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I just bought myself a 1992 hatch from a private seller on Craigslist here in the Akron area. The seller seemed very trustworty, and after two test drives and close to four dozen look overs, I decided to trust in him the fact that the car would indeed pass E Check (a complete bullshit emmisions test that cars in only eight counties of Ohio have to pass in order to be legally plated) So I confidently show up to the testing station knowing that this little Honda would pass with flying colors, to find out that it has failed three times previously!

I know that the car has:
1.) slight valve chatter (an easy fix)
2.) Runs very rich
3.) Has new exhaust piping from the header back (new cat as well)
4.) Is still amazing on gas despite overfueling of pistons
5.) And the intake manifold is sticky gross with thick carbon build up

Just tonight I ran Sea Foam through the intake and it didn't do what forums (including this one) said it would do. Rather than the Sea Foam stalling the engine as I sprayed it into a vaccum line, it actually INCREASED the rpm's to dangerously high speeds. The car would bellow large amounts of putrid smoke in the process, but I have no idea if it actually burnt all of that carbon build up out.
Any thoughts, theories, suggestions?

 
Rep Power: 513

isn't the seller supposed to be responsible for emissions?

 
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The seller claimed that he took it to be tested this August and it passed. When in reality, he did indeed take it to be tested, but it failed completely. It emits nearly 7x the allowed amount of CO2. If I had been smart, I would have asked to see documentation proving that it was indeed capable of passing. Long story short, the punk lied to me and I fell for it.

 
Rep Power: 513

Isn't that some sort of fraud if the seller withheld information or falsified information to get you to buy the car? I'd ask around or do some research on the matter.

 
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My mom is an attourney and says there's nothing we can really do about it, other than just trying to get this damn car to pass E Check!

 
Rep Power: 206

Is the exhaust manifold cracked at all?

 
Rep Power: 292

It's law in CA (king of emissions states) that the car must pass smog after sale or the sale cannot take place. You should double check laws in Ohio yourself and not just assume your mom knows the answer.

 
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Try replacing the "new" cat. It may some cheap piece-o-**** not burning hot enough to evap that excess CO2. I would research the location of the stock cat as well, he may of put on an exhaust system that wont work for your model car.

 
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What part of the emissions test did the car not pass? If it's the low idle (HC) emissions then I would look at the O2 Sensor. If the sensor is bad it will tell the ECU to dump more fuel causing failure on emissions. Hope this helps.

 
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Thanks all for the advice! Hopefully I answer all of the questions...
I haven't gotten around to checking my exhaust manifold (I think a header is actually hiding under the heat guard) so that might be a problem.
I'm trying to avoid buying a new cat because they are pricy.
A mechanic told me today that it very well might be the EGR... I might just replace that.
My failed E Check test reads like this:
HC: Limit- 167.0 PPM Reading- 298.5 PPM
CO: Limit- 0.94% Reading- 7.76%
Something is apparently seriously wrong here...

 
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And the O2 sensor is new

 
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Here in Travis County, AustinTexas we have a high idle HC level we must pass and a low idle HC level. If the same which did you fail?

After reviewing the Honda Service Manual. Most likely Cat-Converter, second is Evaporative emission Control and last is EGR system. If someone blow out the Cat-converter it will never pass emission.