Bogging After new Exhaust?

[ekR]

Hey guys,

tl;ldr at bottom sorry for the long story I just don't wanna miss anything

Got my car back yesterday a new custom exhaust system was put on it, upgraded from the stock one I was running with my b18c on aftermarket headers.

Shortly after I went to a friend's house who installed a cold air intake - noticed that when I got the exhaust done there was a bit of back fire happening as I drove out, mainly when I was shifting gears (not loud or anything but just small pops coming off the tip, so didn't seem like a cause for concern).

While I was driving to my friend's house for the intake I noticed it was really difficult to get on vtec or just rev it up in general, it's almost like as soon as it got to vtec engagement the car would start back firing a little bit, hesitate, then run fine and pretty much rinse and repeat every traffic light until I get there.

I got the cold air done, and as I drove off the car basically went limp (this was on an uphill) battery pretty much seemed like it died or there was no power to ignition or something like that and I pulled over, waited a moment, turned it back on - this was ok, tried to move again, same thing revved up and then almost like there was no power it just turned off.

My friend came out to have a look, we ended up moving it to flatter ground (wasn't going up a steep hill but it was an up hill road), turned it back on friend told me to do some rounds around the block and see if I could get on vtec and see if the back firing was just due to excess fuel that needed to be burned off... hit vtec for a few rounds around the block came back felt 100% better to drive thought there would be no more issues.

Had the occasional back fire here and there on the way home, but then it started bogging, basically 2-4k revs occasionally it will hit it up, maybe hesitate back fire a little but then almost change it's mind like nah this is cool let's keep going. Accelerating out of first and second into vtec is pretty much out of the question it will bog if I try to, but 3rd, 4th and 5th gears are ok to drive in.

If I drive normally which I do 95% of the time there is 0 problem it will run like it should.

Car seemed to be ok on the stock exhaust, really problem started after the exhaust, brand new cat and full 2.5" exhaust was installed all the way through from headers to tip so not sure where the issue could be.

I was suggested may the car needed a tune to fix up the fuel/air ratios with the cold air and exhaust but I'm running a factory jdm type r ecu that isn't chipped so tuning it isn't an option for now.



I'm not very savvy when it comes to stuff under the hood, unfortunately I haven't done much to check what's going on but so far I have tried to change the battery with a brand new on from super cheap and have checked the oil on a cold start, dip stick is registering just under the 2nd dot like it shuld.

Car is driven very sensibly, barely ever speed due to the old exhaust I thought getting on it too much might damage something since there wasn't as much flow and it was the stock ek1 one from factory, I was planning on actually using the car for it's potential after the exhaust but unfortunately I can't at the moment.

Where would you guys start?

Check Engine light is on, I tried to do the paperclip trick from the ecu but not sure which connector it's supposed to go in as I can't find the blue one like all the videos describe. I will definitely take it to a mechanic but just wanted to know what I might be able to do in the mean time

tl;dr - Car's exhaust was changed with a complete stock 2.5" all the way through exhaust yesterday, installed a cold air. Car seems to bog between 2-4k rpms and very hesitant getting on vtec, backfires a little not sure what the problem is, have checked oil and replaced battery issue still existing.

Things I could try in the mean time?
Injector Cleaner? Does this sound like the engine isn't getting fuel?
Fuel Filter? not sure when it was last changed I would have to assume when the new engine was dropped in but I'm not 100%


pls halp