4thgendxwi

I've recently purchased a complete stainless exhaust system on the cheap and thought I would write down my experiances for others since I know there are so many people wondering if they will get ripped off by the cheap systems.

Tenrai Stainless Catback System
Invested $95.00 plus $100.00 Shipping and handling via ebay
2.25" Diameter throughout

This is what it looks like freshly unpacked


I've read other reviews and have heard people say they have been ripped off when they have actually recieved a pipe with a smaller diameter than advertised. I measured all the flanges and took pictures. The exhaust I recieved is 2.25" throughout.


More detail on the muffler


You will need to remove the tie down bracket so the muffler will fit.


You will also need to bend almost all mounts down on your car because the exhaust fits too close to the car. An easy work around.




Notice I accidentally went mudding with it then had to bend the resonator mounts a little so that my short shifter did not hit the resonator.

Here is what it looks like from the back


After one week I've found signs of things to come with this muffler


NO NAME Stainless High Flow Cat
$10.99 plus $16.99 S&H from ebay
Upon recieving the item labeled as a CAT I noticed that the inside looks like a resonator packed with fiberglass and the outside looks like a cat. More false advertising on ebay. I was trying to stay road legal but oh well geuss I got ripped off.



NO NAME Stainless 4-2-1 Header
$2.99 plus $37.99 S&H from ebay




I was very impressed with the welds on this for the price it was sold.

SOUNDS

Revving with silencer
Revving_with_silencer.mp3

Revving without silencer
revving_without_silencer.mp3

Silencer in, Speeding up from a stop, taken inside car while driving. That was difficult, sorry for background noise.
Sound_from_inside_while_driving.mp3

All in all I am happy with what I purchased. I installed the catback and noticed no power increase at all. Once the headers were put in however, the car seemed a lot more drivable. It goes against what I have read from others but I swear I have more tourqe on the low end and it is easier to just drive and shift the car in general because it will start accelerating faster.

Total project cost $265.95
$195 for catback
$27.98 for cat
$40.98 for header
$1.99 for extra bung plug not included with header.

I give it 4 out of 5 stars cause it doesn't get any cheaper but I know I will have to change the muffler when all the packing blows out early. Not hard to change a muffler when you have a welder that can do stainless. Worth the price of the pipe alone.




Modified by 4thgendxwi at 12:42 PM 11/26/2006

civhatch90

the exhaust sounds a little loud, now do an mpfi conversion

4thgendxwi

I thought it was a little loud, yeah. It is getting more silent as I drive though. I may have to stuff stainless steel wool in there if I get a ticket.

I don't want to do MPFI. I want to keep my 40mpg
Just gonna put a filter right on the tb. I understand I will not see power gains with this setup. I like the way the car runs now though.
Just gonna paint it white I think and do some really neat graphics. I have a 24" vinyl plotter and I can do my own graphics. The car's future is just going to be a rolling advertisement for my future business. That's why I put on a polished exhaust. Polished parts look good, more power is a plus that I didn't expect.

1990crxsir

Thanks for going above and beyond with the audio clips. I am sure I speak for many that I have looked at that same exhaust and felt tempted to give it a chance. I agree that its hard to beat the price but it is a bit too "bumble bee" for my taste. Of course that could be helped by welding in a different muffler.

Don't worry about the gas mileage doing the MPFI. Prior to a rod dividing itself into a thousand pieces, my '90 CRX si would get that good. The best in summer was 42mpg (average 38-40mpg) and it would dip to about 36mpg in the winter. Driving style, routine maintenance, and 93 octane can do wonders for your average mpg.

peanut butter

Don't worry about MPG with the mpfi swap. I took the swap further and even added the si cam and my mpg stayed the same if not better, its still 40+. I think as long as you keep the dx tranny you will be good.

4thgendxwi

What tranny did you have? What did you get for mpg when you drove with a heavy foot?

1990crxsir

The tranny was an si. The whole car was bone stock except for the standard intake and exhaust modifications. I didn't have a header though.

I always drive with a heavy foot (before the flaming starts I am considerate and respectful on the road). My driving style is not for getting the best mpg, but to have the most fun without dying. Remember driving slow doesn't necessarily mean your saving gas. My wife gets worse gas mileage in her car then I do driving her car. I drive it faster then her but she does the "hard gas-hard brake" instead of smooth pedal action.

