honeywheel11, what is your name?
I'm very interested in how your car is doing. I'm local to you, in fact I work in Columbia rt 108. Let me know how things are doing :thumbup:
I'm very sorry to hear about your car.
Not just our cars but a lot of new cars are VERY sensitive now days and they are required OEM parts because they are designed to hold perfect readings. (spark plugs/sensors etc...)

We have numerous customers that declines work to get worked done somewhere else to get slight cheaper and end up coming back (towed) because their car is not running right.

It all depends WHO HELPS YOU and who WORKS on your car. I hope you didn't have any bad experience here @ Jim Coleman Honda :p
But I'm just letting you know that I work local to you and if things aren't going as you plan, let me know and I'd be more than happy to check your car out. I have multiple members here come visit me and I don't let them down :thumbup: I treat their cars like it's mine.

Just letting you know there's some help local if you ever needed! (Olegator and I)
I've heard plenty good things about Olegator so I could vouch him
-Byung

btw, whats your mileage and maintenance history?

It is my understanding that secondary O2 and all related codes are emissions related only. The ECU does no compensation for any thing it reads there. Hopefully one of the ASE guys will confirm.

Thanks Byung!

e3opian, your statement is correct. That's why I suggested that maybe upstream (B1S1) O2 sensor is malfunctioning. That is the sensor that ecu looks at for Air/Fuel mixture readings.

I live in Columbia as well (off of 100). Let us know if you need a hand.

Sorry, my name is Michael.

Well, the Mechanic called me yesterday and told me it needed new plugs. Seemed reasonable since I havent changed them since owning the car even though I heard they are good for a 100k. The car is almost 10 years old though. Anyway, got the plugs installed and picked up the car. The car drives better than when I first bought the thing. I thought my problems were solved. I was driving home on 695 and about 10-15 min into my drive, I throw a CEL (oddly, at the exact moment i plugged my ipod into my head unit, however I doubt that has anything to do with it). I am going to the O's game today so I wont have time, but tomorrow I am going to check the CEL code. I have a feeling that the new plugs took care of the engine misfire code, but that I am still going to have to put an OEM cat back on the car because I really dont want to put the Berk HFC back on. I'm betting the code is another p0420. Olegator, I might need your help if it isnt.

@ s24shoor - didnt take my car to jim coleman - did take it to odonnell and I will never take it back there again. They quoted me 4k of engine work when it seems that the plugs may have been the fix for the p1399. I swear I still hear a faint clicking sound at start up, maybe my TCT. I am not sure though - I would need someone who knows more about the mechanics of the car to listen to it. I have 80k on the car and since I have owned it, I have had to replace my front right break rotor and catalytic converter (which I still seem to be replacing at the moment). The exhaust was ditched for the q300 for my own personal reasons. Other than that, the oil gets changed when it is supposed to (done at odonnell). She has been a great car.

Cold start or warm start? (Or both?)

Also, I'd be glad to swap my OEM cat for the Berk. :thinker:

just want to throw my two cents in.

1. have you checked your spark plugs? (oops, just read your last post).
2. Is the car tuned?
3. Did you check all the sensors inside the car - disconnect and reconnect?

Just few things I would check.

The reason why I asked about your mileage/maintenance history is because I wanted to see if you got basics done. I'm glad spark plugs got replaced. Do you have old spark plugs that they replaced? I just wanted to see what they look like. If not that's alright.
Well keep us updated and feel free to PM me if you want quick communication :tipwink:

Hey Mike,
Looks like you needed new plugs regardless. Let me know, maybe we can meet up during the week and I'll take a look at it.

Hey all, I am Michelle from California and I recently picked up a 2002 Honda S2k in April (116,000 mi). I have the stock CAT on the vehicle with the Invidia exhaust system. Just recently, my check engine light has come up and the reading is P0420. I am slightly concerned that I might need a new CAT. However, a friend of mine works for Honda and he's gonna run a diagnostic check on it to let me know more. Any chance the O2 sensors might need to be replaced rather than the CAT? Subsequently, the car just passed SMOG less than a month ago.

Always remember replace both O2. I would start to replace that CAT first then check the spark plug next, then coil lines. Sometime bad coil will throw u cylinder miss fire code! Anyway good luck on the fix man :tipwink: