Need help: New Exhaust. Clueless. :(

[JeronimoM]

I plan to buy a low level exhaust for a 2002 Honda Accord, but I'm totally clueless as to what kind of exhaust to get, and from where. I've heard that cat-backs were good, and I've heard some sound tests and they sound great. I don't want a super-expensive racing set-up. I just want something that will deepen the sound just a little bit, and add some customization to the car. Could you guys please suggest some "economic" exhausts? And possibly the price range I could be looking at? I would appreciate it so much. Thanks.

 

[Famine]

"Cat-back" is a length description. This type of exhaust is a replacement that goes from the catalytic convertor(s) right to the back of the car.

Exhausts are made of five (four if the car isn't fitted with a cat) parts - manifold, downpipe, catalytic convertor, middle section, backbox.
* The manifold goes from the engine to the downpipe and is usually short and expensive.
* The downpipe goes from the manifold(s) to the cat.
* The middle section is from the cat to the back-box
* The back-box contains all the silencing equipment (often called a "muffler") and the tailpipe

A "full length" system is typically from the exit of the manifold(s) all the way to the end. A "cat-back" is simply from the exit of the cat all the way to the end. Sections can be replaced individually when they wear/corrode.

The sound all comes from the silencer (give or take the odd funky set-up on expensive cars) and the width of the pipe. Put the same bore pipe on and you get the same pitch sound entering the back box, but the size of the back box will change the pitch noticeably. Adding or removing baffles from the back box makes the sound quieter or louder.

You'll need to specify what bore pipe you want. Stock will be about 1" per litre engine capacity for non-turbo/non-supercharged cars and is a good number - if it's not 1"/litre, that's what you want - too much bore changes the exhaust pulse frequency and reduces power, too little bore restricts the flow and reduces power. You can then make it sound however you want with the back box - go to a specialist stainless exhaust maker and tell them precisely (or even imprecisely: "a bit deeper") what sound you want and they'll make the back-box to suit.

 

[JeronimoM]

Thank you so much. I know the very basics about cars. Nothing fancy. This will help me out a lot. You wouldn't happen to have an estimate about how much this could cost me, would you?

 

[Famine]

I couldn't say.

In the UK a cat-back, stainless system would typically cost about £300 for a relatively simple, single exhaust system with few bends. US prices are typically the same numbers with a different symbol, so I'd guess at $300, but it could vary wildly.

 

[JeronimoM]

Thanks so much for the help.

 

[somebody]

You also need to think about how you drive the car. If you drive the car like a 'normal' person than you may only need to change the final muffler or even the tip only. If you drive the car fairly hard than you might go for a 'half-system' which is usually a 1/2" larger pipe from the 2nd muffler through to the back.

You really only need to do a cat-back or full change if you constantly drive hard or have made changes to the engine to increase power. In some cases you can actually lose power by changing the exhaust. Remember that the manufacturer has spent time and money researching the exhaust system on their cars to find a decent balance between power, sound, and emissions.

Best advice I can give is go see a reputable exhaust business and ask their advice.

 

[nk4e]

Also thinking about California emissions are kind of tough...90 dollars is how much I spent my ricer exhaust to a magna flow and its a bit meaner than the ricer exhaust...

 

[eSZee]

Also thinking about California emissions are kind of tough...90 dollars is how much I spent my ricer exhaust to a magna flow and its a bit meaner than the ricer exhaust...

One and the same, no?
If all the OP wants is a slight change in noise just get a muffler, big oval not a coffee can, and replace the stock resonator with a bigger one.

 

[slidesquad#1]

Zoomies. That is all.

 

[mustangGT90210]

One and the same, no?
If all the OP wants is a slight change in noise just get a muffler, big oval not a coffee can, and replace the stock resonator with a bigger one.

