Damned04

Installed my test pipe today, it only took about 20 minutes to install counting the time to get tools and the car up on ramps. The hardest part was breaking the six bolt s on the cat loose, I had to take a dremel to one of them. 02 sensor came off like butter surprisingly. Im gonna get a defouler soon so I don't throw a code, but for now no CEL.
As for performance, it's a similar feeling to when you take off your intake resonator, not much more power, but more growl. Top end sounds really good now. I hope this is a good addition to my future header purchase.

n1ke5h

test pipes arent legal right? and if replacing the cat with a test pipe doesnt make much more power, then replacing the stock cat with the r/t cat wouldnt be worth it? or is your butt dyno just off a tad bit

Damned04

IMO, I would never spend 300 on a mod that I can't feel an increase from. I spent 50 bucks on my test pipe and it was hard to tell any difference in noise over stock since my intake resonator was removed.

aaronng

Taking off the cat from your street-driven is stupid and irresponsible.

ABPTSX

no there not legal. your removing the cat

shmork53

Car have had CATs on them for years, and they are there for a very good reason. One of the dumbest mods i have seen. sorry, me no like.

A Cake On

Looks like a clean install but I don't know that I would rush and do this myself. My boss removed the cat completely on his T5 Volvo S70 and it reaked bad of gasoline all the time. Inside the car and behind it. Since then he bought a high flow cat cause he was getting sick of the smell.

anthongy817

Test pipe on a daily driven car is a big no-no. Test pipe on weekend car is understandable. And test pipe on a drag/track only car is all fine by me.

If you're not planning to all out (engine wise), then the gasoline smell is not worth it at all. RT cat FTW.

CCColtsicehockey

of course you cant feel a power increase you are still using a stock header. replacing header and cat at same time yields a very nice power gain.

stupid 17 year olds that dont know what the fuck they are doing.

crazybaboon6000

hey, not all of us 17 year olds are that stupid

CCColtsicehockey

well the ones like him give you a bad rep along with the large civic population. there is another 17 year old making unbacked statements on the other forum too.

Damned04

I don't see what the big deal is, there is countless numbers of evos,wrx's, and srt4's that run no cats. Im buying a header soon so I thought it would be a good addition

moda_way

I just think, had you done your research, you would've found that without the header, you wouldn't get any gains.

CCColtsicehockey

well you are gaining 1hp extra. not 1whp extra 1hp extra by running a test pipe on the tsx even with a header as it has been proven with a dyno. And instead you are going to have a nasty gas smell from your car.

jwood_06TSX

Hey we live and we learn, some just take the harder way thats all. And no offense J (cause you obviousy know your S*$% and i'm only like 3.5-4 yrs older than you) but your probably only like 2.5-3 years older than him....lol. Given, that can do a lot for a person but still.


I was an RA (resident assitant) for 3 years in a freshman dorm and the kids either grow up or they grow down in their first year. I would also venture to say 80-85% of the them end up growing down and its sad to watch them get sucked into the things that they do. I can only do so much and it just takes some kids longer than others. Ok, off the soapbox cause i don't know even know how i got there.....lol


IMO regarding the test pipe though, not such a good idea on a street car for numerous reason that i'm sure you either know or if you don't, you will soon find out via family, friends, inspection guy, or cops....lol

rmpage

A wide-open exhaust on a turbo engine is almost a necessity for better spool characteristics. On a NA engine, especially with a stock cam profile, the difference is not nearly as dramatic.

That said, replacing the OEM converter with a high flow cat is one of the few power-related mods I would do over again, because it made a noticeable difference. A test pipe is just a cheaper alternative if you don't mind the exhaust stink, really.

JTso

iTrader: (2)

To the OP's credit, the resonated test pipe is nicely done with what appears to be the proper pipe sizing and welding. If this is a custom made unit, repeat the same steps and sub it with a high flow cat instead.

clee109

why dog the kid for a test pipe? are we all tree huggers on here? The cat does absolutely nothing but serve for emissions. If you live in a state that does not require emissions testing then there is absolutely no point in a cat at all. As JTso said, it looks to be of good quality and well constructed as well.

lcrazyaznl

iTrader: (1)

Well if you want the inside of your car to smell like a 10 year old civic thats going bad, then sure the test pipe isn't doing that much harm.
04-05 stock cat is 900 cells but i opt for highflow cat 129 with install from a muffler shop.

