I put a catback system on my car a few months ago and have been wondering about something I found odd. There was no gasket between my stock cat and catback so I installed my aftermarket catback (Spugen) the same way w/o a gasket. I've never seen it this way before, is there supposed to be a gasket? It doesn't sound like its leaking, but it really wouldn't surprise me if it was.

 

The stock exhaust has an "O" ring type gasket that fit in a groove on the flange. Most aftermarket cat backs for our cars have a flat gasket that is the same shape as the flange. So you may have missed seeing the OEM gasket.

 

when i took mine off, someone told me the oem gasket on the oem exhaust piping is there, but doesn't look like it is there. it is a metal ring on the flange that is very diffucult to remove giving it the appearance that there is no gasket. most aftermarket ones have a loose gasket that is completely separate from the exhaust. i would double check your spugen to see if you need it or not.

someone correct me if i am wrong.

 

I better get a gasket then! Guess I'll be calling Spugen. Now that I think back I think I recall seeing the metal ring on the stock catback.

 

there is also a pentegonal metal foil gasket i believe, but this might acutally vary depending on the year of your car. My 03 has it, but my buddies 01 didnt. Now correct ME if I'M wrong

 

Haha, well I can veify my late-02 didn't have one

Maybe Honda found they were leaking with age and decided to add the foil one in addition to the metal ring? Do you guys think I should call Spugen for one of their gaskets or get a '03 foil gasket from Honda?

 

if it's not leaking, dont bother. If you think it will start to leak, call spugen. They know what they're doing.

 

You need one of these:

 

Thanks for the pic! Is that a stock gasket or aftermarket?

 

The "stock" gasket is that metal ring that is more or less permanently attached to the stock exhaust. When you take it off, the ring stays on the exhaust. What you see is the typical gasket that almost all aftermarket cat back exhausts come with.