New cummins owner with questions

[Sidewayzz]

Hi,I bought a 06 with 5.9 cummins to pull my travel trailer. It weighs about 7200lbs. Have been thinking about cat delete or muffler delete,or both. I pretty much use truck just to tow. What are your thoughts and opinions about doing this. Next question what about removing the baffles in the air intake. Thanks in advance. Truck is completely stock,no tuners

 

[B.G. Smith]

I have an 06, don't think it has a cat converter. They make lots of noise without muffler. You won't get any advantages from removing the baffles, they are air straighteners and probably help the turbo with better breathing. bg

 

[Prairie Dog]

The noise of a open system while towing would be hideous.
I'm running a stainless 4" system with a 44" Donaldson muff. Sound while towing is the same as stock except no drone.
The sound from the outside while it's idling is wonderful. A little louder but not too loud and very low and burbling like a big block.

 

[GrantP]

Hi,I bought a 06 with 5.9 cummins to pull my travel trailer. It weighs about 7200lbs. Have been thinking about cat delete or muffler delete,or both. I pretty much use truck just to tow. What are your thoughts and opinions about doing this. Next question what about removing the baffles in the air intake. Thanks in advance. Truck is completely stock,no tuners

What is the reason for the mods? If you're considering these modifications to try to increase power you are wasting your time and money. If you just want more noise then yes, mission accomplished.

Your trailer is not that heavy to require power upgrades IMHO, but if you want more then install some gauges and a tuner.

 

[Sidewayzz]

Thanks for the info,believe I will just leave her be.

 

[RVTRKN]

The money you'd spend for little to no advantage is OK, but why not take the money and install a EGT Gauge and EFILive.

 

[Killer223]

cuz then he'll need to install a new transmission.

 

[RVTRKN]

I have EFILive, and it's not tuned to ridiculous power. That's the beauty of EFILive, its tunable for better MPG. The OP needs to fill out a signature so members can see his truck. BTW, Sidewayzz welcome to TDR.

 

[GrantP]

cuz then he'll need to install a new transmission.

Very true. When I initially bought my 06 many years ago I was very tempted to add a tuner, well 6 years later it is still bone stock. If I look at it objectively it has more than enough power for anything I need to do with it. Not saying it wouldn't be fun to have more but it's a slippery (and expensive) slope.

 

[cerberusiam]

Open exhaust is just obnoxious and drones terrible.

Remove just the muffler and it is better but still to snarly. CAT and 18" resonator is pretty good, an AeroTurbine with resonator plus another 18" resonator is about right. It will bark when you get after it, doesn't drone under a load, and sounds a lot better in tone. Add a 5" tip to the stock tail pipe and make sure it gets out past the body a couple inches will reduce harmonics and drone a LOT.

 

[Motorhead]

I would tow with it first and see that the truck sounds loud enough. A while back here was a dyno test with and without the diesel cat installed. There was only a two HP loss by running the cat. Not worth pulling it out. I have a stock exhaust and the only thing that I did that made the exhaust a little louder but tolerable was having the stock Holset turbo modified by Turbo Re-source. My '07, 5.9 runs like a top now.

 

[Sidewayzz]

Mainly I was thinking that it would breath easier and lower the egts. This is my first diesel. Thanks for the replys

 

[cerberusiam]

The 04.5+ trucks have all the air in and out that is needed for 500-600 HP. Breathing is not an issue anymore and observed EGTS are more a function of tuning than anything.

 

[Regcabguy]

I couldn't imagine driving a stock truck. Biannually,I restore it to stock in order to smog it. It's a dog.
Even a 30 hp EFI or Smarty tune works wonders.

 

[jgillott]

I have lots and lots of miles under my belt with 3rd gen 5.9's, most of them pulling something or pushing a plow. A little extra power would be great, but they are stone reliable when left stock.

 

[RVTRKN]

I added EFILive to help in my regen issue, which did help a little. But it's nice to feel the small added power as a byproduct. However you have to add a boost and EGT gauge running any power enhancement device/programmer.