Most bang for the buck

[Acid X]

I was thinking about what would give me the most bang for my buck. Maybe trying to keep the parts under the 200$ range? Maybe 300.. I dont know. But either way, what would give me the biggest bang for my buck?

I'd appreciate any response. :)

[88Accord-DX]

Depends on what your trying to buy, be more specific.

[Acid X]

I'd like to stick with N/A parts. Other than that, i'm looking for ANYTHING that i can change/replace/modify that will give me the most power increase.

[88Accord-DX]

Start off with CAI, header, exhaust. Then cam, forged pistons, eagle rods, port & polish head with 3 angle job & so on.

[Acid X]

Sounds good to me! Haha. I have exhaust, but its not full. I've heard that the cat's for our cars are really expensive. Would it be better to just keep the stock cat and replace everything else (resonator, piping, muffler) or would it kind of defeat the point of having better exhaust? Especially if i took and replaced the header and flex pipe as well.

Also, is there any place i can buy a pre-built CAI kit for an A1, or do have to stick finding the civic air box and attaching an intake through that? I'd rather not go to EFI conversion.

[88Accord-DX]

Yeah, the cat is defeating the purpose of exhaust upgrade. If you don't have emmision laws, put a resonator in there. I'm not sure on a place to buy a pre-made CAI kit.. Everything on this car is a "modify as you go" application. There isn't much aftermarket support on it. Do a search on this site, cause there are plenty of threads about bolt ons and such.

[Acid X]

I see. Well i live in california which is emissions hell, so i can't just skip the cat. Right now i have a magnaflow muffler with 2.5" piping about 1/4th of the way back toward the motor (before the muffler, about half way from the cat/resonator).

I've heard that 2.5" is too big.. So anyway, should i just look for a high performance cat (like magnaflow)? Or would it even make a difference with a high performance cat versus the stock cat?

Thanks.

[88Accord-DX]

Read this thread.

http://www.3geez.com/showthread.php?t=45151

EDIT- That 2.5" is too big like A20A1 talks about, down size to 2.25". Was worried about answering the catylitic convertor question.

[A20A1]

I'd say get a header since you have exhaust already.
I'd downsize your exhaust to 2.25"

EDIT: If you can pass with a high flow cat get one.


I'm actually in the planning stages of a full stainless 2" exhaust and a new 1.50" ID Primary 55" long, 1.625" ID Secondary 12" long, stainless 4-2-1, with a 1.75" Choke Merge Header combo. The entire system will be coated to retain heat, even my purdy stainless muffler if it turns out that way.

It will use resonators and a muffler simmilar to the one I used on my accord and corolla in the past, only in 2" ID and maybe 2" OD and 2.25"-2.50" tip. I'll only use a muffler cause not having one gets you pulled over even if you don't sound loud.

.

[86LXItooFAST4me]

i have a colt cam stage one for FI for sell. fresh cam, never used but was installed

$250

[Acid X]

I'd say get a header since you have exhaust already.
I'd downsize your exhaust to 2.25"

EDIT: If you can pass with a high flow cat get one.


I'm actually in the planning stages of a full stainless 2" exhaust and a new 1.50" ID Primary 55" long, 1.625" ID Secondary 12" long, stainless 4-2-1, with a 1.75" Choke Merge Header combo. The entire system will be coated to retain heat, even my purdy stainless muffler if it turns out that way.

It will use resonators and a muffler simmilar to the one I used on my accord and corolla in the past, only in 2" ID and maybe 2" OD and 2.25"-2.50" tip. I'll only use a muffler cause not having one gets you pulled over even if you don't sound loud.


Yeah, i asked the guy who installed my muffler and new piping for me what size he was going to put and he said 2.25", but it turns out its 2.5"..

I can't pass smog with a high flow cat, i live in california. Unless someone can help me find a high flow cat that can pass smog.. Maybe catco? But how much are one of those?

EDIT: Also, would it matter if i had 2.25" piping and a 2.5" muffler? Because i'd rather not spend money on another muffler.

[A20A1]

What kind of muffler? Straight through? I wouldn't buy another muffler either, but if you can, amybe trade it with someone, for a 2.25. They'll end up adapting your 2.50 to the 2.25 piping.

[Acid X]

Would it be bad to have 2.25" piping and a 2.5" muffler? Because i'm afraid that a smaller size pipe through the muffler would make it sound different, and i'd rather not lose the sound..

[FyreDaug]

Well if you have an A1 like you said, you are carbed. Most bang for your buck would be converting to EFI, because it opens up much more possibilities in the future if you ever decide, it also increases power off the bat.

