I'm looking for performance, and a type of sound similar to the mustangs flow masters deep sound.....just a little quieter. Should I start at the header and work my way back? I really don't want the "buzz bomb" effect. Could I get a few suggestions, without involving cat back systems, and a lot of finances. I'm not 100% sure, but I'm thinking my state does not have any regulations. If so....There not to firm about them.
Thanks,
-Shadow-

 

Buy a V8 if you want that sound. Our I4's will never sound anything like that. If you wanted to get anywhere even near it, you would need a catback. If you wanna go the less expensive route. Get a Magnaflow with some 2.5 piping and a resonator. It's incredibly raspy without it.

 

Thanks for the reply....As I said, a type of sound...."similar" to the mustangs flow masters deep sound. Do you think, the magna flow would help in performance? And by using a resonator, basically your straight piping it with a muffled, sound.....right? I'm not looking for that meaty tone....just something that's a little lower than those high pitch poo, poo, pipes. LOL.....
Thanks man,
-Shadow-

 

heh, my 2.3 inline four sounds pretty beastly. i got open cat with megan muffler w/silencer in it and a couple other bolt ons, and still sounds pretty rumbly. wouthout silencer you'd think it was a 5.0L mustang. but than you'd look back and realizing its not a rustang, its a lude

lol, i like the civics with the high pitched BWAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa sounding exhaust. OH BTW, there is such thing as not enough back compression. its not always about having complete free flowing exhaust. For turbos or other forced air induction, having free flowing exhaust is important but for a basically stock with bolt ons if you opened your cat and put on a fair sized canister muffler that doesn't have a ball or rounded end (more regular cylinder shape) it should keep it sounding meaty rather than high pitched civic bwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa bwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa you normally hear. so avoid the bubble or rounded tipped mufflers. in my opinion

 

It's a decent performer. It's really raspy without a resonator under any and all throttle positions. IMO it would be much better and deeper with a resonator.

 

Thanks man,
Any opinions on "Ebay" about the resonator? Also if you have no cat. and straight pipe it, would it be better to upgrade the pipe diameter somewhere after the header or sometime near? What about the c.e.l? Will bypassing the cat throw it? As you may know I'm already having similer issues with that....On another note.
Thanks,
-Shadow-

 

shouldn't throw a cel. only way to get a cel is by having your O2 sensor pick something odd up. your cat comes after your O2 sensor, which i think means it doesn't actually detect any differances after you replace with straight pipe. If your putting a turbo in or forced induction, custom cat back your exhaust to a larger diameter, but other wise don't bother unless material and labour is cheap. Like i said b4, you need some back compression. The best performance usually is a perfect balance of what comes in = what goes out. If your intake brings in more air than your exhaust can displace than your not opperating as efficiently as possible. Also your exhaust can only displace what your intake allows to go in, so if your exhaust is huge, it don't mean **** unless your motor is getting enough air in (and then out) to make it usefull. Larger diameter pipe with a straight canister (not bubbled canister)muffler will give you a deep tone though but with oversized pipes from cat back might reduce your performance overall. Also, the same goes for your header. if your header is stock tiny, then a larger cat back diameter system is usless because only so much air can get through your header. I think a resonator will make it raspy sounding, i wouldnt bother with one in my opinion

 

Mattsnooz,

Thanks for the insight.
So basically, If you plan to upgrade the exhaust or intake, your going to need to do both at the same time, or it's not going to make a difference? In equal proportions.
I'm looking at a few c.a. intake pipes on eBay. After a little searching on this forum, A short ram is for out of the hole acceleration, and the long is for long term (stamina)?
But wouldn't a short ram pick up more heat being so close to the engine? You mentioned "magna flow"....they seem to have a good reputation, from what I've read.
Thanks for the response,
-Shadow-

 

What kind of sound are you after? Something like this? This is a cheap header, Magnaflow cat, 12" resonator, and 2.5" pipe with twin loop muffler

http://videos.streetfire.net/s...e.htm

 

i would just do the whole cat back. from the catalytic converter back. get rid of the cat and do test pipe or hi flow cat depending on the state your in. you want get too much gains from a header unless you go with a rmf or something top of the line which can get pretty pricey. the thermal dynamics is good but anyone will do. but if you have money to blow get a nice header and work your way back.