For starters, I have searched and found very little information about the question I am about to ask. I know the exhaust questions get beat to death here, but I am wondering this.


I have a '97 F-250 HD 4WD, regular cab, 460, ZF5, 4.10s with 65K miles on it. I want to change the exhaust on the truck (just a cat back for now; headers in the future), and I am seeing a few options. It looks like the factory system is a single 3" exhaust (after the Y), into the muffler, and out (2) 2" tail pipes. By my math, the factory tailpipes (and also the muffler) are a slight restriction (in terms of CSA) in the trucks exhaust.


Stock 3" In front of muffler: ~7.05 in^2

Dual 2" tails: ~6.25 in^2


Flowmaster makes a kit (PN17211) that is 3", but it is aluminized. I will own this truck fro a long time, so I want the best aftermarket parts I can find.


Banks also makes a "Stinger" kit (PN49250), and I noticed it has a 3.5" tailpipe, is stainless, and also includes a "Ram Air" intake lid and filter (which I don't really care about, but I can only buy this as a kit ).


Single 3.5" Tail: ~9.60 in^2 (Equivalent of dual 2.5" tails)


The banks kit is $600; I'm kind of okay with that, but it got me to thinking. I know I have seen stainless diesel cat backs for ~$400. The diesel systems are all 4", though.


Single 4" Diesel Tail: ~12.50 in^2

It seems like overkill, but I have to ask! Has anyone modified a diesel cat back to fit on a 460 truck? From pictures, it looks like hangers/ etc are in the same locations. Obviously I'd have to reduce the 4" to fit the factory 3" mid pipe. I'm also not sure if there is enough room aft of the cat to fit the full length diesel muffler (have to keep the cat for emissions now).


I more than likely will avoid the extra effort and just buy the Banks kit, but I am still curious if anyone has done this? Would this be a giant echo chamber?


Does anyone know of other aftermarket exhaust system options? I have done custom bent before on other vehicles, and I am just not happy with the quality. I need something stainless and less restrictive, that will sound good.

 

I had a factory diesel tailpipe(~3.5" diameter) on my gas truck with a couple different Flowmaster mufflers and the droning in the cab was rediculous.

 

The factory "torpedo" converter is a huge bottleneck, until you exchange that for a high flow you are wasting your time with a catback system IMHO.

You can use pretty much any muffler with a 3" in and a 3" out and a universal 3" tail pipe for cheap. I used a Magnaflow 12279 muffler and Walker 45683 aluminized universal tailpipe on my old '92 F350 w/5.8L engine. I think Magnaflow has a similar stainless tailpipe too. Those parts, as well as a single high flow converter, made a huge difference in performance and sound.

 

Sirs,

I am curious about this also and have been for awhile. My 460 is bone stock as well. What about setting off some sort of CEL or messing with the O2 sensor signals and messing with the PCM? Is that anything to be concerned about with these changes you all are proposing.

Thanks

Sid

 

I will make note of the converter. I'd like to de smog the truck altogether, but I still have a few years left that it will need to be tested. Plus, at this time everything works, and everything is in remarkable condition. I hate to ditch a good working converter, although I could probably sell the old one as scrap for more than a high flow version would cost installed.


I'd imagine that converters are sized per engine displacement.

 

No issues with upsetting the O2 sensor in this scenario since it is ahead of the catalytic converter.

Even if the Op's truck had California emissions equipment, that would mean it is OBD-II and uses 3 O2 sensors, there would be no problem as long as a converter is in place.

 

Yes they are...

When I installed my Magnaflow 59929 spun metallic converter it was rated to handle a 7.5L engine. Since that time it appears to be derated to ~6.6L.

There are others out there or IMHO...you could use two converters to effectively cut the emission load in half since only one cylinder bank is feeding into each converter. I used a single since I had a 5.8L engine.

 

Any of the cat back systems would do the same thing, I HIGHLY recommend the stainless versions. Well worth the extra $50

The aluminized stuff rots out in a year or two

I agree with others on removing the stock cat, it is very restrictive

getting rid of the factory exhaust manifolds is also a good idea, they are prone to cracking when running the truck hard

I have the Banks Torque Tubes, hi-flow cat, flow master 20 series muffler and custom single 3" exhaust. I could not be happier with the setup. I also have the Banks Ram-air, BBK throttle body and Vortech SuierCharger

 

I used a Magnaflow 15003 3" mandrel bent universal stainless tailpipe.
It was $53 *delivered* from Amazon in late 2011.

No cat and a huge school bus muffler.

It fit my F-250 well and I was able to weld a hook on to use the stock rubber hanger behind the wheel.
It sounds a little deeper but not obnoxious or droning.

 

I made my own hi-flo cat out of the old one! (well, sort of)



Then 2 glass packs. I don't really recommend these. Flowmasters or Magnaflow or something like that would be much better. Lots less drone.




Then one pipe out each side for the "Old-School" look. Works good for me.

 

Thanks for the help guys. I think short term I will go with the Banks Stinger, and an appropriately sized aftermarket high flow cat (MagnaFlow, etc). In the future I'll do the Banks headers.
It still baffles me how a 4" turbo back stainless system for a 7.3 truck is the same price as an aluminized 3" catback for the 460 trucks.

 

Perhaps the bulk of orders for diesel trucks these days brings the price down in bulk sales.

Im sure the banks system will work well for you, but I will also reccomend just getting stainless mandrel bent pipes from magnaflow and running them out the back. It seems like it would save you hundreds over the kit.

 

Because they sell the diesel exhaust by the truck load.

The 460 exhaust I would be surprised if they sold 100 kits per year

 

460 hasn't been sold in almost 20 years.....

It's no wonder why they don't have much call for a premium exhaust system anymore.
A system that doesn't rot out like the rest of the truck around it.

 

Pun intended??