EDIT: And about the exhaust I believe ours are 1-3/4", so 2" would be a decent upgrade all around, 2.25" wont do much for low end (maybe hurt it) and help out the top end. You have to remember that there is different exhaust flow throughout the powerband. Theres alot of different variables, but I would say NO MORE than 2.25" at the most. Even if you have alot of bolt ons, youll just hurt power if you go larger. I'm going with 2.5" because I'm putting a 200jet on my engine

[Acid X]

What's a 200jet? And will it matter if i leave the muffler at 2.5" but change everythign else to 2"? I paid about 130$ for the muffler, probably overpriced, but i'd rather not have to buy another..

[spanky]

im not sure about this but i heard if you put two high flow cats back to back you can pass smog test.i just heard it around another forum. here is a link on ebay that has cheap H/f cats.http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/86-89-HONDA-ACCORD-HIGH-FLOW-CATALYTIC-CONVERTER-87-88_W0QQitemZ7990320604QQcategoryZ33629QQrdZ1QQcmdZ ViewItem

[FyreDaug]

200jet = 200hp shot of nitrous

[Acid X]

Ah. Still noone answered my question about the piping to the muffler :\

[FyreDaug]

Well you could use a reducer pipe backwards and have it go into it, butt it would be kinda pointless, with the velocity change and delta pressure change it might hurt you. Its always best to keep the same size, if anything you can go larger after it goes through the car by 1/4", but IMO I wouldnt recommend using it. Sell it and by another one maybe?

[A20A1]

How far do you intend to build your car? you may only need 2", but if you plan to mod a lot more down the road you may want to up the size to 2.25 in preperation.

[maka_RTH]

that high-flow cat off of ebay is more of a straight through, i have one :D. i have some pics of it if you wanna see.

[bucc]

i have a 2 1/4" pipe on mine from the down pipe with a ractive can and u can feel the lost in the compression, kind of makes me mad; i like the sound but hate the lost of low end.

[Acid X]

I'd like to do alot of stuff to it, but i dont think alot of it will happen. I might do header and a few other things which are in my range atm, but maybe i should just go 2".

Either way i'll probably stick with the muffler i have until later on.

[w00tw00t111]

I didn't mention this b/c your budget was 100-200 but if you could wait just a little bit longer why not just get a nitrous kit. If your wanting budget power you don't get much more bang for the buck there. But thats just my opinion.

[bobafett]

holy shit u guys, i have 2.25 and im planning on 2.5 at least once i get my new motor in... amber accord had ONLY IHE, and 2.5 and it had awesome low end.

with my accord im doing 2.5 or something slightly bigger, but i dont want 3" :)

[Acid X]

IHE = intake headers and exhaust? Did she replace her cat, flex pipe, resonator and everything?

I'd like some more info about that. :)

[bobafett]

sorry... yes IHE = intake header and exhaust
i also forgot, she had a high flow 2.5" cat in the mix too...

her total mods were:
2.5" aluminized catcback exhaust with 2.5" fireball style muffler
2.5" weld in high flow cat
Pacesetter custom paint burned off header
92-95 Civic short ram intake

her exhaust system was entirely aftermarket, there is no resonator or flex pipe (with the pacesetter, DC Sports headers does retain a flex pipe) but her only non exhaust mod was a short ram intake. the car had GREAT pull until about 5500rpm :( but the exhaust certainly didnt kill the low end. it may have been worse to stock, but all i had to compare it to was my car, which has a few more mods (listed in sig)

my car has a pretty slugish lowend, and i dont start to really make power until 3500+ but it is all the way to redline. :)

if your car is totally stock and u dont plan on modding a lot more, then 2.25 is probably ok, but i have 2.25 on my car, and even with the mods amber had (less than me) i feel her exhaust was better, and i know my car would benifit more from 2.5" exhaust than hers.

if you need any other info just lmk.

btw all my "power" references are on the butt dyno

[bobafett]

Would it be bad to have 2.25" piping and a 2.5" muffler? Because i'm afraid that a smaller size pipe through the muffler would make it sound different, and i'd rather not lose the sound..

it will probably make the pitch slightly higher, but shouldnt effect it too badly. think civic with muffler and stock exhaust (sounds terrible)... the larger exhaust pipe diameter (and muffler inlet diameter) the louder and deeper the sound will be.

[b8er]

how about trying one of those twin loop mufflers, would a twin loop help with emminsions at all? just a thought

[A20A1]

no, high flow mufflers wont give you better emissions.

[Acid X]

I'll just leave the pipes how they are for now, and see what happens when i open up the top end with a CAI if/when i get one.

[gfrg88]

why dont you just flip the lid for now lol :D

[88Accord-DX]

why dont you just flip the lid for now
Talk about bang for the buck.. Just throw couple bucks in the gas tank & "bang ---- watch -er -buck! " :lol: