Hi, HELP please in installing a down pipe. On the stock DP, do you take it out the bottom, top or get out the cutting torch and take it out in pieces? Once that's out, how does the new one go in, from the top or bottom? Today, even after jacking up the trans and motor I couldn't get the stock one out! I have a 96 PSD long bed 2WD, its for towing my 5th wheel. I sure do love all the good advise on this forum! THANKS!

 

I haven't done it yet, but every shop I 've talked to says they cut the old one out with a Sawzall. Most of the places recommend a 2 piece downpipe as it's easier to install.

 

Unclamp/ unbolt the pipe from the turbo, and cat. Have someone push the pipe up as far as it will go and hold it there while you saw off the top elbow. Then try to get it out from the bottom. You might need to saw the bottom 24" off to get it out.

 

On my 96 dually this is what I did.
First I took the V clamp loose on the turbo. Just loose, not off. The downpipe will not be loose at all, don't worry. Next, take the downpipe loose from the cat. Wiggle the downpipe and you will feel it come loose from the turbo. Next, try to mark the seam where the firewall meets the floor board on both sides of the downpipe. You will need to cut and bend that seam down. The marks are for how wide you will need to go. Now, take a sawsall and cut the downpipe as far down the "cobra head" as you can. Mine wasn't very far, but get all you can. Then take the rest of it out from the bottom.

For the install I bought a porta-power setup. It cost me $80 from harbor freight but it was worth it's weight in gold when I bent the fire wall back with it. First I bent the seam down with the porta power duck bill and a block of wood against the bell housing. After that I just used the same setup to bend the floorboard back untill I had enough room. I bent mine quite a bit and I couldn't even tell a difference inside the cab . However I'm gonna go out on a limb and say that you might be able to do the same thing with a small scissor jack, I don't know. And the rest was pretty self explanitory. And trust me, don't feel bad about trashing the stock down pipe. It will be the best thing you ever did. Hope that helps.

RubberDuck

P.S. I did a search on google to find out how to do mine and there is one guy on there that had a pretty detailed play by play. You might check it out. I did the search Powerstroke downpipe install. Good luck

 

i second the motion of the portapower, now i have a 4 inch down pipe

 

yep the porta power and a sawzall are life savers

 

As far as the seam on my truck I just used a pipe about 2" dia. and 36" long put top end against the head being careful not to pry against a fitting. Then pull the bottom to the rear of the truck it will bend the seam with little effort.

 

Is the increase in dia. for the down pipe to boost HP or to lower the EGTs? What is the purpose?

 

lower egts

 

Thanks you guys, I'll go out now in the bitter cold (50 degrees) and try these great suggestions!

 

Without a sawzall, I put some sheet metal in the back of the 'cobra' head and used my torch-it's out of there! Thanks again for your help.

 

I too tried to use the smoke wrench but Stainless Steel has very low carbon content and does not cut very well with a conventional torch.
When using a Sawzall get a very fine tooth pitch, best quality blades, Starrett, Lenox come to mind.

 

You're funny.. It is -20 here right now.
Did you actually cut the old DP with a torch or did it basically just slowly melt? You must have a smokin torch if it made a nice cut. The stock dp is made out of some tuff stuff too bad it isn't big enough.

 

Yes and no to the cutting. It was a very ugly cut, I think it cut and melted. I had to very careful about burning anything up. The insulation-sound proofing survived with only a few marks. It was a saturday and of course the rental shop was closed or I would have rented a sawzall. Now I'll have to see after my DP gets here if I have to rent a port-a-power or if the Ggg6's trick with the pipe works. Ggg6, did you just use a come-a-long on the bottom of the pipe to pull it back? Thanks

 

I used my hands, just brace your feet against the front bumper, spring or whatever you can reach and pull back. Not hard enough to hurt your back but not like a girl either. lol