it's about $1,000.

🙁 Is it really that much for all that?
 
Wait, so you can buy the part needed and give it to the mechanics, thus you only pay for labor?
 
Originally posted by: Quintox
Wait, so you can buy the part needed and give it to the mechanics, thus you only pay for labor?
Click to expand...

Probably not at any of the major chain stores or dealerships, but local mechanics I'm sure you could. Problem is I don't have a mechanic that "my car guy".

I'm just going to keep shopping around and getting estimates.
 
First of all stop going to autozone/midas or any of these shitty places to get your car fixed, go to your honda dealer and have them inspect it.
Just because you're getting a check engine light for a cat doesn't mean the cat is failing, there are numerous reasons why you could be getting that engine light and it might not have anything to do with the cat. I went to a training seminar from a cat manufacturer last year and there's a lot of things that could be causing the engine light to pop up.
 
Originally posted by: shabby
First of all stop going to autozone/midas or any of these shitty places to get your car fixed, go to your honda dealer and have them inspect it.
Just because you're getting a check engine light for a cat doesn't mean the cat is failing, there are numerous reasons why you could be getting that engine light and it might not have anything to do with the cat. I went to a training seminar from a cat manufacturer last year and there's a lot of things that could be causing the engine light to pop up.
Click to expand...

I see your point, and I already got two diag tests done on it and it is showing that the cat con is the problem.

I haven't taken my car into Honda yet, but I would assume they would tell me the same thing.
 
Originally posted by: Schfifty Five
Originally posted by: shabby
First of all stop going to autozone/midas or any of these shitty places to get your car fixed, go to your honda dealer and have them inspect it.
Just because you're getting a check engine light for a cat doesn't mean the cat is failing, there are numerous reasons why you could be getting that engine light and it might not have anything to do with the cat. I went to a training seminar from a cat manufacturer last year and there's a lot of things that could be causing the engine light to pop up.
Click to expand...

I see your point, and I already got two diag tests done on it and it is showing that the cat con is the problem.

I haven't taken my car into Honda yet, but I would assume they would tell me the same thing.
Click to expand...

What was the error code? p0420?
 
Originally posted by: shabby
Originally posted by: Schfifty Five
Originally posted by: shabby
First of all stop going to autozone/midas or any of these shitty places to get your car fixed, go to your honda dealer and have them inspect it.
Just because you're getting a check engine light for a cat doesn't mean the cat is failing, there are numerous reasons why you could be getting that engine light and it might not have anything to do with the cat. I went to a training seminar from a cat manufacturer last year and there's a lot of things that could be causing the engine light to pop up.
Click to expand...

I see your point, and I already got two diag tests done on it and it is showing that the cat con is the problem.

I haven't taken my car into Honda yet, but I would assume they would tell me the same thing.
Click to expand...

What was the error code? p0420?
Click to expand...

Yup, they saw that code first and then checked into more to make sure it wasn't just some sensor going out or something.
 
A little pin hole leak between the cat and the o2 sensor will trip that error code, i really suggest you take it to a competent mechanic because even if midas replaces the o2 and cat you can still have that light pop up.
 
I believe the '99 Accords uses ODBII components, very stupid and hard to find parts. If I'm not mistaken, your smog components should still be under warranty. I don't know about Texas, but in Cali the only cat you can put in the car, legally, is the one that comes from manufacturer and that's expensive. My brother in law owns a smog shop, I could have help if you were in SoCal.
 
Hmm.... my Honda (2000 civic dx) has had the check engine light on for some time, had it checked twice and both times they said it was a bad catalytic converter. Though I'm not sure if they bothered to check the O2 sensor and such as people here mention. After I found out how much it cost to get it fixed, and knew I didn't need to pass emissions where my car was registered in GA, I just ignored it.

Now I find myself in Northern Virginia and it looks like I'll have to pass inspection sooner or later. Glad to find this thread to possibly save some $$$, upwards of $1000 is nuts.

 
What sometimes happens is that an O2 sensor, or some other sensor goes out of whack, triggering the dash light.

The dash light is ignored for a while.

The failed sensor has caused the engine to run rich, which damages the cat after a while.

Now you have a bad sensor and a ruined cat and a much bigger repair bill. 😀
 
If the front O2 failed, yes, it can make the car run very rich and destroy the converter. The converter failed code is from the rear O2 sensor not showing what the computer expects from a properly running car and functional converter. Also, high fuel pressure or a fuel injector that is sticking open can cause the car to run rich. The only way to tell for sure where the issue is to see what the actual air fuel ratio is. Some OBD tools have the capabilites to actually monitor the air fuel ratio, but you will not see that on most home versions of the tools. Only on dealer or professional mechanic models. If the fuel ratio is correct, then it is bad cat conv or bad rear O2 sensor. If it is rich, find out why. A bad Mass Air Flow meter can also be the cause. You need something like AutoTap see link to properly diagnose it yourself. This works with a laptop computer.

http://www.autotap.com/product_family.asp?FamilyId=260

It runs about $200 or so for the basic ATS unit.

This links tells about cat conv problems and fixes

http://www.autotap.com/Article...rs_and_O2_Sensors.html
 
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