EX and LX, DX Exhaust Differences

[Vermont]

I need to know what are the real difrences between the EX and LX as far as chasis and suspension? what about exaust? if an exaust says EX only will it fit my LX? Also does any one know of any Honda 2001-2005 civic experts that can help me out in the colorado springs/denver area? the shop im going to right now realy only works with pre 2000 hondas and acuras. I need a place to get good parts with a person at the shop who can help me out if i run into any snaggs. Also I have heard on here that if i get headers for my LX that it wil lget rid of my Cat. is this true? whats the big difrence with the Lx and EX? Also alot of parts say 2001-2003 and then others say 2004-2005 did they realy change alot in those years? Thank you all ahead of time. If you all could get back to me quick that would be helpfull.

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[01em2man]

i have a set of LX headers for u ....but u could get a EX header an EX cat-back... ... but dont waste ur money on that D17 motor...swap a K in that bitch...

[Vermont]

Im trying to get the cash to do a swap but right now im geting a set of coilovers brembos and an exaust. Im not all that keen on those headers just becasue iv heard they make our cars sound like ass when you put them on with an exaust. Plus the exaust is some thing that will stay and i wont have to change. But can i use ex parts on an LX? whats the difrence between them? i know the Ex has an V-tec head and ABS but what about the exaust system and suspension? also how much for those headerts anyways?

[OSK Automotive]

You can convert to an EX exhaust but because the header/cat/downpipe are different it's usually more money than it's worth. With those 3 things being different you can't get just a EX header because everything else won't bolt up. Suspension as far as I know is the same. You're not going to gain any performance benefit by going to an EX suspension. What other EX parts do you want to use?

[Vermont]

Its not that im trying to use EX parts im trying to get aftermarket parts for my 2005 LX and an LX exausts will cost me a good 130 more than an EX exaust... i was just wondering if i could use the Ex after market Exaust on my LX? Also what do you mean by difrent? are they longer or difrent bolt set up for the cat or what?

Thank you for help so far.

[OSK Automotive]

Ohh gotcha. Basicly the header on a EX is too short to bolt on to a LX downpipe.
Here is a pic of the EX header

And here's a pic of the LX header


As you can see the LX header has the Cat built into it which made it longer than th EX header which in turn made the downpipes different lengths aswell.

If you want to use aftermarket EX exhaust parts you going to have to get the following:
1)EX aftermarket header
2)EX downpipe/cat assembly (Dezod.com carries a radom tech one)
3)EX catback of your choice
4)Your secondary O2 sensor will need to be lengthed to fit in it's new location.
^in that setup everything will bolt up.

There is another option that is alot easier. If you don't care about getting an aftermarket header or highflow cat you can buy a EX catback and use the Tanabe extention pipe that Dezod sells. Everything should bolt up and you won't have to worry about extending O2 senor wires.

I hope that wasn't too confusing and if you have any other questions just ask. I converted to an stock EX header/stock EX downpipe/cat with a DC Sports catback.

[Vermont]

WOW thanks alot man thats extremly helpfull. do you know if my car would sould like shit with the EX header downpipe setup and a ex cat back exaust? Also how much would i be looking at for the header and downpipe?

Also are there any difrences with the 2001-2003 and 2004-2005? suspension wise? im getin Tein Basics and i was wondering what else do i need besides that and a camber kit?

[OSK Automotive]

A stock EX header/downpipe and aftermarket catback should sound fine. Thats what I'm running and I love it. Usually when if you're running a race header with no cat is when a exhaust will tend to sound bad (not all the time tho). A used stock EX header should be pretty cheap finding the downpipe/cat is harder. I got lucky and got the header and downpipe for only $75 so just keep your eyes open in the "for sale" forum here and civicforums.com.

Suspension wise, there was a change in 2003 and up cars that changed the front camber bolts from 14mm to 16mm. That should be the only thing that you should worry about.

