DIY Exhaust without welding for $150

[Swap_File]

My exhaust has been on the way out for a long time. I was tempted to buy a pre-made solution, but all the local places wanted quite a bit of money, and I was not too excited about the pacesetter kits.

I ended up going the cheap route and just made my own.

Parts required:

Locally purchased:
Two 2 1/4 inch 90 degree elbows ROL 548704 $4 each
Two 2 1/4 inch 45 degree elbows ROL 548754 $4 each
2 inch ID to 2 1/4 inch OD adapter ROL 548523 $4
One 2 inch exhaust pipe clamp $1 each
Twelve 2 1/4 inch exhaust pipe clamps $1.50 each
Some straight 2 1/4 inch exhaust pipe $10
New exhaust crush washers $5
Total - About $50

Ordered from Summit:
Two 24 inch glass packs SUM-630812 $21 each
One Oval muffler with offset SUM-630122 $18
Flex Pipe SUM-642214 $30
$10 shipping
Total - $100

Stuff I had on hand:
Exhaust pipe expander. Purchase from harbor freight for $9 if needed. Item 37353.
Some scrap angle iron

Note: I did paint some of the pieces with black BBQ paint, but from my experience the pipe gets way too hot for the paint to stay on. I wouldn’t bother to do it if I did the project again.

First, remove your old exhaust:
http://img99.imageshack.us/img99/8761/exhaust003largedo8.th.jpg (http://img99.imageshack.us/my.php?image=exhaust003largedo8.jpg)
As you can see, my catalytic converter was already gone, along with my flex pipe. They were both left along the side of the road somewhere….

http://img99.imageshack.us/img99/6074/exhaust001largebm0.th.jpg (http://img99.imageshack.us/my.php?image=exhaust001largebm0.jpg)
In this picture I already cut off where it connected to the flex pipe.

Look down the end of the pipe. It should look like this:
http://img242.imageshack.us/img242/9766/exhaust002largejy1.th.jpg (http://img242.imageshack.us/my.php?image=exhaust002largejy1.jpg)

Stick your exhaust pipe expander in it, and expand it out to this
http://img99.imageshack.us/img99/3465/exhaust079largecf0.th.jpg (http://img99.imageshack.us/my.php?image=exhaust079largecf0.jpg)
If you cannot insert your exhaust pipe expander all the way, take another short bit of pipe to cover the end of the expander that is sticking out. If both ends of the expander are not in a pipe, the expander will break.

Next, start bolting things together:
http://img187.imageshack.us/img187/3544/exhaust081largeem3.th.jpg (http://img187.imageshack.us/my.php?image=exhaust081largeem3.jpg)
Here I have the adapter to 2 1/4 inch pipe bolted up to the stock pipe, and the new flex pipe. Note: Keep the clamps facing down, not up like in this picture. Do not tighten any clamps fully until everything is in position!

http://img165.imageshack.us/img165/4182/exhaust086largetj5.th.jpg (http://img165.imageshack.us/my.php?image=exhaust086largetj5.jpg)
Make sure to reuse all the old exhaust pipe mounting points and rubber hangers so you do not run into vibration problems. Here I reused the old bracket, but I had to extend it a bit.

http://img165.imageshack.us/img165/1646/exhaust085largehr0.th.jpg (http://img165.imageshack.us/my.php?image=exhaust085largehr0.jpg)

Closeup of the mount:
http://img504.imageshack.us/img504/140/exhaust082largedh7.th.jpg (http://img504.imageshack.us/my.php?image=exhaust082largedh7.jpg)

Getting around the suspension:
http://img165.imageshack.us/img165/7938/exhaust084largewm9.th.jpg (http://img165.imageshack.us/my.php?image=exhaust084largewm9.jpg)

The Muffler:
http://img253.imageshack.us/img253/1223/exhaust083largesp8.th.jpg (http://img253.imageshack.us/my.php?image=exhaust083largesp8.jpg)
Here I used some angle iron to make the mount. Make sure to use locking nuts so you do not crush the rubber hangers.

This new routing of the exhaust pipe does hang a little lower, but it actually keeps the muffler much higher. I no longer scrape my muffler on steep driveways like I used to (which was probably what killed the old muffler), and the pipe under the tire is still protected by the tire itself.

This was a very cheap and easy solution to replacing my exhaust, and it sounds good. It is quiet with a nice low tone, but not like a fart cannon.

I will try to get an mp3 of how it sounds posted, but it might take a little while. I need to find my microphone.

[86ccord]

looks good.. what i did only costed 10 dollars.. :} i just cut my muffler off and got and exhaust extension and off i go.. with a deep, expensive sounding exhaust!

im looking forward for you sound clip! good job on everything

[ghettogeddy]

hmmm
not a bad dyi but how will those clamps hold over timne did you use locktight on them
or just locked nuts and if just locking nuts will the heat eventually make them go bad

[Swap_File]

I just used normal lock nuts. So far I haven't ran into any into problems with the clamps wiggling loose on our trucks, but then again I live in Minnesota, so the rust locks them tight pretty quick. :)

[MessyHonda]

is it low to the ground? it would suck if it hit and all the pipes would come off

[ghettogeddy]

is it low to the ground? it would suck if it hit and all the pipes would come off

ya scenes my lower control arms scrap on speed bumps lol this would be all bad for me lol

[Swap_File]

The muffler itself is higher than stock, the flex pipe and first glass pack is about the same as stock, and the second glass pack and pipe under the rear suspension is a little lower than stock (to fit below the heat shield).

I have had no problems with it so far. The higher muffler never scrapes on steep driveways, unlike my old stock muffler which did.

If you are really worried about scraping your exhaust (or have a lowered car), you could always run a straight pipe where the second glasspack is. Then it would be the same as stock.

[EricW]

Nice work!

[Civic Accord Honda]

sweet!

[gfrg88]

ya scenes my lower control arms scrap on speed bumps lol this would be all bad for me lol

how in the hell do ur lower control arms scrape?!?:wtf:


good job on the diy.. this works pretty damn well i had done it to an old truck my friend had. his muffler rusted off and we put another muffler on with thse same clamps... two years and still holding on :D

sticky!!!!

[Civic Accord Honda]

im going to kinda do this to my 3gee since the res has a hole in it ima cut it out get a peace of pipe and clamp the pipe in

[knarg]

ya scenes my lower control arms scrap on speed bumps lol this would be all bad for me lol

do you mean the radius arms..?

[ghettogeddy]

do you mean the radius arms..?

maybe i konw something scraps lol