JTC05

I did not here him post that his car smelled. The guy with the Volvo had the smell. Everyone mods there cars to there liking and I think he did an excellent job on his pipe. I am 36 and alot older than you guys that are dogging him. A test pipe has been one of the best mods on all cars since cats were enforced. Growing up we did it on Grand Nationals, Mustangs, Vettes etc. I don't see times changing that much that all of a sudden its bad to do this. Even with the stock header it's sure to give some power. Especially if you have modified your intake.

aaronng

Tree huggers drive hybrids. The thread starter might not have known about the emissions of running a test pipe, so he can't be blamed for it there. But you know and yet you are still condoning it?

clee109

I didn't say yes or no or whether or not I condone it. What I'm saying is that it doesn't serve a purpose beyond emissions and maybe some ugly in car smell occasionally. That's more of a fact than an opinion. The other point is that it's a modification not a flame session. So my point is don't dog the kid for the mod because it's bad for the environment or smells bad or what not, in other words don't dog with opinion. Dog with fact, if a test pipe in fact hinders performance, as in it will perform poorly after the mod then that's a valid point. Opinions are valid, but at least give reasons as to why, not just "I don't like"

mrgold35

We should not judge another member for wanting to modify their ride.

The only downsides to the test pipe are:

- Increase of dangerous levels of Carbon monoxide (CO) - a poisonous gas that is colorless and odorless that can causes headache, nausea, vomiting, drowsiness, and poor coordination. A Cat converter reduces CO by 80%. Just keep some Advil, barf bag, health insurance up to date, and wear your seat belt at all times.
- Hydrocarbons or volatile organic compounds (VOCs) - produced mostly from unburned fuel that evaporates, there will be an increase raw fuel smell in the car. Sunlight breaks these down to form oxidants, which react with oxides of nitrogen to cause ground level ozone (O3), a major component of smog.
- Nitrogen oxides (NO and NO2, together called NOx) - contributes to smog and acid rain, and also causes irritation to human mucus membranes

The upside to a test pipe are:

- Extra vroom-vroom sound
- Extra 1hp and 1lb of tq
- And? (I’m out of upsides, someone help me out)

Audioserf

I also agree that all the shit this guy got for his test pipe was unnecessary and against what I've gathered to be the spirit of these forums. Everyone starts somewhere.

As has been said, it will take a header (and I'd imagine Hondata) to make changing the OEM cat worthwhile. But assuming the OP planned to head down that route anyway, I see nothing wrong with his test pipe.

A Cake On

Way to jump the gun on the guy. He said in his post that he was getting a header soon. If he is going down that route, it probably means that an exhaust might be in the works somewhere down the line too.

Lightus

lol, CCC just hates us youngins :P

I personally wouldn't go for that mod, too many downsides and not enough ups for a daily driver. But, hey, to each his own, match that up with some headers or something and it may be worth it.

Brandon24pdx

The legality of it depends on your local laws. Most of us live in major metropolitan areas that require a working cat to be "legal", but there are lots of rural areas of the country that technically dont frown upon it from a legal standpoint.

A high-flow cat like the RT and others will get you probably at least 95% of the gains of a test-pipe but without some of the downsides mentioned already, and the car stays legal as well. I ran a test-pipe on my Talon and it did noticably increase the exhaust odor, so that part is true. I personally wouldnt do it on a TSX...RT cat is a better option all around except for price.

hyun

lol @ all the hate in this thread. to each his own. if i didnt have to worry about emissions i would have gone the same route in conjuction with an aftermarket header/exhaust. definatly alot cheaper than buying a hf cat



alot of you guys are fucking dicks though, its not like adding a test pipe is taboo or anything. if he put tape over his head lights or some stupid shit like that then i guess all the shit talk would be ok. but he didnt so chill out

treez35

....this thread turned into a fucking ...kinda out of hand....

wickedk24

TheMirror

clee109

Black out tape FTW!!!! LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Back in 70's I believe and the 60's there were no cats and no one died from carbon monoxide poisoning and big block V8's I'm sure polluted way more than modern day Honda 4 bangers. However; with the catalytic converter and many other advancements in emissions, especially PZEV vehicles garage door suicide is no longer an option....did I just go there? I DID

JTso

iTrader: (2)

I think we're done here. Now, let's go attack those JDM headlight owners for pointing the lights in the wrong direction.