Exhaust upgrade recommendations? - non-turbo

mblaney · Apr 15, 2014

Well my exhaust system just turned 20 years old. Most of it is in good shape but the flange between the y pipe and intermediate is flaky (literally!). I figure this might be a good time to do an upgrade to fix the restrictive y pipe. Does anyone have any current recommendations for this?

I am considering the Dynomax 19430 but I an worried that the "straight through" muffler will be too noisy - I like my country music too much LOL

. I wanted to brew my own system and just buy the y pipe parts (Dynomax #55287 and #52272) but those are not available anymore. This set up looks awesome (as long as it is not noisy) http://www.oilburners.net/forums/showthread.php?48333-4-quot-exhaust-build

The price of the Dynomax kit looks good but I have no interest in noise and the bling muffler tip will be thrown out also cookoo

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PwrSmoke · Apr 15, 2014

Mine is a turbo (aftermarket) truck so there may be a little apples and oranges here, but I have that system (adapted to a turbo downpipe) and think that particular muffler is too noisy when combined with 4-inch pipes. Not noise so much as a drone. An annoying one. My drone changed dramatically (for the better) when I bumped the timing a couple of more degrees advanced. In theory, NA silencing/sound tuning offers more challenges but drones are often very situationally specific. You might have it. You might not, but you have to buy and install the system to find out.

I also think a 4-inch system is way too big for a largely stock NA truck from the performance standpoint. I've been scoffed at many times here for that opinion but it's backed up by a lot of dyno testing and experience over the years that says bigger is NOT always better and that you only need a system as big as you need for the power output. The 4-inch system doesn't necessarily cost power (though it can bump the power and torque curve upwards) but it doesn't gain you much over a stock system and gains nothing over a well designed 2.5 (mandrill bent with a free-flow muffler) or 3-inch system, neither of which are available except by custom fabbing (oh-Banks-Stinger-where-art-thou? ( : < ). Even with the extra flow vs the 3-inch Banks system it replaced, I didn't notice any butt-dyno gains and the real dyno didn't either. I did see some changes in boost readings but that's about it. If it were me, I would use stock replacement pipes but slip in a good, large chamber, free flow muffler. The muffler is usually the major restriction in a system and freeing things up there gives you 2/3s of what a full performance system gets you for half the cost. Of course, if you need a full system anyway, that's a moot point. Not trying to convince you one way or another just offering some background to help you make an informed choice. You gotta crunch the numbers for yourself.

mblaney · Apr 15, 2014

I am not really after the 4", it's the better y pipe that I am after. I agree the 3" would be sufficient but I haven't found one yet. I did a lot of digging here, I think icanfixall made his own adapter... I can resort to that but it would be great to find an off the shelf fix that is better than the OEM configuration.

Edit, it was LCAM-01XA who made the adapter http://www.oilburners.net/forums/showthread.php?67413-N-A-dynomax-exhaust-Y-Pipe/page2

That same thread NO_SPK found the parts that I would like to have!

PwrSmoke · Apr 15, 2014

Ah, that's clear now.

I don't think the Dynomax y-pipe is substantially better than the stock one, if at all better, but it's the only replacement available I think. If you have time and a few extra bucks, you might try Stainless Works in Chagrin Falls, Ohio (<www.stainlessworks.net>). They used to offer custom services where if you sent them an intact pipe, they would duplicate it in heavy wall, mandrill bent stainless steel in the same or larger diameter (you have to determine if the larger pipe will fit). I did a story there some years back and was impressed by their shop and what they could do. They had some kind of computerized do-dah that measured the old pipe so their machines could duplicate it. Some years ago, when my original Bank system died, I called to get replacement parts and found they had quit offering off-the-shelf replacement parts for their old turbo systems. They went to a custom deal where they would make them up from the old patterns one piece at a time. I priced them out and they were EXPENSIVE. Stainless Works was a little bit below Bank's cost at that time. Long term that could be a way to go but it will be expensive in the short term (no, I won't quote you six year old prices... you need to call and get current prices). When my crossover and downpipe finally die, that's probably going to be the option for me.

mblaney · Apr 15, 2014

Thanks for the info! I found a few articles / posts from you on this and the one about Stainless Works. I will probably brew my own that will line up with the first flange so I can run stock from there back.

icanfixall · Apr 15, 2014

When I had my 4 inch straight pipe made up I watched the guy making the 4 into 3 adapter. He had this bell shaped slug of metal. He just banged it on the ground till it was 3 inch. It looks like a factory swedge on the end of the 4 inch pipe. Just a little note about BaNKS DOWN PIPES. tHEY ARE NOT 3 INCH LIKE THEY ADVERTISE. tHEY ARE A 2 7/8 PIPE SO THEY HAVE TO BE SPREAD OPEN TO FIT THE 3 INCH PIPE. i DID NOT DO THAT WHEN i HAD MY SYSTEM BUILT. i WISH THE SHOP HAD TOLD ME BECAUSE i CAME BACK WITH A LEAK WANTING THEM TO FIX IT. tHEY FIXED IT BUT IT COST ME.. nOT THEM. tHEY SHOWED ME THE FIT AND HOW THEY WERE GOING TO OPEN UP THE 2 7/8 PIPE. i "MADE THEM" OPEN IT UP FOR 2 INCHES SO i HAD A GOOD PURCHASE FOR THE CLAMP i FITTED. iTS JUST A WRAP OF THE PIPES. tHIS WAY i CAN REMOVE THE WRAP AND TAKE THE DOWN PIPE OFF ANY TIME i WANT. nO MORE U BOLT CRUSHED PIPE THAT WONT COME APART.... Well screw this mess. I hit the caps lock.. Not going to type it again.. Damn it...

mblaney · Apr 15, 2014

That is a little hard to read!

icanfixall · Apr 15, 2014

Sorry. I type by watching the keyboard and hate like hell looking up only to see caps. Usually the wifey leaves this keyboard on caps and wont tell me. I'm trying to teach myself to check this before I compose something. I sure as hell can't make her change. No matter what she touches she leaves a pantload mess behind. I'm long past it. I hate it but what are you going to do. I can't fix her so I have to fix me. Its tuff...

chris142 · Apr 16, 2014

i had a muffler shop cut all my stock system off,put 3 inch and a custom no restriction y pipe with a flowmaster. cost $350 installed.

NO_SPRK · Apr 17, 2014

Dont let people tell you what they think may work...

Banks made a stinger NA exhaust kit and said anything over 3inch is too big.

I have a dynomax y-pipe that flows much better than stock. And better then it looks. The rest of my exhaust is a banks turbo system. 3" to the muffler and 3.5 tail pipe.

My truck will hit the governor as quick as a big block gasser.

It absolutely loves to rev now.

Years ago I put the same exhaust system on my single cab without a y-pipe. I did a ****** adapter ffom the stock 2.5" to the banks 3" pipe. I lost bottom end power and didnt gain as much in the butt dyno. Both trucks are zf5

A few weeks ago I pulled a 2004 grand Cherokee v8 with my stock NA (besides exhaust) up waldo grade heading north out of san fran at 50mph in 4th... before id be in 3rd by the end of the hill barley pulling 40mph with my foot to the floor

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NO_SPRK · Apr 17, 2014

Banks stinger kit