Acurasrule

Well, I've got an 06AT with Injen CAI, Comptech Header, RT CAT and Comptech CB.


I've been very pleased with this setup.


Anyways, from everything I've read on the site and heard, my understanding is the OEM Exhaust is very free flowing, this is from the hondanews site:

"the TSX's stainless steel, high-flow exhaust system has been enhanced in 2006 to help provide an increase in horsepower. Targeted changes reduce backpressure and increase exhaust flow from 115 liters per second to 125 liters per second. Enhancements to the exhaust system include:

Exhaust pipe diameter increased from 54mm to 57.2mm

Diameter of rear exhaust pipes (leading to finishers) increased from 42.7mm to 45mm

Muffler capacity increased from 52.1mm to 57.5mm"


So my question is this, If I were to take of the Comptech Catback, and put back on the OEM Pipes/Muffler, would I loose any performance? Does the comptech offer any other advantages over the specs listed above for the OEM? Main reason I want to switch is the noise.... it's not to loud/deep for me, but with the type of work I do, and such, having it be a tad quiter would be better. Pluse, the intake/headers sound so good with the air flowing through them when I'm opening her up, it's almost as if the exhaust over powers the sound, a little to bassy.


So what do you guys think, are the OEM pipe/muffler large enough and offer enough flow to accomidate InjenCAI/Comptech Header and RT CAT? I don't have hondata yet, but was planning on getting that done within the next few months, so that should be a factor to. Thanks for any input advice!

DAYTA

Instead of swapping back to your OEM exhaust, you could also add the Quiet-Tip inserts to your Comptech exhaust. They should decrease the overall volume significantly. I believe moda_way posted a thread about installing them a while back.

I actually have an unused pair sitting at home that I was going to sell since I LOVE the bassy tone of my Comptech exhaust. PM me if you're interested .

Acurasrule

Sweet, I've thought about that as well, getting the inserts.

Only thing is, and I forgot to mention, alot of people have talked about a rattle/vibration from the comptech header, however, I don't notice any vibration or rattle from the area where the header/cat is. I DO however have a very noticeable vibration coming from the back of the exhaust/muffler area.

I posted a thread about it and asked if it was normal? When I have the car on and the engine running, and I'm in D or also sometimes N, and I'm at an idle with my foot on the brake I have a very annoying vibration rattle coming from the mufflers. One day I had my girlfriend drive the car around back and forth in front of me on the street, so I could see how everything sounded, anyway when she pulled up and came to a stop, and just say there with the car in D and her foot on the brake, and I was standing behind the car, I could see what I had been hearing from inside the car. The tips of the mufflers were vibrating super fast, not just a little, but I mean really noticeable vibrating extremly fast.


When I posted about this, people said it was normal, as with this setup, I guess it doesn't have as many places to absorb vibration as the OEM setup, like the spring loaded screws and such that are on the stock header etc, and that this vibration is normal.

I think part of the problem is I have an AT, which I've heard people have more vibration issues with re the comptech header.

Anyway, I'm thinking if I switch back to the OEM exhaust, I'm hoping I won't loose performance, and hopefully will get rid of the vibration from the mufflers.... Again, I can't figure out why it's making the mufflers vibrate so bad, but I notice with the comptech catback setup, it looks like the pipe coming back from the cat seem to dip down around where they split, and then curve back up where they are welded to the muffler.... I was thinking since the car only idles at around 600rpm, maybe because of the downward slope, it causes the air just to build up, and not fully flow out? The stock exhaust pipes seem to be more straight, and don't slope down as much on the way to the muffler, anybody have any thoughts on this ?

Moda_way, JT all the oldtimers, what are you're thoughts ;-)

lcrazyaznl

iTrader: (1)

I say keep it, my exhaust fujitsubo and comptech header does the same exact thing. On a cold start its pretty loud vibration you hear, but when idle its only a rainy day and when the a/c compressor is on i heard the virbration inside.

Honest I can live with it, everything still runs and works fine.

Acurasrule

Well, I guess if you have the fujitsubo exhaust, it proves it's not just the design of the Comptech exhaust...