[Todd00]

Good description of the exhaust differences. I put this thread in the FAQ.

[SimplyTron]

I'm about to be getting a 04 LX Coupe for a daily driver. I have a CRX now thats getting unreliable and rusty so I want to have something nice to drive when I redoing the CRX and for a nice daily driver. But I can not have a stock car no matter how hard I try. I want to get i/h/e for the 04 but Im running into this problem. Plus I want to the the Apexi World Sport exhaust but they don't make it for the LX. So if I get an after market EX header and the Random Tech. down pipe and cat and the Apexi cat back I should be alright? I don't see an o2 sensor bung on the down pipe. I guess I will have to get one welded in right? Also Megan Racing sells their down pipe and "cat" on Dezod also and its 1/3 the price. The only difference I see it the Megan has a test pipe looking cat and the Random Tech. has their high flow cat on it. I want the exhaust to be extremely quiet so would I be better off going with the Random Tech. or would the Megan one be alright?

[OSK Automotive]

I would get the Random Tech if you want to keep it quiet and everything else you said is correct.

[SimplyTron]

Is there any complications with the front sway bar?

[Synapz]

none at all... u can use OEM 25.4mm sway bar with EX header/Downpipe

[OSK Automotive]

Originally Posted by SimplyTron

Is there any complications with the front sway bar?

To be honest with you i've heard different answers. Some people say you have to go to an EX front sway others say you don't. I would guess that 03+ LX front bars may not have a clearence issue since they were dropped down in size. When I did the conversion I went down to a 15.9mm 03+ EX front sway bar for handling purposes so I had no problems. Like I said I've heard many mixed answers hence what Synapz said so if you're going to do the conversion take it into consideration.

Originally Posted by Synapz

none at all... u can use OEM 25.4mm sway bar with EX header/Downpipe

You used an OEM LX front sway?

[oddmut]

i'm possibly not reading it thorough enough.

is there any differences between the lx and ex exhaust? The parts I'm refering to is from the catback to the muffler (resonator, muffler, b pipe). not headers and so on.

[Curiouz_G]

your a year late on this buddy haha

[oddmut]

Originally Posted by Curiouz_G

your a year late on this buddy haha

i know. didn't want to post up another thread when we have one already. see i do my searching.

anyways can someone answer this

Originally Posted by oddmut

i'm possibly not reading it thorough enough.

is there any differences between the lx and ex exhaust? The parts I'm refering to is from the catback to the muffler (resonator, muffler, b pipe). not headers and so on.

some guy wants to trade his lx exhaust for my dc exhaust. i'm an ex though. will it work? we're both 4drs if that makes a difference.

[OSK Automotive]

The LX B-pipe is longer than the EX B-pipe so it will be too long to bolt up to your EX downpipe.

[oddmut]

Originally Posted by OSK Automotive

The LX B-pipe is longer than the EX B-pipe so it will be too long to bolt up to your EX downpipe.

i thought it was like this for the ex:

header, a pipe (downpipe), cat, b pipe, resonator, muffler.

atleast from that response i can see how the lx after their header combined with cat and downpipe will make the exhaust pipe longer.

[Jstans84]

It might work but you would probably have to replace everything starting from the headder to the rest of the exhaust.

[oddmut]

Originally Posted by Jstans84

It might work but you would probably have to replace everything starting from the headder to the rest of the exhaust.

not willing to do that.

[Jstans84]

Yeah it pry wouldn't be too advisable.

[Jstans84]

Would there be any type of performance change if you put an LX header/down pipe/exhaust on an EX?

[OSK Automotive]

IMHO there would only be a very very slight downgrade in performance. Nothing that you could actually feel. What would be the reason to convert if you don't mind me asking.

[Jstans84]

Curiosity, I am swaping all that stuff of my LX for an EX Header/Down pipe/ exhaust so i was going to let my buddy with an ex have it. He wants a stock exhaust.