Hey guys, my 89 F150 that I've been on resurrecting for WAY to long, is finally getting close to being time to register it, and enjoy it. The last 2 big things it needs, are new tires (hopefully picking up a used set of good condition 265 75 16 on generic alloys that were on a 99 ram 1500 for $300 tomorrow), and the exhaust fixed.
When I was crawling around under it today, I realized that it's much worse than I realized. Both of the y pipes are cracked almost completely right as they enter the first catalytic converter/ y pipe. Also, the exhaust is rotted off about a foot and a half after the second cat.
The truck will mostly be used offroad, and we don't have emissions testing, so I'm kinda thinking of tacticaly forgetting to reinstall some original equipment that might just be clogged up as well. Here's my question, what do I need to do with the pipe that's welded in after the 2nd cat that goes back up to the motor?
also, is the crossover pipe for the o2 sensor large enough to count as my crossover pipe if I did decide to run duals from there? Or am i better off getting a generic y pipe with a 3" outlet, and just running a single 3" exhaust? Also, better to run it out in front of the rear tire, or just straight out the back?
Any favorite mufflers for these 302 enginges? Im looking for a deep, choppy, sound, but not too loud when not hammering on it.
I'm tempted to put a 30" glass pack on it, but not sure if it'll be too loud while cruising... I want it loud from the outside, but I want to still be able to enjoy my music in the cab, or just be able to have a conversation in it without having to yell. My dad suggested I put a Flowmaster on it, so that's also something I'm really considering.
Ive listened to a bunch of youtube exhaust setups for these trucks, and found 2 that I really like. One is a catless single 3" with an 18" glass pack. I LOVE how it sounds at idle, but not wild about how it sounds reved up.
The other is a flowmaster 40 with cats. It's a little too mellow for my preferences idling, but sounds great when revved up.
Im really not sure what to do for the exhaust setup on this truck, so I'm just looking for what you guys would recommend for me.
Thanks in advance!
Courage

 

It is all subjective, when I was young I enjoyed louder pipes...now I am old and I prefer quieter tones. OE cats will really quiet it down, if you are crazy you can just toss the manifolds and OE Y pipe. Use Fox 5.0 shorty headers (BBK for example) and a custom Y. 2" or 2.25" downpipes into Y collector, single 2.5 or single 3" into high flow cat. That will drastically increase the sound and some power. I did this before went to long tubes.

Hooker Aerochambers sound good to me. Flowmaster 70s. Magnaflow are fine. I love Corsa, but you pay big time for those, got em on my C4.

 

That 185hp 302, needs all the torque it can muster, to moves these baby elephants, and that 3" exhaust will kill it, I like Dynomax super turbo's and Borla Pro xs, the borla comes alive, when you give it all the beans.

 

Smaller exhaust for torque, you need back pressure.
2-1/4" is probably best, 2-1/2" for louder and would be better if you got a bigger motor.
The air pipe to your second cat is part of the air injection to help burn catalyst in the cat.

Do you need cats? If not, get a high flow flowmaster cat, it will help to keep exhaust stink down.
Dual exhaust cost twice as much, not sure the pipe size of stock 302, 351w had 3" at the back.

I love my 40 delta series. I have long tube pacesetter, into custom y-pipe, flomaster high flow cat, then 40 delta series, then out the back, on a 351w though.

 

Best performing exhaust for a stock 5.0 of this vintage will be a single 2.5"(all the way back), bigger than that you get more noise both inside and out and actually lose low rpm torque due to a loss of scavenging.
If the stock cats remain the muffler doesn't matter.. even a straight pipe won't be very loud, but when deleted the choices are obnoxous blat(anything flowmaster or cherry bomb) or a mellow rumble(Magnaflow or Dynomax super turbo). A full length 3" exhaust with any Flowmaster will drone inside the cab at cruising speeds, been there got the t-shirt, if you make the system shorter with a dump behind the cab it won't drone but it's louder overall.

 

My 95 was y-pipe driver side 2 1/4", passenger side 2", merged to 2 cats, and out to a 2 5/8" to muffler, and 2 1/2" out muffler, then the last 12" flared out to 3" behind the back passenger side tire, Ford did silly things back then.

 

My setup, no drone, I feel drone happens from incorrectly selecting too big of tubes, incorrectly selecting too big muffler, etc.

i had exhaust dump in front of rear tire with 3”, way too loud, down sized to 2.5” straight out back, huge difference

 

I ran shortie headers a homemade Y pipe [2.5 headpipes, into a 2.5-3" collector] into a 3" FM 50, with a 2.5 tailpipe [it was almost new so I kept the 2.5"] in stock location. Without the cats it got a lot louder. More then enough flow for a warmed over 5.0 HO motor. Granted it was a Bronco, so a short system, but it was LOUD when you got on it. A bit of drone also. All in all it was a fun toy beating around. It got old daily driving though.