I'll be damned if I didn't just have my exhaust installed on friday 10/18. DC sport 4-2-1 headers and a Greddy catback. Sounded good. I had a NEX coilover kit on it and dropped the front about 2 or 3 inches and she rides beautiful. Damn near no body roll in her. Why the hell was I on my way to work not even over the speed limit on a regular road and I hit a man hole which was sticking out above the street. (6:30am dark and did not see it) Ripped a hole in the secondary for my headers. My car sounds like a 89' POS with no muffler. I get to work and took a peak under the front of my baby and it looked like someone had took a can opener to my piping. So I'm pissed now. I was pissed all day at work until I called DC sport and found out I could just buy the secondary instead of having to repurchase the entire headers again for $350+. The secondary alone was $189 plus S/H.

I really don't want to raise my wagon back up but I don't want to have to keep replacing headers either. Catch 22 if I ever seen one. I bought a VAFC, AEM fuel rail & regulator, AEM cam gear and AEM Cold air intake I'm just dying to throw on old girl.

I hear you all talk bad about Auto trannies and I have one. She rides good but I know I could have a lot more power to the wheels if I had a manny. Plus my engine is the f22b sohc and I've been thinking of doing a h22a swap but I hear the auto to manny swap is a serious pain in the ***. Plus I don't know if I want to put that much money into my wagon since I want to buy a prelude once it's paid off in about a year. Swaps over here in DC metro area run about $4k

 

I had the same problem with my secondary pipe. I called DC and they said the smae thing only mine was on back order. Instead I had a custom 3 inch pipe made with the flange from my old A pipe. And while your at it you can lose that catalytic converter too. Why not put that 189 towards a custom A pipe made of stainless. I paid about 120 bucks for the pipe and labor. my.02

 

The problem would still remain: should I raise it to avoid redenting the new pipe or keep it low and drive super careful? Also about the converter, done deal! I had an aftermarket fabricated cat bolted on.

 

I can't say I'd raise it up. I had steel plates welded under mine to protect it. The manhole was just an unfortunate incident but it may happen again. It will get dented again.

 

I think you riding too low to not hit everything.
good job with the set up tho'

 

I found the pics of mine...


And the new pipe without the cat...notice the steel plates on the left. And yes the new pipe is already dented.

 

I thought having some plates welded to protect them because like IM 7head just said "I'm riding too low not to hit anything. I love how it feels now and don't want to raise it up so I guess it's the steel plates to be installed. Meanwhile I have to ride around sounding like a diesel because of the hole in my secondary.


[Modified by sparknblaze, 4:48 PM 10/26/2002]

 

I would be interested in seeing some more pics of how you welded those plates up and where you welded them to.

 

Which one did you get?? Full adjustable shocks or non adj.?? I've seen this kit on ebay and the price sounded nice but I was wary of how it rode.......

 

Mine are fully adjustable and I paid about $900 which were on sale from $1200. The day that I put them on I fell in love. You can imagine how much body roll is in a heavy *** accord wagon with a big *** 250lb man driving it and a heavy *** particle board speaker box carrying 2-12" rocks and a 2ft long amp. Ol' girl hardly even budges now and I haven't even thrown on the strut tower bars in the front and rear yet. She is gonna handle so damn perfect when I finish. But the coils are worth it. It takes bumps a little rough, but the wheels don't leave the ground ie: acceleration over a significantly big bump.

 

What I want to know is how can you have the mods and not have them installed. When I order my mods I track them on UPS website, and if they get delivered while Im at work, I will leave early t o go install them. You will love the cam gear, that thing works nice.

 

Sparky's not mechanically inclined enough to take any engine components apart nor does he have the tools. My best friend does all of my complex mechanical work. I'm going to the shop to have the vafc, speed meter, and timing gear done because those are jobs requiring lots of time that neither my friend nor I have. Plus I work 2 jobs, go to school in the evenings and try and make time to spend with the kid so finding time to work on my car is kinda limited. I bought my coilovers in march and their just now getting installed. I'm kinda slow but I make progress.

 

Update: Replaced the secondary for the header and I finally got rid of that damn Diesel putt sound. Replaced the cheap no-name intake with an aem cold air intake. Sounds great @ 4k+. I noticed after I replaced secondary for the header that it was a little quieter then it was when it was first installed @ the shop.

I noticed when I took the el-cheapo intake off that there was some soot inside the intake pipe close to the throttle body but no soot was present near the air filter. How can this be? Any words of wisdom? How can I prevent this from occurring with my AEM intake?
(when I say soot I mean I wiped my finger inside the pipe and removed enough to cover my finger)

 

sue the city

 

That has to be from a backfire through the TB. Heard any popping noises ?

 

No I haven't heard any popping at all. I also noticed some oil and soot on the tube coming from the valve cover attached to the intake only the oil depositted itself on the outside of the intake piping.


[Modified by sparknblaze, 2:45 PM 11/8/2002]

 

That oil and soot is from the valve cover breather tube going into the intake. (The little tube that comes off of the left side of the valve cover). Take that line off and buy a breather filter for your valve cover. Then plug off the hole in the intake. You should probably get some throttle body cleaner too and clean the inside of the intake and throttle body while your at it.


Edit: Joo need one of deez doojobbies...



[Modified by Stew Pidasso, 2:21 PM 11/8/2002]

 

Moochas Grassy-asses Muchacho!! K&N the only company who makes them?

 

No...apc...3R..and alot alot alot of ricey company have them..
they are pretty expensive...i got my carbon fiber look breather filter
at kragen..15 bucks

 

I gonna get some metal plate weld on my header before i wrap it..
if i have the moola that is...

 

oh THAT'S what those are good for! i've always wondered and my j-pipe's got the same crud in it. figured it was dumped in from one of the tubes but didn't know for sure. cool next time i'm in o'rielly's that's gonna be on the list.