Magnaflow is not a coffee can, they are a brand of exhaust products. They are popular on muscle cars too

 

[eSZee]

Magnaflow is not a coffee can, they are a brand of exhaust products. They are popular on muscle cars too

Ricer exhausts have brands too. I know what magnaflow is, I've had the pleasure dealing with it on a 3.5L and 3.0L motors and hating every minute of it. I liked the way it sounded on a '64 biscayne but put the same mufflers on a smaller import motor and it sounds like a fart can. A pair of 22" and a 18" resonators quieted it down but the nasty rasp was still there.

 

[Kylehnat]

Four-cylinder engines will always sound like a raspy fart can. The trick is making it sound like the fart has some juice behind it. That requires replacing more than the muffler with a Folgers can. Cat-back at least.

 

[JeronimoM]

I was browsing the internet for more information regarding exhausts and mufflers and I've noticed there's a lot of negativity regarding making simple modifications to imports. I realize a 4 cylinder will never sound like a high class V8 (or a even stock V6 for that matter), but why is it such a big deal?

 

[Azure Flare]

Just go to Kalecoauto.com, they have everything you could ever want or need or don't need.

 

[eSZee]

Four-cylinder engines will always sound like a raspy fart can. The trick is making it sound like the fart has some juice behind it. That requires replacing more than the muffler with a Folgers can. Cat-back at least.

3L and 3.5L are 4cyl? Adding 38" of resonators on top of the cat back is just putting on a coffee can?

 

[Rotary Junkie]

V6s generally sound like trash with stuff that sounds good on a 4cyl or V8.

 

[TS]

OP - For your application, I would go with a cat-back exhaust, if you want something louder, go with straight through mufflers (which is basically length of exhaust pipe lined with fiberglass) or if you want a nice sound and have something relatively quiet, go with baffled mufflers. (which look like a maze on the inside lined with fiberglass to change the sound and keep things quiet).

Four-cylinder engines will always sound like a raspy fart can. The trick is making it sound like the fart has some juice behind it. That requires replacing more than the muffler with a Folgers can. Cat-back at least.

That doesn't sound like a fart can to me.

Typically japanese I4's sound like the echo of a fart in a coffee can and not euro/domestic 4's

 

[Omnis]

Jeronimo, sounds like what you want is just an axle-back system. That includes the parts that Famine mentioned that are behind the rear axle.

Modifying your car's exhaust is kind of stupid though. I wouldn't waste the money unless you were modifying the engine, and I doubt you'd do that to an Accord.

 

[niky]

Depends on the engine (and we're getting into dangerously subjective territory here) and the exhaust.

Miatas sound good, but it takes a stock exhaust to do it. This is typical of most straight-4s, mind.

SR20s don't sound bad at all. B16s are irritating, but that's likely because they're screamers. I don't like shrill women. The new 4B11 sounds like a blender.

One thing: JeronimoM: What kind of Accord do you have? If you've got a four-banger with an auto, forget doing anything beyond a muffler. I4s with ATs don't respond well to exhaust mods, in general. And check the noise output, because cops don't like noisy mufflers.

Personally, I went stealth. Have a loud-as-hell system, but with stock-looking straight 2.5" tips (even "stocker" than stock, which had a garish 3" garnish on a measly 2" tip). So it doesn't get those dirty looks... as long as I merely burble-burble past people at idle... (have no maximum dB regulations, locally)

 

[Kylehnat]

That doesn't sound like a fart can to me.

I didn't say the rasp was a bad thing--it's just the nature of the inline-four beast. Besides, if I'm throwing stones here, I'm doing it from inside my glass house:

 

[Keef]

Most Japanese aftermarket companies offer exhaust that are a bit louder and "racier" than you might be looking for. Higher-end companies like Magnaflow and Borla typically make more "mature" exhausts, I guess you could say. Magnaflow happens to make a cat-back for your application, though it's a bit pricey...



Click the picture for the website. Magnaflow typically makes exhausts that sound deep, smooth and refined. A quick look up Youtube brings up a few V6 applications, but not 4 cylinders. Either way I'm pretty sure this would sound nice.