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I'm really confused on what brands to buy. I want to get a short ram intake with a heat shield (don't want cold air), and a cat back exhaust system for a Civic Si Automatic (EX in the US), and a front strut tower brace. There are so many brands to choose from that I don't know what to get.

I don't want to spend a fortune on the stuff, like under $500 USD for the exhaust and under $200 USD for the short ram intake, and a heat shield, as for the front strut tower brace, preferably under $200 USD.

First off I have no clue what to get, like what will give me the best performance for the price, etc...

The car will only have the mods listed above, so I don't know what sizem, or brand exhaust and intake to get that will perform the best for my application and stuff like that, along with the brace.

So any recommendations and opinions would be helpful.

Thanks.

 
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Ok for the exhaust go with the Tanabe RSpec exhaust. Its the best catback for our cars. Its been dynoed tested to provide the most gains in Hp and torque. You can find it for 500.USD if you look. The SRI, try INJEN, or you could get the AEM SRI and you can find someone who sells heatsheilds, the front brace try Neuspeed.

 
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Awesome, thanks!

Do you recommend any sites to order those things off of?

Between Injen and AEM, which is better do you know? (hp vs price).

 
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Oh yeah, and a good high flow catalytic converter.

 
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For the Tanabe RSpec www.racingzoneautohouse.com www.dezod.com www.first-1.com
I prefer AEM intakes and those go to www.ebay.com and look under AEM they got mad deals all the time
for the CAT www.randomtechnology.com has one that bolts in

 
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Man thanks a lot!

You're going on my buddy list

I wonder how much power I would be putting out after putting on all that stuff?

 
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this is such a friendly site .........

majarvis......sorry, but don't expect to get much power at all out of all that . read around; you'll find out that bolt-ons do ALMOST jack to our cars (well, there is the chance you'll get robbed of low-end power ). i just want to warn you before you go out and pay hundreds of dollars just to find out you've gained less than 5 hp. as for the neuspeed strut bar, you can't go wrong with that; definitely go for it.....rethink the other stuff, though. maybe you should spend it on rims, a bodykit, or a drop. dunno, it's up to you. good luck

 
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Really?

But it says on sites, like even AEM's, that it gains like 6 hp at the wheels, and that's just the intake, surely the exhaust and cat would give me more?

 
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nah, they usually do exaggerate a bunch on the sites, like AEM's and others'. but it's true, tanabe is the best exhaust for gains--"the family" will tell you so . it sounds good, too. so, for cosmetic and showy-type stuff, go for the bolt ons. the general consensus on the site is that the "only" way to get real gains is with an engine swap or a custom turbo......save up for the turbo!

 
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Dang.

But an intake will change the sound of the engine a bit too won't it?

 
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Its true the bolt ons dont do much. They do help and you will notice a difference in the powerband but the only true way to grab a large amount of power is a turbo or a swap. I for one decided to do the boltons because i like what they did provide. The bolt ons do change the sound of the car since its breathing much easier now but you wont get a LARGE power jump unless you decided to go with a turbo, N02, or a swap.

 
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Ok that's fair enough.

So it will gain some power, like it may go from 127 hp to maybe 140 hp?

 
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NO. Your car really only has around 110 wheel hp. So you might see 114-116 hp.

 
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I'm referring to at the engine... as it's hard to tell without a dyno run how much you push out at the wheels for certain.

 
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Also, just out of curiousity FlyRiceRacer02, where did you purchase your Tanabe exhaust (if it was online)?

 
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Well, the cars have been dynoed stock to show a range from 105 - 110 wheel hp. So with the mods you are talking about you might see 115.

I can guarantee that you will not see 140 hp at the flywheel with those mods. maybe 135.

 
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Oh ok, yeah, not much more power, I guess it's not really worth it for the exhaust, but I'll probably get the intake, and definitely the Neuspeed bar, it looks awesome, and really rigid.

 
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it is worth it for the exhaust otherwise we wouldnt have spent the bank for it. Your OEM exhaust is very restricitve and this system allows you to free it up and gaion some torque and HP. You wont regret buying the Tanabe and both Fly and I purchased the Tanabe RSpec from www.racingzoneautohouse.com

 
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Alright, fair enough.

I'll just get things in stages, and build it up, I'm only 18, so I don't want too much power.

But it'll be cool.

You guys helped me a lot, so thanks. That site seems to be down right now, but I'm in no rush.

Also, I'm just wondering if the head gasket could take bumping the compression from 9.9:1 to 10.0:1? Would that even do anything I wonder?

 
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What is the difference between the Tanabe Rspec and say the Tanabe Super Racing Medallion if any?

 
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Yeah I'd like to know the exact name as well, because there are several that it could be.

Also none of those sites had a heat shield, at least that I saw, made by AEM.

 
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The Tanabe RSpec is the same as the Racing Medalion. Since Tanabe no longer maeks the racing medalion they upgraded on an already great product and deemed it the RSpec but no there isnt really a difference except a few minor things like deeper sounds, more performance etc.

 
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Oh ok, so the Rspec is newer, gotchya.

And that's another thing I was wondering about, the sounds. It's not annoyingly ricey loud is it? Because I don't want a loud exhaust, just efficient.

 
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Its a deep low throaty tone that really gets going around 3500 RPMs its a great sound, puts a smile on my face everytime i hear it. But no its not a ricey sound.

 
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Awesome, that's all I needed to know.

BTW, just wondering if you know of any sites that sell AEM heat shields, or do they need to be AEM to go with the AEM SRI? Like are there other brands of heat shields that do a better job?

 
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your gonna have to find a heat shield thats a diff name brand i think INJEN has them but you can find just heat shields you just need to look i dont have a site in mind tho. I wouldnt use one IMO.

 
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You wouldn't use one? I thought they help out with power by reducing inner heat from the engine bay by deflecting it away from the filter and the intake tubing?

 
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might I suggest to you the K&N FIPK II short ram intake. IMO, as well as many other people on this site, it happens to be the best short ram, as well as any intake, available. It comes with a heat shield already, and a filter charger and cleaner kit. you can get it for about 230, but well worth it, quality product.

 
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Hmmm... ok, I'll have to see what other people say, obviously I know K&N are good, but I'll wait for more people's opinion. Thanks though.

 
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Just a question, if I was to put on the intake, and Neuspeed strut bar, the two won't interfere with eachother will they?