I have a 2000 5 spd lude. I got a custom bent header with a 2.5" collector and I ran 2.5" piping to a 2.5" magnaflow muffler. I also have a v2 and some pulleys. However the other day I drove my friends stock lude 1997 lude and his felt like it had noticeable more torque low down and I couldn't really tell if there was a difference in vtec as I only hit it once. But his lude def climbed hills alot easier. Also in first gear I only had to rev to about 2500 rpm till I felt like i had enuf speed to shift to second. In mine I have to rev to 3000 rpm. I didnt say anything to him but i felt like crap after all the hard work i put into my car. Is my 2.5" exhaust too big for a NA lude? Should I invest in a smaller cat back system or shud i make the diameter smaller right from the headers?

Thanks!!

 

Clutch?

 

I suppose it could be the clutch but how wud I kno for sure? I mean i dont feel any noticeable slipping. I mean all the prebuilt exhausts r 60mm which converts to like 2.35. Would that make a difference?

 

Some h22s just are stronger from the factory, they are one of the widest ranged factory whp dynoed engines from honda. the h22 I swap in could dyno at 165whp bone stock whereas my friends stock h22a could dyno 175whp, then not to mention they respond differently to mods.

The V2 intake isn't anything special IMHO. It sacrifices low end power for slightly better high end. Since I had my factory intake and swapped to an AEM SRI (Garbage) I lost alot of power prior to 3.5k rpms (h23a1) but gained a good bit from 4.5-5.5k.
Pulleys will net you maybe 5-6whp. Maybe
Exhaust never really makes a difference in hp unless you have a good bit of mods. But I can't see it hurting you much if it at all.

 

Well i mean i thought if the exhaust was too big then there wud be a lack in backpressure which in turn wud force the engine to work harder in pushing out the exhaust gases.

 

throw in cams to take advantage of the bigger header and exhaust. that big of an exhaust on an internally stock engine will make you low end suffer.

 

i guess skunk2 stage1 cams wud b the obvious choice but then wudnt I have to spend more money to tune it?

 

cars are money pits. you should know this by now. you cant upgrade one thing without upgrading another. it's an endless, vicious cycle. h:

 

ha obviously.. well i guess its just the decision on to get cams and tuned or get a used smaller diameter cat back exhaust.. Im a college student so money isnt exactly flowing in loads and i dont kno how much longer im going to keep the car.. figure a used cat back system will cost 200-300 vs cams and tuning close to a grand.. wat r ur thoughts

 

well if you're not going to be keeping the car for much longer, i would try to find someone who wants a bigger exhaust and is maybe willing to trade. :dunno:

who knows, you might be able to find a ricer that thinks bigger is better. :rick: