Could some one explain the difference? supposedly (as i hear) a cat gives performance boost, whil axel gives loudness, is that all?

 

Cat back is a whole exhaust system from the cat converter, back to the muffler... An axle back is simply just the muffler itself usually... The cat is usually what restricts your perfromance when it comes to exhaust... So a new hi flow cat will generally mean increased performance and a different tone from the muffler, a new muffler could mean increased performance, and a different tone... And mendrel bent piping, which comes with cat backs usually, also helps...

Cat back:
http://www.cyberauto.com/images/crx-cat-back.jpg

Axle back:
http://www.stlsupra.com/honda/exhaust/axleback.jpg

But if u want to go the cheap route, and live in an area that dosnt have emissions laws, I say get a nice muffler, and a hi flow cat and call it a day...

 

nice looking out, thank you.

 

Muffler- I suggest only muffler/ axle back and not a full cat back system because Mugen (THE Honda perf authority) has found on several models that including a new B-pipe provides little or no improvements over the stock B pipe. Of course, this doesn’t stop just about every manufacturer of full exhaust systems from including the B pipe and passing on the accompanying expense.

copied from http://crx.honda-perf.org/articles/b...udgetmods.html

After reading this I got a $150 Dynomax dual stainless tip axle back (quiet) and an $75 OEM replacement B-pipe (midpipe) for my '91 Si. It had NO exhaust when I got it, just a short section of rotted pipe bolted to the cat. The rest had evidently fallen off long ago. After I installed the above mentioned parts it seemed to me that low-end torque picked up with no loss of top end. You don't need a bigger B-pipe unless your engine is heavily modified (mine is stock) or you going forced induction. The stock muffler is the big power robber.

The thing that I don't understand is how those stupid fart cannons can be so loud. When my car had NO exhaust it still wasn't really that loud. How do you get away with calling something a "muffler" when it acutally AMPLIFYS noise. :wtf:

 

Good info v8guy! :thumbup:

I actually recently bought this muffler (axle back) a month ago and love it so far:

http://www.elementmotorsport.com/pro...roductID=26031

How it looks on my car (ignore the racing stripes, they are not going to be staying on my car, and no I didnt put them on there, bought them on the car!):



And heres how it sounds in my car:

http://s93290946.onlinehome.us/carshit/HPIM0204.mpg (4.5 meg video file)

Damn good muffler if u ask me... Specially for the price... No hint of rice at all...
Not sure what caru have, but if u have a CRX, this is a sweet muffler, for a decent price...

 

That looks pretty clean bro. The dynomax I got has stainless tips and flows awesome but the muffler itself is just plain aluminized steel. That stainless one you have looks way better & it sounds great too. Oh yeah, I have a '91 CRX Si. Awesome setup. :thumbup:

 

the look and sound that Exempt has is exactly what i am looking for... man that is hot. So how much did it cost you total, as you know i have an HF, should i wait and swap the engine (atleast to an si) before getting an exhaust or should i get the small stuff now (exhaust, i already have an intake) and then swap the engine (i found an si engine with 100k for about 700ish...is that too much)!?

 

$700 is a litte much for a stock Si engine (D16A6), but u can probably get a ZC which is DOHC and 22HP more for not too much more than $700, or a SOHC VTEC (D16Z6/D16Y8/JDM B15B) for that matter... U can get an exhaust now, and then always swap later... Im not sure how thick the piping is on your stock exhaust tho... Im not sure if mine is stock or not, but that muffler went on like stock so I guess its the stock diameter of an Si... The muffler cost me $189 with shipping from Arizona to Louisiana...

 

well if i am not mistakern the stock size for inatke and exhaust for the hf is 1.5 inch so i may need to get some custome pipes. What engine is a better bang for my buck. i want a B16A1 but i don't have that kind of money. It would be better to get the VTEC right!? (I know VTEC is the shizzlebut..) would it be a pain to put in an HF?

 

The wiring on a SOHC VTEC engine would be a pain, simply because they are all ODB-I or II, and a CRX is OBD-0... But its nothing some wiring wont fix... I personally would prefer a ZC, because I dont wanna wire anything up... But I think the better choice, would be a SOHC with VTEC, simply because its a newer engine (less wear and tear), and has plenty of aftermarker support... Compared to the DOHC ZC, which is older, and has little after market support... The SOHC VTEC is also found here (except the B15B, but its virtually the same as the other 2), so getting replacement parts is easy, the ZC is a nightmare... And ofcourse, VTEC is a big plus... A SOHC VTEC engine turboed in a CRX (specially a lighter HF model), would whip some serious ass...