New exhaust

[turabaka]

So I'm going to be upgrading my exhaust in a week or so as soon as I get the money. Magnaflow muffler and hi flow cat. the only thing I'm iffy on is the pipe size. I'm trying to decide between 2.25 and 2.5. I would prefer to get 2.5 as I intend to eventually do an engine swap and try to push 350-400 hp. my question is will a 2.5 in exhaust hurt my current engine? should I just get 2.25 and upgrade to 2.5 when I swap the engine. I'd like to save money by only having to do this once, but if it'll hurt my a20 I'd rather just do it in 2.25 now and upgrade later seeing as how the engine swap is a long freaking way off.

[bobafett]

2.5" is fine for right now - I prefer it to 2.25 personally even on a mildly modded (ie bolt ons) motor. it won't be fine for 350-400 hp though.

what engine are you planning on swapping in, and how do you plan on reaching those hp levels?

[Hauntd ca3]

2.5 pipe will prob lose you power unless you have modded the motor abit.
I run 2.25 on my si and have no probs with restriction even at the redline.

[M3Galaxie]

2.5" is fine for right now - I prefer it to 2.25 personally even on a mildly modded (ie bolt ons) motor. it won't be fine for 350-400 hp though.

what engine are you planning on swapping in, and how do you plan on reaching those hp levels?

Yea 2.5 won't support 350-400ponies

[turabaka]

2.5 won't be big enough? can these cars fit any bigger than 2.5?

[Civic Accord Honda]

u can get any size u want but anything bigger then 2.5 will make you loose TQ with the stock A20

[bobafett]

Just go with 2.25" or 2.5" until your motor is done. Chances are you will never swap in a motor and make 400hp, so a 3" exhaust isn't going to do you any good.

I'm not trying to be an asshole either, its just unlikely. And if you DO make 400 hp in a swapped (or stock) motor, the $200 that a new exhaust will cost you won't even phase you by that point.

[turabaka]

that's true. Like I said the engine swap is a long way off. (think 1-2 years. After everything else is done.) so I don't mind upgrading later if it's going to lose me power, and make my car run like crap now. I think I'll go with 2.25 like you guys suggested. That saves me 70 bucks to put towards new struts and springs. Thanks for the help guys.

[MessyHonda]

2.25 is the way to go....my exhuast was hot after we dyno tuned...i put my hand by it and the back pressure was flowing out nice. i would get a resonator tho cuz mine tends to rasp a bit.

[turabaka]

I hate to be a total noob (it comes with the hole learning as you go thing I guess), but what's a resonator, and what does it do? pics would probably help, as I'm a visual learner. hehe

edit: I was wondering if you guys know of any places that I could possibly just get the pipe for my exhaust, because my dad knows how to weld, and he's be willing to do it for me. It's just that we don't have a mandrel bender. If not I guess I'll just take it the meineke and get it done.

[bobafett]

exhaust shops don't usually have true mandrel benders either. if you want mandrel bent exhaust order the bends from www.summitracing.com or a site like that...

If you won't care about having crush bent exhaust usually if you provide a muffler a local exhaust shop will do a catback and weld on your muffler for around $100. at least around here.

[turabaka]

I went to two exhaust shops and they said that I have to buy the cat and muffler from them if I want it done. Thanks for the site by the way. I think I'll look into that route. I don't really want to pay 400 for a new exhaust that I can get for half that by using the internet and welding it at home.

[guaynabo89]

2.5 won't be big enough? can these cars fit any bigger than 2.5?

You can make anything fit if you try hard enough.



Heres what a 3" exhaust looks like. This one is for a hatch.








A resonator is basicly another muffler usually pretty small in diameter. In this nexr pic is below the muffler. These are all the parts i used to make this exhaust by the way.

[M3Galaxie]

^That's beautiful man...

[turabaka]

that is sexy. I think I'm gonna do it that way, and make it myself.

[turabaka]

Wow. I looked on www.summitracing.com for awhile, and now I'm confused as hell. Can anyone give me a list of the pipes I'll need to order from there to do it in 2.25? Or maybe just some better picks of the exhaust and the bends? I already have the cat and muffler picked out. I'm just confused on the pipes.

[Hauntd ca3]

just go to an exhaust shop, get a length of 3 meter 2.25 pipe and a couple 180 degree mandrel bends and what ever mufflers you want to use.
In nz dollars it only cost me $400 for the lot.
plus the headers.
Allow your self a day to do it .
Could do it quicker, but if you take time to do it, it'll be beter in the end.
Have fun, its worth it.
Mines 95db and sounds fuckin awesome wound out

[turabaka]

Oh I plane to have fun doing it. Thanks for the help on what to pick out. I'm going to order my parts as soon as I get paid. I can't wait. super stoked to put something on my car and be able to say that I built it.


Question: what is so bad about the pacesetter headers. Everyone one here seems to really bash them. Are they that bad? what kind of header should I be looking for?

[snoopyloopy]

it's not that anything is really that bad about the pacesetters, considering they're the only option for new you have now. your only way to get a dc header at this point is to get extremely lucky at the jy, on your local craigslist, or snag one of the ones that's being sold over in the marketplace. i think there's currently about 3 for sale, 2 of which are brand spanking new. but when i had both, i took the time to do measurements between the two and the stock header. physically, they're the same size, just the dc has a better finish and the length of the primaries is slightly different between the two. so if there's any real power difference, that would be the likely source and reason. but they both weigh about the same (a hell of a lot less than stock, lol). so if you can get a dc, snag it. but if not, it's not like you have many other options. you could try what a20a1 did and modify a 4g header to fit, but by time you do that, you may very will kill at least some of the performance benefits.

[turabaka]

alright, thanks for the advice. I think I'll look into header options a little later on down the road.

[Hauntd ca3]

never seen these pacesetter headers so cant comment
I would imagine that as lon as the primaries are all at least the same size or slightly bigger than the ports,they are mandral bent and the primaries are all within 5mm of each other in length they should be fine.
messy welds can be cleaned up after all.

[MessyHonda]

im happy with my headers i have pacesetters ceramic coated. i felt a power increse with when i installed them. plus they look cool and they save you like half the weight from the stock ones.

[turabaka]

nice to know. I might buy Pacesetters, or just wait until I find some DC's when I have the money. I like to make my own stuff, but this is one of those things, that I really don't want to have to do the math for.

[LX-incredible]

Question: what is so bad about the pacesetter headers. Everyone one here seems to really bash them. Are they that bad? what kind of header should I be looking for?

I have both pacesetter and DC headers. They are really constructed poorly when compared to the DC Sports. If you go with the pacesetters I would get them uncoated, grind down the EGR tube that protrudes halfway into #3, clean up the overlapping pipe at the 4 into 2, weld a real flex joint in place of the ball, THEN have the whole thing ceramic coated, and plug the AS port (manual transmission fill plug). Then all that's left is grinding the hell out of front crossmember, bending some brackets, and trying to get the three bolt holes to line up when you bolt the two pieces together.

[Hauntd ca3]

would'nt waste my time with 4-2 headers.
Only good for mid range
4-1 are better for the top end