I have a gutless '94 CX and last weekend I was driving back from my friends house and noticed that my exhaust sound gets louder and growly around 1,500-3,000RPMs. It sounds like I put an intake on it (I think that's a good comparison of how it sounds). It just clicked over to 177,000 miles, but last time the car was on a lift (around last October) the exhaust pipes were so clean you could eat off them; so I don't think the pipes are broken or rusted. Also I unbolted the intake, and removed a piece, and didn't have the rubber gasket attached completly until that day either. Here's a pic of what I removed and didn't have attached: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v473/CivicSpoon/intake.jpg

Soi I'm wondering what anyone think about this. Could it be the intake never being put together right until now, or do you think maybe my cat (which is a part of my exhaust manifold) is clogged? This isn't a major problem and doesn't effect driving at all, I just don't want cops harassing me (because they will) and I've only got a 70hp motor and it seems kind of stupid to have a loud exhaust. Any help or thoughts are greatly appreciated.

more than likely there is a hole somewhere in your exhaust pipe or the actual muffler

removing that piece is why it sounds louder. its your air box/resonator thing. i took mine out of my lx and it sounds nice and deep when im really on (50+ percent) the throttle. im assuming thats what it is because it sounds just like how my car is

Thanks for the help guys. I'll look over the pipes when my buddy does the clutch in my car.
But the main problem I'm having is deciding what happened. Because on the same day I parked my car and drove on big rocks, so that could have done some damage from that. But also that day I pushed the gasket down on the intake, which I never full sealed until that day. So I guess the only thing to do is check the exhaust. Thanks again

I noticed my exhaust sounded deeper too. But it happened right after I replaced the dist. cap and rotor. I don't think it has anything to do with it though.

usualy removing just that part of the intake doesnt do much. now removing teh bigger chamber and the piping after the intake box does(little bit of hp gain too). id say if u have the stock exhaust u probably blew or made a small hole or something in ur resonator, cat, or muffler. and if a new exhaust mayb iit was just still breaking in when it was quiet.