4thgendxwi

I'd like to think I'm a courtious driver too. I just always find myself in a hurry and need to get moving at the speed limit quickly. When I think back for gas mileage reasons I always tend to think I could have driven with a softer foot. Like you said too, having fun is good as long as you don't **** off other drivers or become a danger.

CivicWagonRUS

I think that MPFI is more efficient anyways. Throttle body injection is simply an econobox system that was a step up from carbs. MPFI systems are used on cars to this day (regular old sequential fuel injection if I'm not mistaken).

UltimX

iTrader: (1)

on your silencer, that is how it should be, because when you first bought it, it had stainless wool wrapped on the resonator. I'm not sure if it iwas the actual muffler that was releasing the stainless wool.

Also, if u want to cure the bumble bee sound, get a good resonator. They work great.

4thgendxwi

The picture of the black stuff on the silencer was actually fiberglass that had blown out of the muffler and collected at the silencer. It was soft like fiberglass in your house walls. Could be the resonator too, but a resonator is just another muffler anyway.

UltimX

iTrader: (1)

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 4thgendxwi &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">[/i]</TD></TR></TABLE>

Looks exactly like this stuff thats why i said that.

4thgendxwi

There was bunches of soft fluffy fiberglass laying inside the muffler too so when I uncorked the muffler and revved it for the sound recording fibers flew up in the air all over. It was kind of funny.

STREETWERKZ

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by civhatch90 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">the exhaust sounds a little loud, now do an mpfi conversion</TD></TR></TABLE>

x2


not only loud, but ricey/raspy. but for being that cheap, i guess you cant go wrong.

4thgendxwi

Yeah, I'm already shopping for a new muffler to weld on. At least I'm all 304 stainless now

UltimX

iTrader: (1)

i actually have a magnaflow SS muffler if u want... cheap too!

4thgendxwi

What is the legnth of it if I cut off the intake pipe and butt weld to the muffler casing?

UltimX

iTrader: (1)

intake? the part doesn't connect to the intake. what is ur purpose of the exhaust? look stock, bling, sound? i could help you out better that way.

UltimX

iTrader: (1)

if u want it where the one u have now would go i would need a measurement of how long the muffler u have now is. Then you could just weld on the tip. If not, other ideas are right after your resonator on your exhaust, or where the stock one would go then you could just weld a 90* with a tip on the end. Needles to say, it will sound a lot better than the raspy exhaust you have now. I'v heard the tone the muffler I have now gives off and it is deep and throaty.

4thgendxwi

I didn't mean that it went on the intake. I meant that I would saw off the pipe on the in side of the muffler, weld it to my pipe flush and hope it is not still longer than 14 inches. The muffler is short.

I have the exhaust cause it is polished. I still might like to improve the sound though.

crazykamper

how is the header holding up?!?!? i really want to get one but am a little sketched out because its so cheap..... can u post a link of the one you bought??? thanks!

UltimX

iTrader: (1)

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 4thgendxwi &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I didn't mean that it went on the intake. I meant that I would saw off the pipe on the in side of the muffler, weld it to my pipe flush and hope it is not still longer than 14 inches. The muffler is short.

I have the exhaust cause it is polished. I still might like to improve the sound though.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Oh okay. you could possibly do that. I'm not sure if it will work that way though. I have a SS muffler but it isn't polished. I think if you wanted the muffler to come out like that, your going to have to angle it a little then it would work. let me know if u stil want it.

4thgendxwi

I want to find a polished one. Thanks for trying to help me out though.

4thgendxwi

Header is fine. Hasn't been long enough to tell if it is holding up. Seems sturdy. Changes color like all stainless does when you apply lots of heat. I like it so far. If it gives out on me in a year, I'll buy another for the price. It isn;t hard to change it on this car at all.

UltimX

iTrader: (1)

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 4thgendxwi &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I want to find a polished one. Thanks for trying to help me out though.</TD></TR></TABLE>

No problem, if u ever change ur mind let me know. You can always paint it chrome or polish it lol.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 4thgendxwi &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Header is fine. Hasn't been long enough to tell if it is holding up. Seems sturdy. Changes color like all stainless does when you apply lots of heat. I like it so far. If it gives out on me in a year, I'll buy another for the price. It isn;t hard to change it on this car at all.</TD></TR></TABLE>

I think your header will last for a while if you don't nic the coating. I think I have the same header you do, that came with the car. Its been on here for a while and is starting to show rust signs (thats why i said if you don't nic the coating).