JDMBukLau

My header and catalytic converter are not aligned correct, what kind of problem can this give? (and i will fix that)

and also my header has a crack on it and it smokes after a few minutes of idle.
is this a common problem if your header has a crack in it of some sort.
(will replace header asap, just wanna make sure smoke is actually from the header)

furious94ls

What car/engine? Are you running the OEM header and cat? You generally want the header to line up to the cat correctly. If it's cracked you will lose power/make noise and possibly throw a CEL.

If you arent sure post a pic of said crack.

Former User

This^

Also create thread titles that summarize your tech problems - edited

JDMBukLau

1994 civic dx 1.5l stock d series, pics in a few minutes...

JDMBukLau

The head has this on it "pm3-16"
here is a pic of the pm3-16


here is the crack

Mfoehrkolb

--- Those d series cast manifold are known to crack. I believe around the o2 bungs, or maybe down near the flange if the car bottomed out a few times.

EDIT: IGNORE THIS PART ABOUT D SERIES

You don't have a stock manifold. That header crack should be able to be repaired, if you know or take it to someone that can weld and knows how to repair cracks. If they don't, it will just recrack.

What color smoke?
Smell of smoke (If you know the smell of oil/fuel etc)
Where is the smoke coming from? (IE. Engine bay, underneath the car, muffler)
How long after the car is started does it smoke?

JDMBukLau

smoke is white its coming from the engine bay, i havent really smelled it and like 1-2.5 minutes after starting it, the smoke looks like its coming from the header or from the bottom of the block but the manifold got really hot in those 1-2 minutes

JDMBukLau

also is there anyway i can figure out what kind of manifold that is since its not stock and also maybe you know?

jbpnoman

Start off by posting a full picture of it, but if it doesn't have any obvious company logos stamped on it, it's probably just a cheap generic knockoff. Also, that's probably why your exhaust system isn't lining up.

Mfoehrkolb

--- 1-2.5 minutes, "oderless"Ish... Probably just condensation my man.

--- if it's not stamped anywhere... eBay. Just buy a new one, will be cheaper than paying someone to weld it of you can't fix it.

JDMBukLau

here is a full pic of top part of the header

JDMBukLau

ive been looking at ebay headers today and i think i will prob get the ebay header with the catalytic converter so the thing will actually atleast fit

Mfoehrkolb

No eBay header is going to have a real cat.

Please post a link. But the pictured header is just a eBay no namer.

JDMBukLau

i know its not a real cat, and here is a link http://www.ebay.com/itm/STAINLESS-ST...4da06c&vxp=mtr

Mfoehrkolb

Ya, that's just a crappy resonator. For 65$ you can get a magnaflow high flow ceramic cat. Or a car sound cat, there's another out there too called monster something.

Iirc, your year d series should have the car built into the manifold... Might be Ek that has that though.

JDMBukLau

uhm car built into the manifold?

jbpnoman

Don't expect perfect fitment, and throw away all of those gaskets and replace them with OEM for the exhaust manifold gasket, crush gasket, and 3 bolt gasket, and replace the 2 hole gasket with red RTV. That header should work fine for you.

Also, I would strongly recommend having a local exhaust shop weld in a proper generic catalytic converter. They can cut the flanges off that test pipe and weld in a cat of equal pipe size pretty easily. The shop I go to for exhaust work charged me $40 plus the cost of the cat for the exact same thing.

Also, do yourself a favor and clean the header off with degreaser after installing it. Otherwise, it'll get a funky decoloring pattern on it from finger oils and engine grease.

JDMBukLau

sounds good, and is there anyway i can get my cat to fit with this header?

jbpnoman

I haven't seen your full exhaust system, and I have no way of vouching for the fitment of the ebay header you're looking at, so neither I nor anyone else here can honestly answer that question. Your best bet is, like I said, to take it to a muffler shop after you install it. If the fitment is off, they can unfuck it while they're welding in a cat for you.

Mfoehrkolb

--- cat. Phone autocorrected.

JDMBukLau

im pretty sure its not the cat is bolted onto the manifold, ill try to get some pics in the morning

Mfoehrkolb

I obviously know the cat isn't bolted onto your manifold... You have an aftermarket one. You said a stock d series making me think... It was actually stock. Lol.

You need pictures none the less to show what's not lining up, how the piping is hanging, type of flanges being used along with the angle of the flanges and gaps/stuff not lining up.

JDMBukLau

Also what head is pm3-16