mileage and headers
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From: Floriduh
mileage and headers
Hi,
I have a 1990 Bronco with a 351w in it and stock exhaust. What kind of mileage increase would I get if I were to put on a set of headers only.....No other upgrades to the exhaust except headers? I'm simply trying to justify buying the darn things. This Bronco is driven daily, and (sadly
)almost never sees 4 wheel action except in the winter time.
I have a 1990 Bronco with a 351w in it and stock exhaust. What kind of mileage increase would I get if I were to put on a set of headers only.....No other upgrades to the exhaust except headers? I'm simply trying to justify buying the darn things. This Bronco is driven daily, and (sadly
)almost never sees 4 wheel action except in the winter time.
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From: Quispamsis, N.B, Canada
So wheelMA1,
If the y pipe is so restrictive, should I get some pipe made to go right after my headers or keep the y pipe? I was going to bolt my headers right to the y-pipe but what do you think? Sorry 53wa2fl, just had to hi-jack your thread!
If the y pipe is so restrictive, should I get some pipe made to go right after my headers or keep the y pipe? I was going to bolt my headers right to the y-pipe but what do you think? Sorry 53wa2fl, just had to hi-jack your thread!
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From: Floriduh
LOL it's a good question...no problem...One I hadnt thought of.However, MY Y-pipe is at least 2 1/2 inches for both then once it comes together, it is almost 3 inches. I dont think that is too restrictive. The stuff after the cat is most likely what is holding my exhaust up. After the cat it goes down to 2 inch.
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From: MA
Moose94,
Do you mean turn the current setup into "true duals", and lose the catalytic convertor?
53wa2fl,
The primary tubes from the headers are 2.5", then dump into a 3" that enters the cat? Is this an aftermarket Y pipe? The Y dumps from 3 to 2"? If so, there is your big problem. What kind of bends were used on your Y? I know on the stock unit, they used standard pipe bends, which further decreased the pipe diameter. On the Bassani Y pipe I had on my bronco, it was all mandrel bent, and had 2.5" primaries, that dumped into a 3" shared that flowed through a 3" in/out high flow cat. That was a great setup. If your setup is like you suggested (like my bassani, less high flow cat), then a high flow cat should be the missing piece of the puzzle for a highly efficient exhaust system. Is your muffler stock?
Do you mean turn the current setup into "true duals", and lose the catalytic convertor?
53wa2fl,
The primary tubes from the headers are 2.5", then dump into a 3" that enters the cat? Is this an aftermarket Y pipe? The Y dumps from 3 to 2"? If so, there is your big problem. What kind of bends were used on your Y? I know on the stock unit, they used standard pipe bends, which further decreased the pipe diameter. On the Bassani Y pipe I had on my bronco, it was all mandrel bent, and had 2.5" primaries, that dumped into a 3" shared that flowed through a 3" in/out high flow cat. That was a great setup. If your setup is like you suggested (like my bassani, less high flow cat), then a high flow cat should be the missing piece of the puzzle for a highly efficient exhaust system. Is your muffler stock?
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From: Floriduh
The bends are conventional on my Y-pipe. Yes, once the exhaust goes through the cat, it turns into 2 inch. Weird huh?I thought that was my whole problem from the start. Yes, I still have the stock Muffler. I had a Firebird once with a stock muffler, and then put on a Flowmaster, and it picked up a LOT of HP just from the muffler.
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From: Quispamsis, N.B, Canada
I don't have any cats. If you check my pics you'll see my setup. It's really simple, but does the stock y-pipe do the job?
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From: MA
The lack of cats certainly help. Although you wont get optimum performance, the Y should suffice.
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From: Floriduh
Well, I just checked my pipes on the Bronco. It's tailpipe is actually closer to 2 1/4 outside diameter and 2 1/8 inside diameter. But the Y-pipe is actually 2 inch off the manifolds and then Y's into one that is 3 inch before the cat then after the cat is's the 2 and 1/4 OS diameter stock tailpipe. Oh well....After filling up the tires...I got.....12 MPG!!!! DARN IT! What gives?!
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From: MA
Do you have an aftermarket Y pipe? They will add power with the catback (did for my 96 5.8, bassani headers, Y, catback). "Very noticeable" is in the eye of the beholder. With the Bassani ceramic units I had, they not only lowered underhood temps, which helped gain power, but also provided much better around town and passing power.
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From: MA
Larger tubing, as well as a high flow catalytic convertor, or no convertor (the first being preferable). The stock Y pipes on the Fords are quite bad. They use standard pipe bends, and have a low flow cat. At some of the bend points, the diameter dips to below 2", which is going to be a huge bottleneck when it comes to freeing the exhaust. Like stated, I had a Bassani high flow Y pipe on my bronco, and it was a vast improvement over stock. It was mandrel bent, with 2.5" dual primaries, which dumped into a true 3" single back into the cat (which was also a high flow, true 3" in/out).
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From: Quispamsis, N.B, Canada
WheelMA1 I don't know what the fuss is over this y-pipe issue! Anyone who's done it before knows that if you are doing headers and duals a y-pipe is for girls! You weld on 2.25" or 2.5" pipe straight off the headers, no cats (if it's allowed), and a set of mufflers. That's if your doing true duals and not some cheater dual exhaust. I guess if you were doing a single exhaust setup this y-pipe idea would work but most of the trucks i see just weld the tubing right to the headers or use a flange. I think it's the best way to go. The only reason why I want to use my y-pipe is because it has an o2 sensor in it already.
Moose
Moose
Last edited by moose94; Oct 15, 2004 at 12:17 PM.
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