Does the fujitsubo exhaust have a downward slope headed toward the split, and then curve back upwards to attach to the mufflers? I have my OEM exhaust in my garage, and looking at it, there is very minimal slope up or down, it's fairy straight from where it would attach to the CAT to the mufflers, where has the comptech has that down and then up slope. I'm thinking this could be the cause of many peoples vibration that have intake/header/cat/cat back?

Reach

I had the same setup with OEM exhaust and Comptech header. Still had the rattle. I had a thread a while ago trying to diagnose the rattle, and I do believe it is cause by the header. I have now had 4 different headers on my car (stock, topspeed, comptech, DC) with the same setup (RT cat + oem catback) and the comptech is the only one that produced the rear-end rattle.

I switched out the gasket between the header / cat from the Comptech O-Ring gasket to a hand-made mr gasket custom gasket, and that greatly reduced the vibration/noise, but did not eliminate it. I switched to a customized DC header and the rattle and noise are completely gone. I am now as quiet as stock and planning on staying that way.

I recommend the Comptech header only to MT owners at this point, since the problem occurs only while in D and at low/idle RPM. Without the car in gear, the sound goes away, so an MT owner really should never be in these conditions (clutch out while stopped).

TheMirror

I say put the OEM exhaust back in, sell the Comptech exhaust, and use the cash for the Hondata reflash.

You will lose very little to no horsepower that way.

Check out Comptech's dyno on their catback-only. It has gains of like 3 hp and 2 lb/ft. of torque. Even if you lost this extra power, you wouldn't feel it.

http://www.comptechusa.com/store/med...sx_catback.pdf

With the '06 exhaust being more free flowing, I doubt you'd lose anything at all.

-Mirror

amadeus303

iTrader: (2)

I doubt you'd lose much, if anything --- catbacks don't really add much performance to begin with... it's generally all about sound and looks. TheMirror has it right --- put your OEM back on, and go get your ECU reflashed. You'll net performance gains that way...

Acurasrule

Reach: Why do you think the comptech header causes this? So you're rattle came from the rear-end of the car, not from the header/cat area? I wonder why the comptech causes this muffler vibration/rattle, and the others don't? Is the comptech Header designed completely different than the topspeed/DC etc?


You said you switched the gasket between the header and cat, to a hand-made mr gasket....any info you can give on that? Is it worth for me to even try something like that, or do you think it's a waste of time in eliminating or greatly reducing the problem?

You mentioned you switched to a customized DC header? Is there something different about it then the regualr DC header?? Any info you could give would be great!

Acurasrule

Mirror and amadeus303, I'm thinking that makes the most sense.... If I didn't have the rattle/vibration coming from the rear-end of the car, I'd keep the exhaust, it has a nice deep tone... But from what I'm understanding, the problem isn't so much the exhaust, as it is the Header... I jsut can't see why the comptech header effects the rear-end/muffler area of the car, and doesn't vibrate in the area it is actually located?


Anybody have much experience with the DC or Topspeed header? What's so different about from the comptech that cause the comptech to vibrate and them not to?

lcrazyaznl

iTrader: (1)

comptech flex pipe is different then all the headers, its also shortens the exhaust if you notice your tips are hidden more with the header. I had a highflow cat to stretch it back to stock length. Still the exhaust is cosmetics and really the stock exhaust is still a bit restrictive, comptechs design isn't just random so there is a reason for it.

My fujitsubo isn't loud but after the highflow cat the (04 05 cats are 900 cells) so the noise and airflow did significantly increase.

Reach

Yes, the comptech has a completely different design than the DC and Topspeed, which are essentially the same header. Just search for pics of the 3.

I got the idea for my new header from this thread, and pretty much copied JT's design, although I used a 2" diameter flex pipe, and had the overall length extended about 3/4".
https://acurazine.com/forums/showthread.php?t=24293

You can see in there the exact material I cut a gasket out of. I got it off Amazon for about $10 a sheet, which is enough material for maybe 4 pieces. Here are the ones I made for my DC: