Thanks guys. Billman has mentioned a modified O2 spacer can be used to pin the honeycomb in place to prevent contact with the pin of the sensor. Not sure how that would work but if my CAT needs it, it seems the way to go to pass smog in CA.

 

The defouler threads will protrude into the catalyst. That will pin down the catalyst if it has shifted enough to decapitate your O2 sensor.

Gasoline type isn't the only reason catalysts fail. 06+ cars do have issues with the cats shifting.

Again...you cannot pass visual inspections with a defouler....

Unless they don't see it.

 

Thanks. The sensor arrives later today. Will pop out the old one and take a peak and see if the honeycomb has shifted. Hopefully it is just the sensor and I will be done with it. However, if not, I may try the C clamp "denting the sides" to lock the honeycomb in place. Should pass that way.

BTW, I have not seen anything by Billman in a while. I sent a PM last week but nothing. Is he doing okay?

 

Cos,
I don't think they have looked under our S ever since we stopped having to put the car on the rollers. Now they just take a look at me(old man) and the car(looks stock) and they just hook it up to the computer. No codes, good to go. The car is to low to look under unless up on a lift and no one has done that. I know one guy in the bay area that has a test pipe with the stock S heat shield bolted to it and he passes SMOG because of no codes.

Rod

 

Thanks. I have watched the guys all the time and they have mirrors on sticks (like the commie Germans did at checkpoint Charlie) to inspect under the car. You are correct. They do just hook up the codes.

 

FedEx dropped of the package today. I spent the extra $6 for them as the Post Office will destroy it and keep it for a week longer. The NTK appears to be identical to the OEM one. It has the clips pre-attached and a plastic cover to protect the anti-seize from smearing until installation.

As I carefully removed the sensor, I heard a clink as something fell off inside the CAT. Sure enough, only part of the core of the sensor probe was intact. You can compare the new and the old. I took a peek in the CAT and there was the honeycomb with the indentation of the probe. My fingers were too fat to fit the hole but my pinkie was and I was able to easily slide the comb forward out of the way. Of course that means it will be easy for it to slide forward again.

I am looking to remove the CAT and see if I cannot find a way to lock the front honeycomb in position as well as remove the pieces of the damaged sensor. The manual says I should replace the fore and aft gaskets as well as the bolts that go through the front springs and locking nuts. Same for the rear. Have to stop by our friendly dealer and pick them up on Monday.

Last week I came across the thread that a guy used a C clamp to dent the CAT in a few places to keep things locked down. What a great idea. I like that better than screws. However, for the life of me I cannot find it again.
I also wonder if some piece of metal placed inside between the two pieces of honeycomb would work. Maybe some JB Weld to keep it in place. Not sure how the high temps would do for JB however.

 

Billman uses a spring to hold the media back using the sensor hole,still not fathomed it out though ! maybe an extension is used also.

 

Cos,
I've never seen a S2000 cat cut open so I don't know if there is any honeycomb on the backside of the o2 sensor. I would just take the cat off and tap it on cement to move the front honeycomb forward, if there is honeycomb on the backside of o2 I'd just put a bolt in the o2 hole to keep the rearward honeycomb from moving forward. From there I would use the c-clamp or mechanics bench press with a small socket (maybe 1/4") to put half a dozen dimples around the cat just behind the forward honeycomb and in front of the o2 bung.

Rod

 

Rod,

I know there is honeycomb fore and aft with a uniform space for the sensor. I stuck a remote camera in there and looked around. The surfaces of the honeycomb, fore and aft facing the space are perfectly flat. I could not get the camera to see exactly straight down.
I am getting a spacer and will install the new sensor and see if I get a rattle from the small parts that fell off the failed sensor. I suspect you are correct in saying the smog (next year for me) inspection will not see it and flag it. I know a shop and the owner well to do that.
If a rattle does rear it's head, I will have to remove the converter and empty the parts out. I tried to get in there today but the parts are not magnetic and I could not get my small parts gripper to latch on. I was blind. I have dental inspection mirrors and they won't even fit the opening. If I remove it I will do as you suggest to make some dimples.
After hearing about so many of these issues, I am going to check with the dealer about goodwill replacement. I have to stop by anyway to get some nuts and gaskets to replace for the removal and re-installation.

eBay has used CATs for $550-$750. New OEM ones can be had for $1300. I found one Japanese Parts outfit in Japan that has them for $895 but I do not know how much shipping is. I will see if I can make this work. 77K miles is way to young for the CAT to fail for mechanical fabrication reasons.

 

Called Honda of America. The CA warranty for emission components is 8 years and 80K miles so I am past the timeline. I asked if they could extend some goodwill measures. They did some checking and found no history of this issue. They would entertain consideration but the diagnosis would have be performed at a dealer. I am plugging up the hole with the old sensor and driving over to the dealer on Wednesday to have them make it official. I have a case number. If they do extend consideration all or in part, they would cover the diagnosis charge at the dealer. $165.

If not, plan B is ready to go. Have some stainless spacers and a good sensor.

The manual says to replace front and aft gaskets for the converter if removed. The front gasket is $46. Seems like you could reuse it if it appears to be in good shape to me. I get the locking nuts replacement but they also call for the bolts that go into the springs at the front. Do the locking nuts damage the threads to ensure the lock feature? I found that to be true on Toyota's Tacoma front O2 sensor. Thought I could re-use but no way at all. All new hardware.