Civic-EG.com Forum 3.3.1

- Mon Apr 01, 2013 8:23 pm #329864 searched around and didnt really see anything to help answer this, i have a '94 VX and unlike most i am actually keeping the Z1 to use as my daily. my problem is that the car has what i'm told is an eBay header(i can only assume the stocker cracked of course ) the car also came with the stock cat(gutted) and stock S-pipe and stock muffler. when i go to mount it all up the 2-1 section of the header is about 6" farther back than were the cat should bolt up

im pretty new to all things honda so i am wondering what options i have. at current all i can figure is to buy a new OEM manifold(which will crack) or to cut and weld my stock exhaust.

is there a 'short' cat i can get, or will another exahaust system fit properly, or is there a shorter header??

any help is appreciated

john

'94 VX

- Mon Apr 01, 2013 10:18 pm #329868 i've been looking around a lot more and i thought there was a difference between cali and non-cali exhaust manifolds, but it now looks like they are the same and have the cat bolted right on the mani close to the bumper, rather than under the engine.

soooooo, i should be fine to go with an all stock CX or DX exhaust or aftermarket right? any sugestions? i dont want it to sound shitty but i also am trying to do this DD on the cheap

john

'94 VX

[suspendedHatch]

- Tue Apr 02, 2013 5:24 pm #329928 I would suggest converting it to DX with the cat under the car and a separate manifold.

- Tue Apr 02, 2013 6:30 pm #329933

I would suggest converting it to DX with the cat under the car and a separate manifold.

why so? interesting to know as fyi

- Tue Apr 02, 2013 11:26 pm #329951 i have ordered an ebay exhaust which of course is the DX/Si style and will report that it hopefully fits, cant figure why it wouldnt and it is the easiest and most cost effective way to get this thing on the road.

john

'94 VX

- Thu Apr 04, 2013 9:03 pm #330089 I disagree with SuspendedHatch's suggestion of moving the cat under the car only because, as far as I know, the cat is closer to the manifold so that exhaust gases are hotter and eliminate more contaminants. If the VX goes through a smog check in your state/province then there is a good chance it will fail. Not to mention you're not doing your part to keep our air fresh n' clean.

However, if you're in a bind and need to do it on the cheap, then SuspendedHatch's idea will work.

My only other suggestion would be to find a private seller from whom you can get the cat and header. If you can't get the cat 2nd-hand (this is not permitted in some jurisdictions) then you need to get a CX/VX one which is QUITE expensive. You'll find the most reasonable prices online at RockAuto.com.

However, it may also be possible to use a cat from a D16Y7 to achieve the same effect and these are considerably cheaper. This is an untested theory.

»LINK« to my DIYs for 92-95 Civics

- Fri Apr 05, 2013 12:35 am #330105 we do have emissions here, but all they do is DL from the OBD port on the car...... so as long as i dont have any CELs i should be fine.

they are supposed to do a visual check also, but i havent seen those lazy fellas bust out the 'ol mirror on a stick in like a decade! either way i on purpose bought an exhaust kit that the test pipe looks like a hi flow cat.

john

'94 VX

- Fri Apr 05, 2013 1:22 am #330109 might want to consider this in the future... but isn't there a talk about all states for all gas stations to have the same gas mixture that California uses?

If that is the case, I will assume smog check will be more strict and cars will be dyno.

- Sun Apr 07, 2013 2:23 pm #330203 if by dyno you mean the treadmill, i doubt MD will do that anytime soon as they used to do that then quit several years ago. i am however moving to WV in a month or two, and i have no idea yet what thier emissions requires. at current im playing by ear since i just need it on the road.

john

'94 VX

[suspendedHatch]

- Thu Apr 11, 2013 10:58 pm #330480

I disagree with SuspendedHatch's suggestion of moving the cat under the car only because, as far as I know, the cat is closer to the manifold so that exhaust gases are hotter and eliminate more contaminants. If the VX goes through a smog check in your state/province then there is a good chance it will fail. Not to mention you're not doing your part to keep our air fresh n' clean.

True, but this only matters for the test that the manufacturer has to pass. The feds test everything from vapors escaping the gas tank, decaying paint fumes, to the emissions the car puts out when it's started up cold. Once the car is at operating temperature, it no longer matters whether the cat is mounted to the manifold or to the end of the downpipe. The emission test vehicle owners take is a very abbreviated test. My VX had no trouble passing in CAli after I swapped to DX exhaust.

I'm an environmentalist, however, from that point of view it doesn't make sense to buy a lean-burning VX. This lean burn engine puts out more pollution than its counterparts regardless of cat converter mounting strategy. I focus on increasing gas mileage since creating the gas creates more pollution than using it. I also combine trips and avoid driving at all when I can. (Pretty much any Honda will get lower emissions than anything else to begin with. Moving your cat converter is far less of a sin than driving a pickup truck.)

The reason for swapping the exhaust is so that you can use cheap universal cats instead of the overpriced and difficult to locate engine specific cat converter. They're known for cracking. If you pick up a couple hp (combine with other mods) you'll be less heavy on the throttle when climbing hills, so it all works out.