Hello all!

I'm new to the forum, but it comes highly recommended by some of the folks at http://www.arstechnica.com BTW this is my first Honda, never worked on them before, everything prior was chevy.

So, I just bought a used 96' Civic 4 Door. Pretty much stock other then the wheels and some interior work. I figured it would be a fairly safe purchase and I would be getting a very reliable, solid car that had the capability (depending on my budget) to perhaps mod a bit. I'm fairly mechanically inclined and perfomed most of the repairs on my previous vehicle (Chevy S10). So when I test drove it the check engine light was on, and I got the error codes off it and it was a bad o2 sensor, which is a fairly easy repair so I still bought it.

However, what I didn't notice was the large crack in the exhaust manifold hiding under the heat shield. This makes me very unhappy. I'm on a tight budget being a poor college student and the purchase ate most of my disposable income. I would still like to attempt a repair, but I have some questions that hopefully you guys can answer:

First off, vehicle info:
96 non-Vtech Civic. 5-Speed man. 33K, Stock everything in regards to drivetrain, exhaust and electronics.

1. Is the Catalytic Converter part of the exhaust manifold? They look like 1 piece, but I can't tell for sure.

2. Is it worth replacing it with a stock manifold? I've found literally tons of aftermarket manifolds, but is it even worth considering them if I don't plan to mod anything else for awhile (1+ years).

3. Where can I even find a replacement stock manifold? Napa, Auto Zone, Part America, and Carquest don't seem to carry them at all. I thought junk yard, but that could be real tough around this area (only 2 within 75 miles).

4. Can I put off this repair? I only drive 3-5 miles on the average day, more on weekends. I realize I'm taking a milage hit, but can I damage anything further in the vehicle by not replacing this for another 5000 miles, when I have more cash?

5. I'm decent with working on cars, but how big of a headache could this turn into (assuming something like a bolt breaking or something like that not happening)? I've got a fairly good set of tools, is there anything unique I should get prior to attempting this (other then a repair man. which I already have)?

Any input would be great as I have no other real resources to tap for advice other then a repair shop (who is gonna tell me whatever they can to get my business). I'm driving with a check engine light on right now and the only trouble I'm having is the occasional stall at a red light (which I attribute to the o2 being stuck on lean). Could this problem get worse?

 

You have the wrong forum, 96 Civic is not a CRX/EF. However I will answer your question. You get can replacement O2 sensors made by Bosch for about $40 or cheaper. I think a 96 Civic would have 2 O2 sensors though. As for a new Manifold you could probably get a Chikara header for really cheap. Mine new was only $120 and is a damn good for that money. That or I'm sure there are tons of people who put an exhaust on their 96-00 Civic and have the stock one still around.

 

Damn, you're right. Mods, feel free to move.

It's only the top (pre cat) o2 throwing the error. I'm most concerned about the header. I'll look into the Chikara's though.

 

summitracing.com sells them.

 

JB Weld?

 

OK, however this still doesn't answer the catalytic converter question. Mine appears to be directly below where the first o2 sensor is, is this part of the header, or will I be able to remove it and not have to buy a replacement cat?