How many miles until SES light after headers?

[yousefnjr]

Quick question, if you had an SES light come on after swapping headers: how many miles/cycles did it take for it to show up?

I looked at many threads here and have seen anywhere from immediately to hundreds of miles, hoping to get a clearer picture. I ask because I'm around 200 miles/12 cycles with no SES but I'm still not sure if I'm "safe." I checked the codes and there aren't any stored for O2 related issues.

[yousefnjr]

Just hooked up scanner and checked o2 voltages, car was warm and idling:

Pre-cat 1 & 2 - 2v
Post-cat 1 & 2 - .3 - .7 mostly , saw a couple spikes .1 - .8

All 4 o2's are installed in the headers. I have an ESS "euro" tune that's supposed to handle the post-cat o2's. Looks like it's doing its job, which is funny because ESS told me it wouldn't work with stepped headers

If this holds up I'll be very happy to not have to relocate the sensors

[Reborn_]

I have tons of experience running no cat/limited cat with various platforms. CEL/SES ranges from immediate to 200 miles (estimated)/10 (estimated) startups in my experience.

So I would say you are not "safe" yet, but it is looking promising. Also, with limited cat setups (which I think you have from my recollection in other posts), you may end up experiencing the intermittent SES that comes and goes depending on outside temperature, gas quality, etc. So basically, just monitor and see what happens.

[pokeybritches]

You won't pass emissions with a Euro tune, but you likely won't get an SES light unless the O2 sensors are installed incorrectly.

[yousefnjr]

Originally Posted by pokeybritches

You won't pass emissions with a Euro tune, but you likely won't get an SES light unless the O2 sensors are installed incorrectly.

I wonder, I just had it smogged a month ago so it'll be a couple years before have to find out. The last 2 smogs I've done they didn't use the sniffer, so if the o2's show ready (and still no SES...) shouldn't I be good? Maybe I'm getting lucky, but they didn't care about the visual much either - intake/sound gen/mufflers and they didn't bat an eye

[Reborn_]

Originally Posted by yousefnjr

I wonder, I just had it smogged a month ago so it'll be a couple years before have to find out. The last 2 smogs I've done they didn't use the sniffer, so if the o2's show ready (and still no SES...) shouldn't I be good? Maybe I'm getting lucky, but they didn't care about the visual much either - intake/sound gen/mufflers and they didn't bat an eye

In CA, sniffer is no longer done on cars with MY 00 and later (ref: https://www.bar.ca.gov/Consumer/New_...heck_Test.html). What pokey may be referring to is the number of readiness checks that SHOULD be there on our cars read via OBD2 (let's say it's 7) vs. the number that will be there for a euro tune (let's say 6). If a smog shop is savvy or meticulous enough, they will pick up on that. Also, stick with your smog shop - how thorough they are on the visual check is left to their discretion, and you have a good one

[StickMon]

Originally Posted by Reborn_

... stick with your smog shop

^This. I take mine to some rubes near the prison in Chino that do tuner Hondas all day.
They have no idea what they're looking at or that I'm supposed to have secondary cats, but don't.
They're too busy drooling over it to care.

[David70]

From everything I have seen, if you are running no cats, O2 sensors are in the headers, tune has removed the CEL, and you live in CA, you will need to find the "special" shop to get an approval.

If you still have the secondary cats but the O2 sensors are all in the headers (no primary cat), tune has removed the CEL, and you live in CA, you will need to find the "special shop" to get an approval.

[yousefnjr]

Update - around 450 miles now and still no SES. I don't think it'll be coming on. I'm thinking about taking it to smog purely out of curiosity. I have a feeling the tune might be doing more than just keeping the light off, the readiness & sensor values look good for a US car.