I am installing an A`pexi N1 Catback Exhaust System on my 92 Civic DX, and I was wondering if anyone had any tips regarding the install. I am having a tough time with removing the stock exhaust, especially down by the cat converter. The bolts holding it in will just not come off. I sprayed it down twice with some penetrating lubricant, but it still won't budge. Any tips would be greatly appreciated.

 

a really big breaker bar or better yet an impact gun

 

If I break it, wouldn't it make it harder to get out?

 

Get a deepwell socket that fits extremely tight. If I remember correctly, I think they're 14mm bolts, I may have hammered a 13mm socket onto them. I then just put a standard 3/8" socket on them and turned around so I could push it with my feet (remember, righty tighty lefty loosey). It was a pain, but they came off. I actually went by the local honda dealership and picked up some new nuts and then lost them so I just used hardware store nuts. The top bolt is a bitch but if you remove the muffler canaster first and then drop the B-pipe onto the ground and slide it over as much as the O2 sensor wire will allow, you'll get room to get to it. Don't stretch too far as you can overflex the doughnut gasket from the exhaust manifold to the cat.

 

Those bolts are a pain in the ass, just use wd 40 and a breaker bar, you'll be alright...

 

I ended up just breaking them off. The rest of the install was a breeze. What can I say about the system, simply stunning. I love all the looks I get when I'm coasting down the street doing 30 in 3rd. I drop it into 2nd, and its like a freight train on steriods, and this is with the silencer on! Do you think the silencer makes much of a difference, on or off?

 

That depends on the rest of your exhaust system. The more resonators/cats you have, the bigger of a difference it will make.

Those silencers tend to create some nasty backpressure issues, though.

 

yea just take the silencer off. you actually lose some power with it on, i broke off the bolts on my cat too when i was removing my exhaust, bad times. but nice work on your install and glad you're happy with it.

 

so its not as loud as every one says, highway speeds?

 

Well I was going to comment on how to get those bolts, but you got them

What I used was the pipe for my jack handle and put that on the end of the socket & wrench.