HX's vs EX's

[1995HondaCivic]

Originally posted by HXCivic97


Definately need to get some cash flow so I can get me one of those helms manuals... I must be the only person who knows about cars as much as I do without owning one - kind of embarassing actually

sorry to rain on your parade, but my uncle has stripped his engine down 5 or 6 times and has done many other things without an instruction booklet

[Melt]

First post by Ebranste -- I belive a problem only wxists when doing a swap into a DX or LX cause you have to run a wire for the VTEC solenoid.

I agree, it shouldnt be too difficult to do it into the HX because VTEC already exists

[Ebranste]

Originally posted by 1995HondaCivic


sorry to rain on your parade, but my uncle has stripped his engine down 5 or 6 times and has done many other things without an instruction booklet

What was the point of your post...to say I'm better than you cause my uncle mechanically inclined. It's pretty rude and not what this forum is for. How old are you? 10?

Besides, I'm willing to bet your uncle wished he had a helms manual for reference when he was stripping down his engine one of those many times.

[HXCivic97]

Originally posted by Ebranste


As to the difficulty of swapping an engine into an HX, its the same procedure as an EX. Shouldn't be any different assuming your dropping an OBDII into a 6th gen Civic. I belive a problem only wxists when doing a swap into a DX or LX cause you have to run a wire for the VTEC solenoid.

Alright, so is there anything different i need for this swap than an EX? For example, here're the things i remember that i need for the swap (off the top of my head):
engine w/ head & tranny, shift linkage, axles, intermediate shaft, intake manifold, exhaust manifold, all O2 etc sensors, ecu, fuel rail, throttle body, starter, and ignition wires. And the alternator. I'm sure there's a couple other basic things i'm forgetting, but is there anything different I'd need for the HX? like the entire exhaust system? Or should the manifold bolt up directly to my current one?

[Rice-Rocketeer]

You'll probably need to take the car to a muffler shop to have them extend/shorten your flanges so they can bolt up together. Try getting the catalytic converter of whatever engine you're getting, and then get a custom 2.25" exhaust pipe made for your car. If not you won't have cat and your stock exhuast will choke your new engine.

[HXCivic97]

Originally posted by Rice-Rocketeer
You'll probably need to take the car to a muffler shop to have them extend/shorten your flanges so they can bolt up together. Try getting the catalytic converter of whatever engine you're getting, and then get a custom 2.25" exhaust pipe made for your car. If not you won't have cat and your stock exhuast will choke your new engine.

Flanges? I'm not familiar with that term. What is this so called 'flange' that you speak of? =)

Well, while we're speaking of custom exhausts, one of the looks that I love are civics with two mufflers on each side of the car - i imaging there aren't two exhaust pipes, since there's only one header, so how do they do that? - just run two pipes to two mufflers near the back of the car somewhere? And what kind of effect does this have on performance? And what kind of costs are we talking, both for the plaiin 2.25" custom exhaust and the 2.25" custom exhaust split in the back for two mufflers?

Also, if i go for, say, a B18C engine, the cat from any trim 'teg will work, right?

[Rice-Rocketeer]

Look at your stock exhuast system, there are points where two pieces of the exhuast tract are bolted together with special spring mounted bolts. The point at which they're bolted together, those are the flanges. They're like extensions of the pipe where the bolts go thru. It's hard to explain

As for dual exhuast systems, you're right, there's only header, so what they do is run one pipe until the rear axle and then split it off with a Y-pipe from there to two different mufflers and exhuast tips. Problem with that is, it really isn't neccesary with our very small displacment engines. And if you use 2.25" piping for both extensions, you'll actually flow more than you need and you'll lose the delta pressure needed for your low end power. So it'll hurt low end performance a bit. It'll also cost a bit more as well. You'll need to get another aftermarket muffler which could cost you another $100-$200 and run the piping and Y-splitter. Altogether it'll probably cost another $300-$400 for the dual exhuast setup. I gotta warn you though, alot of ppl (both import and domestic) see it as "ricey" because they see it as you're trying to imitate a car that has much more power than it really does. But if you like the look, fuck em, go for it.

