i have a 97 honda civic dx its a automatic but will soon be a manual i was wanting 2 put a header and a hi flow cat converter on it but dont know what header or cat would be a good one 2 go with and i dont want any test pipe **** ,need 2 know if anyone in here as ever put a header and cat on their automatic civic before and what steps to do just bought my civic a month ago the motor is a d16y7 please help[>:]

 

I just put an ebay header on my 96 Auto LX and it was suprisingly easy...take off the heat shield, unplug the O2 sensor (its easy to remove when the manifold is off the car), loosen and remove the manifold bolts (which will be on there tight as hell might need to use some liquid wrench or similar product to help), jack the car up, unplug the 2nd O2 sensor, loosen and remove the bolts that connect the manifold pipe to the rest of the exhaust, loose and remove the bolt that holds the exhaust to the bracket underneath the car and it should pull out through the bottom.

To reinstall (heres what I did, you might do it differently, since i didnt put my cat back on), Swap the top 02 sensor from the manifold (or replace) and put it in the O2 sensor location on the side of the header, keep the plug that comes in the second O2 location in the hole, if your using a 4 - 2 - 1 header, put the top of the header piece on my itself, install and tighten the bolts using an "every other bolt" pattern until all are tight (dont forget the gasket), connect the Y-Pipe (dont forget the gasket) loosely install the bolts, connect the other end of the Y - pipe to the rest of the exhaust (for this you will need longer bolts the factory ones wont cut it, go back finish tightening both ends of the Y-Pipe, Plug in both O2 sensors, for the one not screwed into the exhaust i zipped tied it up behind the headlight (its reading no carbon so you should catch a check engine light), take off one of the terminals of the battery to reset it, WIPE OFFF ALL GREASE FROM HEADER BEFORE YOU START THE CAR!!! Start the car, check for leaks and check engine light and BOOOOOOOOO YAAAAHHHHHH, if you wanna keep the cat i suggest u go ahead and instal with out it and then take it to an exhaust shop and have them put it in, I ve been running mine for about a month with no check engine light problems!

 

i dont understand you just plug in the top 02 sensor in the side of the header and left the one on the bottom of the cat converter off and after you disconnect the battery and then connected the battery your check engine light stayed off i figured it would stay on

 

yea the top one that plugs into the manifold on top relocates to the side of the header screw that one in like normal plug the connector up and that one is good to go....the second one is farther down the pipe the stock so you can either get an O2 with long wire, extend the factory wires or plug up the hole where O2 sensor would go with the plug that comes in it, plug the connector in and zip tie it up....all it reads is fresh air and no carbon so it doesnt trigger ur check engine llight....

 

cool thanks but i thought you had 2 buy a simulator 2 trick the ecu or whatever

 

i thought the bottom o2 sensor was 2 check if the cat converter was working

 

i thought that too but i apparently u dont have to buy a simlulator ive had no problems i was quite suprised...

 

extending the wires or doing the 2nd trick he was talking about are both iffy, just get a simulator. They're easy to install and work perfectly. I've got one from eBay on my y7 w/ a header as well and it works fine. If you can find a sensor extender that'll be the easiest and best way, but i've yet to find where to get one.

Btw i think the Header FAQ: https://www.hondacivicforum.com/m_493226/tm.htm and Truth about Catalytic Converters: https://www.hondacivicforum.com/m_279591/tm.htm will both answer some of the questions in your very first post in this thread.

 

wont your exhaust smell and smoke it u didnt have a cat converter on it

 

yes, it apparently smells worse, and the smoke is whiter. Overall no cat (in my opinion) is just worse overall. The minimal gains (1-2 hp) is not worth the bad smell, bad looking exhaust, and raspier tone.