Need exhaust advice please

[Bhale]

I crawled under the truck today with the intention of gutting the cat but decided i didn't like the 3" in / 4" out design DC saw fit to put on this truck. There has to be a better solution! Is there a kit i can buy to replace just the pipe from the turbo back to the muffler? Are there other options i should consider? The power upgrades will be coming in the next 4-6 weeks ~300HP.

 

[jfrost]

Many of the companies that advertise on this website offer 4" inch turbo down pipes. You could buy one of these bolt it to the flange on the back of the turbo charger and then run 4" right to your muffler. If I was you I wouldn't use the muffler either. But I don't know if you are into that or not, but these engines sound absolutely beautifull through straight 4" inch pipe. I hope I answered your question.

 

[Bhale]

Straight through pipe without a muffler is one thought i had but how much louder will it be? I'm kinda attached to the Banks muffler. In '96 i bought their Powerpack setup for $1200 which included exhaust from the cat back, plate moving instructions and an air filter. Boy was that a waste of money!!!! The muffler seems to be fine and the chrome tip looks good. I guess the thought of throwing that $1200 away just doesn't settle well. :-{} However i'm open to suggestions .....



Thanks!

Brian

 

[BCFAST]

Banks???!!! LOL, dont go there (my opinion)... . for the money, try Rip's system. Your question about noise: at idle, you'll LOVE the big-rig sound, but if you get on the highway for a trip, the drone will probably drive you postal. Look at my sig for MY solution.

 

[Oil Ape]

Cut the cat out.



Call up a local "Big Rig" part supply place around there and pick up a 4' piece of 3" diameter exhaust with 3" id bell. Also pick up an adapter that goes from 3"id to 4"id and two 3" exhaust clamps and one 4" exhaust clamp. The whole setup will cost you about $35 and take less than a half hour to install. Save your money. Granted the 4" sounds better but you probably already have that from cat to tail and with the money you'd save from not buying a complete 4" turbo to tail you can use to mod...



The cat is the main restriction at this point not the 3" diameter exhaust. In fact, you have to start having EGT problems after you have increased your exhaust housing size before you actually need the 4" turbo to tail. At 300 hp don't get suckered into spending your money on something with minimal performance or cooling gains.

 

[cumminsgetme]

Oil Ape is right about sourcing your own parts. I built my 5" system for around $150. At the time I was around 450HP. I saw little to no gain in performance or egt reduction.



-Cord

 

[baby.driver]

Diesel Dynamics

You would be happy with their 4in. turbo back system. I am.



Jay

 

[Deezul1]

After talking to a lot of folks that have a lot of experience with this subject I decided to stay with the stock size pipes without the cat and muffler. It seems that 4" and larger pipes will sound better but offer little if any other benefits until the 450-500HP level are reached. Large exhaust system money will reap much larger benefits when spent on other items. Unless ya already got all that other cool stuff and just want to sound good.

 

[baby.driver]

If you are not towing, fine.

If you are, I repeat what I said earlier.



Jay

 

[Steve Roseman]

You will like the sound of the straight pipe, but it can get a little annoying.

If you run highway speeds of 70-75 mph, the drone might bother you. I solved my drone problem with a resonator off a 24 valve.

 

[Oil Ape]

In the 300 hp range you are fine towing with a 3" exhaust with no consequence to the EGT's as long as the Cat has run away. We saw almost 150 degree drop in EGT's when the Cat was removed and no change in one of our trucks when we swapped to the 4". Other than it sounding real good it was a lot of $$$ we would have rather spent elsewhere.



In fact, in retrospect and looking at upgrading my new truck I contacted TST and asked them concerning the problem with running a hot plate and EGT's. They said in their testing they saw the most improvement in EGT's by removing the cat. They stated even the stock muffler is minimal in restriction and the difference in EGT's is unappretiable when the muffler is removed. Switching to a 4" exhaust had no improvement on the 3" w/ cat removed and in fact in their testing increased the EGT's on the 24 valves... . Don't ask me why... I don't know.

 

[tschwab]

The 4" systems sounds and looks awesome. On a recent tow, did notice better performance and lower EGT's, could it be the 4" or the lost CAT or both?



No drone either

 

[Rip Rook]

Bhale, don't gut that cat. Those things are $1500 list from Dodge & presently not available in the after market. If your sawzall were to slip, & it accidently hit the ground, it's one thing. Someday to someone that thing will be/is worth some real money... ... . Rip

 

[redramnc]

Just spent 10 hours down and 10 hours back on I-95 at 75-80 mph with Walker muffler and 4" exhaust system. No drone heard and the turbo whistle can be tuned out over time. Since my cat stayed home I can't tell you if that makes a temp difference. I ran 650-700* EGT the whole way but I was almost empty. Air temp was mid 90's and the induction system is bone stock. With the 3. 55s I got right at 22 mpg - pre-mods I only got 21. 3 mpg on same run.



My cat was acting like it was clogging up so I went cat-less before I got the gauges. The spool-up is definitely faster without the cat. I figure the cat is the biggest restriction of any component and about as useful as teats on a boar hog. However I did keep mine in case the Environazis get bent out of shape in the future.

 

[Oil Ape]

I agree... Don't gut the cat, just retire it completely. Put it on a shelf someplace in case you need it in the future.

 

[Bhale]

Thanks for your input! There is a parts store near me that has 4" pipe in stock so i'll go the sawzall route and keep 4" Banks stuff back to the tip. The cat will take up residence in the shed with the stock muffler... .



I was wondering how much those things cost. $1500!!

 

[Oil Ape]

Here is a picture of my modification. I started with 3 of the horseshoe type clamps but I ended up with a leak between the new pipe and the adapter so I went with an offset strap. Straps are more expensive but boy do they work well. Good luck with your modification.