As for the cat, I would specifically try to get a GSR cat, I'm sure the GSR cat flows more than an LS cat. Or you could get a Type R or aftermarket high flow car made for the GSR.

[HXCivic97]

And if you use 2.25" piping for both extensions, you'll actually flow more than you need and you'll lose the delta pressure needed for your low end power

I guess running more narrow piping after the Y wouldn't help too much, not to mention getting it to bolt up to the muffler would probably be a pain, right? I definately love the look, and don't really care what ppl think about it. It's mine =). So what kind of options are there to help keep up the backpressure?

[Rice-Rocketeer]

Actually that would be the only thing you can do, just run smaller piping after the Y-split so together they'll flow near what the 2.25" piping will. The power loss shouldn't be anything that dramatic. But as for it being a pain, it doesn't matter cause the muffler shop will take care of that, that's what they do.

But since you are making this all from scratch you can design it anyway you'd like. Like you can have the mufflers angled outwards away from each other. Have them come out the same hole but also angle them outwards. Have them come out the sides of the bumper behind the rear tires, or just have them coming straight out, Whatever.

I do suggest you get a bodykit that has a dual exhuast cutout like the Black Widow kit. It'll definitly make it look alot better than just coming out the bottom of your stock bumper.

[HXCivic97]

I do suggest you get a bodykit that has a dual exhuast cutout like the Black Widow kit. It'll definitly make it look alot better than just coming out the bottom of your stock bumper.

Actually, I was considering that - Do you think, if i decided to go that route, that they could put in the Y etc, and then cover up one? Cuz I don't think I'll be able to have enough money remaining after the swap to get the pseudo-dual exhaust AND a body kit. And i definately don't want a muffler just hinging out there. And if i'm spending the money on the system anyway, then i want it at least set up for whatever type of exhaust i'm gonna get. You see what I mean? So I'd just want the one muffler until i got the body kit and then I'd add the second one. Sound feasible to you? Or did that post make any sense whatsoever =)

[Rice-Rocketeer]

LoL...You're not like...one of those funny ppl are you?

Dude, there's a saying that says, if you're gonna do something, do it right or don't do it at all. Why do a whole muffler system that kinda hides one muffler then get a bodykit, then rearrange the system later on to show both? Just get the bodykit, then get the dual exhuast setup (or vise-versa). It'll save you money and headaches in the end.

[piscorpio]

Originally posted by Rice-Rocketeer
Dude, there's a saying that says, if you're gonna do something, do it right or don't do it at all.

A saying? Hell, it is more like a mantra when it comes to modding your car!

Another of my favorite auto mantra's, "Something always goes wrong, always!"

[HXCivic97]

Dude, there's a saying that says, if you're gonna do something, do it right or don't do it at all. Why do a whole muffler system that kinda hides one muffler then get a bodykit, then rearrange the system later on to show both? Just get the bodykit, then get the dual exhuast setup (or vise-versa). It'll save you money and headaches in the end.

Yeah - there's another saying though. Do it right the first time. Perhaps i misread, but if i get the swap, then I need to get a custom exhaust anyway, right? But I can't get the swap, custom exhaust, and bodykit all at once. So since I don't want the body kit first until i have something to back it up (go, baby, go!) then my only option is to get the exhaust with the swap. But if I only get one muffler, then later, to get what i want, I'll have to get the exhaust redone a second time to add the second muffler. So this way, I'll have it all set up for the second muffler until I can get the body kit and then can actually put the second muffler in- so i end up saving a little cash. Clearer now?

[Rice-Rocketeer]

I understood you the first time but you can't make a custom exhuast system so that you have the future option of adding another muffler. They weld everything together, so you'll have to set it up, then have them cut it in half later on to add the Y-splitter. It'll be more expensive than just setting up from the beginning.

[Rice-Rocketeer]

Originally posted by piscorpio
Another of my favorite auto mantra's, "Something always goes wrong, always!"

Gawd I hate that. I can't even change my brake pads without something going wrong