lowrightor

My car is a daily driven with gusto. I don't race anyone. My next car (or maybe this car) will be stick but the automatic in Boston traffic in the summer and Ithaca hills for the winter while I was in college was a better choice.

Here is my "performance" setup right now:

GO:
AEM cold air intake and a lot of heart (Yes, that's it)

TURNS:
Koni Yellow adjustable shocks
Eibach Pro-Kit springs
DC Sports upper strut bar
Comptech rear sway bar/tie bar combo
White 16" Rota Slipstream wheels
Bridgestone RE750 tires
Black Zenki lug nuts
Bridgestone Blizzak WS-50 mounted on steelies for the winter

[Click my sig for the details on the rest of my car.]

Most likely my brother is going to get this car when (or shortly after) I move to the Carolinas in August. I will get a Scion tC, RSX, or MR2 then. Until then, my Civic will have to do.

My stock-sized exhaust rattles like a moracca if you hit it with a mallet so you can imagine what it does on uneven, salt-filled roads with a stiff suspension . I like things tight so the exhaust needs to go.

I've got some options:

1. Deal with the rattling until I sell the car to my brother and get a new car.
2. Replace the POS exhaust with a Honda OEM. I get an employee discount so it would be like $300.
3. Replace the exhaust with a RSR ExMag or another sort of cat-back. I like what I'm reading, seeing, and hearing about the ExMag. ~$500
4. Get the RS*R ExMag and DC Sports 4-2-1 headers (2 or 1 piece?) or another type/brand headers if just getting the exhaust is worthless. ~$800?

I know an engine/transmission swap would be the best idea for real performance gains but that doesn't work with my budget. Like I said, I want a better car next anyway. My brother probably won't have that type of money or desire either but it is an outside option down the road. The ExMag would bolt up but the headers won't right?

What do you think I should do? Feel free to suggest different products or to tell me I'm missing something. Experiences and first-hand knowledge would be helpful. Also, if you know a good place to buy these products, throw that up here too. Thanks again HT. You've guided/dragged me this far.


Modified by lowrightor at 11:54 PM 2/7/2005

rukawa1one

i say try to find someone selling a used stock exhaust system. Go check out the muffler shop too. I live in CA, and I have a buddy that works next door to a muffler shop. everytime i go there, I see at least 4-5 92+ civic mufflers there that people just throw away after they get their new "performance" muffler installed. Maybe u can get that and have the muffler shop make u new piping. I'm sure it will cost way less than 300.

lowrightor

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by rukawa1one &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">i say try to find someone selling a used stock exhaust system. Go check out the muffler shop too. I live in CA, and I have a buddy that works next door to a muffler shop. everytime i go there, I see at least 4-5 92+ civic mufflers there that people just throw away after they get their new "performance" muffler installed. Maybe u can get that and have the muffler shop make u new piping. I'm sure it will cost way less than 300.</TD></TR></TABLE>

If I was in Cali I might agree with you. But in Ohio cars like mine are few and far between. People replace their exhausts when they rust out from the salt here. Just one of the reasons I'm looking forward to the Carolinas.

1/4 of me works for Honda dealership so I have one of the Master Tech's there (who races his CRX) do all the work on my car now. He works on my car while I run the Scion Dept. in the Toyota dealership across the street so it works out well.

I'm not looking for a temporary solution anyway. I don't even have the time. If you check out my list of products, I have no problem with spending for some modest gains, looks, and sound. It's all in good fun. I thought we were all crazy like that.

nighttrain33

I don't see why the header wouldn't bolt up if it is made for your car. Also, I got my "custom" exhaust for under $300 with a used OBX (I know they aren't that great), but even muscle car guys tell me that they love the way it sounds (seriously). I will get a "bolt up" exhaust this spring when I do another swap or turbo, but other than that, it is your call.
Personally I think that a shop could make you a custom performance or stock exhaust more inexpensively that buying one from the dealer. Look around and you should find something. Everything takes time.

-Shane

lowrightor

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by nighttrain33 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I don't see why the header wouldn't bolt up if it is made for your car. Also, I got my "custom" exhaust for under $300 with a used OBX (I know they aren't that great), but even muscle car guys tell me that they love the way it sounds (seriously). I will get a "bolt up" exhaust this spring when I do another swap or turbo, but other than that, it is your call.
Personally I think that a shop could make you a custom performance or stock exhaust more inexpensively that buying one from the dealer. Look around and you should find something. Everything takes time.</TD></TR></TABLE>

I think I was just stating the obvious. The header I might get wouldn't bolt up to the B16 or Integra engine I might get. I know that's a lot of mights, but if you look at the original post I was talking about the future engine/transmission swap that someone may do.

I drive an hour to work everyday so my patience with my moracca of an exhaust grows thin. My commute + working + girlfriend = not much time to look for a used or ask a shop to build a custom piece. I'm looking to input my CC# and get on with it.

The $300 is an estimate that may or may not have included labor. I need to check. I get the (albeit expensive) Honda OEM parts at dealer cost + shipping, a half-priced labor rate, and the convenience of having the shop people as my coworkers.

Are there any other mods I should do before or in conjunction these one to two? Where is my air bottlenecking? Are the parts I've suggested the right ones?

nighttrain33

These and the cat are the only exhaust pieces that would inhibit airflow. The tb and im would inhibit airflow into the motor (obviously), but other than that you are right on.

-Shane

lowrightor

Don't say obviously because I'm hardly an expert. Would upgrading the throttle-body and intake manifold be a good idea as well?

When I bought this car, I didn't plan on going past intake, headers, and exhaust equation. It seemed simple enough - let the car breathe easier with the correct sized piping. Is there more to it than that?

nighttrain33

Any of those (tb, im, cat, exhaust, intake, headers) will give you some hp's as well as torque. Not a ton, but some. It just depends on how much you want to spend on it before you sell it (if you do).

-Shane

danielbendorf

I just got the RS*R ExMag installed of my 96CivicEX and it is a nice addition and finishes off my "Intake/Header/Exhaust" equation. The ExMag is a great exhaust because it's quiet unless you really want to floor it to be kind of loud. I think a good DC Sports 4-2-1 Ceramic one piece header and an ExMag would make a great addition to your car. It would fix the terribleness and you can order the stuff and get it installed while you're at work. The drive home will be glorious! :-D

lowrightor

What else have you done to your car?

Anyone else have an bright ideas?

danielbendorf

Well, header/intake/exhaust like stated prior and a performance clutch. So not much, but as far as your basic bolt-ons I am done, as the clutch replacement isn't really an option for you.


Modified by danielbendorf at 2:37 AM 2/13/2005

lowrightor

bump

lowrightor