Exhaust Drone Solution

[JJW_ND]

First, I would like to thank the folks with Jardine Exhaust (Jerry and Matt) for their patients and taking the time to help solve this exhaust drone I developed after installing one of their 4" systems on my 96.



In the years I have had my truck, I have tried the muffler elimination, and a 4" straight through truck muffler. I used this truck to pull new stock trailers from KS to ND. After a 1500 mile round trip of constant obnoixous loud exhaust with one of the above mentioned systems, I would end up putting the factory muffler back on.



After adding the #11 plate I needed to open things up. Cat was long gone cleaned out. I had read all I could here and it seemed either a JRE or Jardine floated to the top for quality with Jardines maybe being a little quieter. I WANTED QUIET!



With system on, it sounded great (read quiet) until 2000 rpms. The obnixous noise was back... DRONE!



I used the stock clamps as supplied but I used 4" SS band clamps after the muffler and on the down pipe. This was a good move considering how many times I had this thing apart since. I can highly recomend NAPA # 733-5976 Easy Seal Stainless Steel 4". Band clamps look better, seal better, and will allow you remove/replace/improve the system over and over WITH OUT heat.



I check in with Jardine after severl days and a few 100 miles of hoping the drone would go away. Jerry said, while exhaust drone was somewhat more frequent on 24V trucks it was almost unheard of on 12V (w/ his system). He said to try adding a long piece of angle iron before the muffler, clamped to the pipe. Tried with little success. Clamped more angle iron after exhaust on the two short runs before and after axle. Still little improvement.



Read lots of what's up with other guys trucks (Ford and Chevy sites). The ford guys really talk up EPI-FLEX. Gave them a call and they thought this should fix it. Ordered and installed their larger 4" SS Flexible joint just after the down pipe. Transmission hanger clamps EPI-FLEX to downpipe, everthing behind this is free to flex. Good looking product. I think one could bolt the rest of the exhaust system solid to the frame with all the flex that is now available. Helped limit the Drone to 2000 to 2200, but still loud and present.



Called Jardine back, They said they just got some new resonators in and would send one to try. It was a MagnaFlow 20" TL, 5"x8" very similar construction to the MagnaFlow muffler they supply. Shaped kinda like a gasser muffler (oblong shaped cross section) but full 4" in and out and staight through. Like a MINI Muffler!



I installed it directly in front of the muffler with the wide part laying flat (horizontal). Cut the 4"OD piece coming out of the muffler so the resonator and muffler 4" IDs touched. Used one band clamp for that joint. Still room for hanger clamp. Because I had used regular muffler clamps on most joints with original install, I could not easily seperate one of the two 36" - 4" pipes in front of the muffler. A big chuck of the front one was missing with EPI install. I ended up with a long enough piece with a joint 10" in front of Resonator. All jounts now band clamped. I think the extra joints help stiffen things up which all helps reduce the drone.



Even to my surprise NO MORE DRONE! No Loud sytem! and Full 4" from turbo to exhaust tip!



It worked. You can have a big, cool, functional exhaust system that is still quiet and drone free!



jjw

ND

 

[JohnE]

jjw of NoDak;



No wonder it has been so quiet up here lately. That was <b>you</b> making all the noise?



I wonder what caused the resonance in your installation? Glad to hear you got it licked.



Good tip on the band clamps. That's all we use on the exhaust system of coaches. Easyseal&reg; is a Donaldson product and should be available from any heavy equipment or truck equipment house if the local NAPA cannot provide.



Does the Epi-Flex hold a full 4" ID? I have a Vibrant flex connector on my desk and the inner pipe is about an inch less than the flange size.



BTW, Got the fan and clutch removed yesterday. Finally got a wrench on the hub nut by pulling a fan bolt. Actually came loose easily. I love that noise reduction. I'll put the cold front on tomorrow and see how the temps go this week. After that, all bets are off. The ESPAR goes in next Saturday.



-John

 

[Roger rodbolt]

Drone and Fan related A/C problems.

I had the dreaded drone on my 4" ISB system with the "shorty" muffler. When the stock turbo/ebrake was replaced with a HX 40 and 4" inline BD brake I welded in 10" section of industrial flex pipe to the rear BD brake flange. The inside diameter is just over 4" and it is made of heavy stainless steel(tuff to flex). Drone is gone but exhaust noise is increased out the tailpipe due to the HX 40 having less restriction. Layers of B-Quiet sound deadner placed behind the quadseat fixed cab noise.



JohnE,

I agree that losing the fan noise is great. I ran a cardboard blocked radiator last winter (circle cut in center) and the normal engine temps remained until 90mph, even in 60 degree weather.

However, I must caution that I would rethink things now that I've installed a Horton fan. The Horton fan almost never engages from due to engine temps. , but regularly engages due to air conditioning pressures. The R 134 freon in our newer Rams must have significient airflow across the condensor to keep pressures in check. On my '98 the a/c runs except in the Off and one Vent position. This summer the fan would continue to cycle at stoplights and slow traffic, compressor head pressures go over 350lbs quickly without the stock fan which is partially engaged all the time. I put the largest electric fan that would fit between the radiator and grill to cool the a/c condensor but it does not have enough airflow as my Horton has engaged even in 50 degree weather.

Illflem has posted postive experience with removing the stock fan but I believe he disconnects the a/c. Here in Missouri we need the a/c to keep the glass defogged in the winter but you if you have a '99 or newer ram you might consider a circuit with the a/c clutch tied to the circuit that locks the doors above 5mph. This would help during inital warmup but later not at stoplights. Just trying to help avoid a/c expenditures

 

[JJW_ND]

John, the EPI-FLex is at least the same ID as a 4" pipe. Most of the flex is on the outside. They weld the 4" pipe (ID or OD your choice and to length you need). With the Transmission hanger bolted up securing one end of the EPIFlex and the rest of the exhaust system connected up to the tail pipe; I could lay the pipe and muffler behind the EpiFlex on the ground. This is with the truck on a hoist and me standing under the truck. Very easy to do a 90 degree bend.



EPIFLEX is an OEM suppier for "big exhaust stuff". They are doing these smaller (3. 5" and 4") stuff on the side.



Regarding Fanless operation..... Those with pre 98 trucks can disable the AC operation of the level control nob (Defrost, heat, bilevel, vent) with instructions on Fritzs site. A very simple fix I might add. Our older trucks have an 8 speed fan (4 speed No AC and a 4 speed w/ AC.



I got my AC system very upset last fall when my brother-in-law was driving my truck and left Defrost on (before above change made) and truck idleing a LONG while. No fan, winter front on. Outside air temp was -5.





JOHN... . I also talked to Mike. He has an Dynojet to make sure I am satisfied with any timing I want to have my truck set to.



jjw