How do you remove a "rice burner" exhaust system?

Hello. I just bought a 1996 Civic HX 2dr and the car came with a very
loud exhaust aka "rice burner". Here is a pic for reference
(http://img148.imageshack.us/img148/7199/1003636ha1.jpg). Could someone
please tell me how I can remove it? Can I remove just the tip or do I
have to replace the entire exhaust system with an OEM? If I remove the
tip do I have to install something else in its place? Thanks.

 

Hello. I just bought a 1996 Civic HX 2dr and the car came with a very

You're going to have to replace that muffler. Looks like a Magnaflow.
Changing the tip won't change anything.

 

OK, thanks.
Do you know how much it would cost me to have someone take the old one
out and put in an OEM one, given that I provide it?

 

How good are you with tools? Mufflers and exhaust systems are not
very complicated, just awkward to work on. There are clamps and
hangars to deal with, also bolts that have frozen with age. But there
are tools and solvents that make the job fairly easy for a "shade tree
mechanic."

I have no idea how much a shop would charge if you provide the
hardware. Many do not like doing that sort of thing. Some don't mind.
It is not just the muffler, there are other bits that will also need
replacing. But the whole job should take well under an hour for a
skilled mechanic.

Hope this helps.
Elliot Richmond
Itinerant astronomy teacher

 

I can't imagine that a stock Civic owner with visions of "The Fast and the
Furious" would want to trade you their stocker even for your "upgraded"
exhaust. You could share the labor or they might just do you a favor!

 

Shouldn't take too much except for the rust I see in the picture may
have frozen some of the bolts. You will need to replace the entire
muffler and tip because it is a Magnaflow muffler. Check Craigslist or
Ebay and you may find a used OEM one that a person has taken off of
theirs relatively cheaper than what Honda would want.

 

I'd be more concerned as to how this car was treated. My experience has
been that when a fart-can is out back, the car had been beat on by a
young driver who was attempting to gain some "street cred".

 

Thank you all for your responses. I think I will replace the muffler
myself. Now, should I replace it with a Honda OEM muffler or this Bosal
one (http://tinyurl.com/md67t).What do you guys think? Thanks.

 

Thank you all for your responses. I think I will replace the muffler
myself. Now, should I replace it with a Honda OEM muffler or this Bosal
one (http://tinyurl.com/md67t). What do you guys think? Thanks.

 

It depends on how long you plan to keep the car. The Honda muffler
will probably last at least 10 years. The replacement muffler--who
knows. But several years at least.

Unlike more critical parts, I can't see any compelling reason to
spring for the Honda muffler.

Make sure to have plenty of penetrating oil on hand and allow time for
the frozen bolts to soak. WD 40 is NOT penetrating oil. You need
something like Liquid Wrench or Kroil. Liquid Wrench has been around a
lot longer than you have and I know it works.

Hope this helps


Elliot Richmond
Itinerant astronomy teacher