Headers or exhaust?
Thread Starter
|
Senior User
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 102
Likes: 0
Headers or exhaust?
I've had my truck long enough 2 know it's reliable so nows the big question.........headers or exhaust first?
Please also include specific brands and a great place to buy em.
It's a '96 f-150 with an inline 6.
115'000 kilometers.
71'000 miles
(if I did the math right)
Please also include specific brands and a great place to buy em.
It's a '96 f-150 with an inline 6.
115'000 kilometers.
71'000 miles
(if I did the math right)
Elder User
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 726
Likes: 3
I did the exhaust on my carbbed inline six. no cats and a 2.5" bullet muffler and its ungodly sometimes if your outside of the truck. I also tried it with a high flow cat and it was a nice sound. I did a side dump 2.5" all the way but this was on an 85 where they had 6 to 1 manifold on it. Im not sure how yours is but my 89 has two manifolds that collect into a cat then they are 2.75" into a second cat then 2" out. Thats the biggest restriction. If youve got the time and money i would do both. I think the system on my bronco cost me $30 bucks in materials and an afternoon.
matt
matt
Posting Guru
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 2,314
Likes: 0
From: southwest michigan
as far as power goes, they headers and exhaust go hand in hand, both are restricting and it's best to do both. are you looking for a complete exhaust system or are you going to do more of a home made deal, where you buy mufflers, pipe, and (cats)? if you do it yourself, i would say it's best to do them at the same time for compatability, but if your getting an exhaust "system" do the exhaust first. since i did mine, home made, i used flowmasters, i can't give you a good reason, i just liked them.
Elder User
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 726
Likes: 3
i just bought the parts to do my full exhaust, excluding header. It cost me $60 shipped. i used a $15 summit muffler thats aluminized, aluminized exhaust pipe and i even bought some u bends so everything looks nice. ill try to take pics if i get it together this weekend.
matt
matt
Trending Topics
Thread Starter
|
Senior User
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 102
Likes: 0
I'm looking at a flowmaster 50 muffler.
I'd like 2 keep the original pipe if possible, change it when it rusts out.
High flow cat or maybe NO cat at all, we don't have inspections in Manitoba.
I'd be interested in building my own headers, I have the ways and means but no set to copy.....any help?
Hear say the original down pipe is relativley restrictive....any comments?
I'd like 2 keep the original pipe if possible, change it when it rusts out.
High flow cat or maybe NO cat at all, we don't have inspections in Manitoba.
I'd be interested in building my own headers, I have the ways and means but no set to copy.....any help?
Hear say the original down pipe is relativley restrictive....any comments?
FTE Stories
Ford Trucks for Ford Truck Enthusiasts
2027 Ford Super Duty Buyer's Guide (Every Model, Engine, & Package)
Brett Foote
Top 10 Ford Truck Tragedies
Joe Kucinski
AEV FXL Super Duty - the Super Duty Raptor Ford Doesn't Make
Brett Foote
Lobo Vs Lobo: Proof the F-150 Lobo Should Be Even Lower!
Michael S. Palmer
Ford's 2001 Explorer Sportsman Concept Looks For a New Home
Verdad Gallardo
10 Best Ford Truck Engines We Miss the Most!
Joe Kucinski
2026 Shelby F-150 Off-Road: Better Than a Raptor R?
Brett Foote
2027 Super Duty Carhartt Package First Look: 12 Things You NEED to Know!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Most Surprising 2026 Ford Truck Features!
Joe Kucinski
Elder User
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 726
Likes: 3
I would said the orig pipe is going to be very restrictive where it drops down after the second cat. Yours may be different since mine is a CA truck. I guess it depends if you want power or sound or both. Im happy going to 2.5" personally. It flows good but you could go larger if you wanted but i would reccomend it if you arent going to put cats in for back pressure reasons, just a hunch though. as far as your own headers. I would just make them how you want. If I was starting at the headers i would do 3-1 and keep duals all the way back or dual side exit pipes next to eachother. you could do 6-1 and save some room but it would be fun lining all those up i bet.
matt
matt
Junior User
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 85
Likes: 0
From: rural PA
Get yourself a Walker 2 into 1 pipe from advanced for about $60. I think the part # is 45166. It bolts on to your stock exhaust manifolds and has a bung for the O2 sensor. It goes on a lot easier than the stock one comes off. It's cheep so you can probably afford the rest of the exhaust also. I put this on my 94 with a 3" 50 series delta flow out the side. It's way to loud for my taste so I'm gonna replace it with a 50 series big block muffler. It was the easiest exhaust I've ever done. It runs a lot better now. 
Thread Starter
|
Senior User
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 102
Likes: 0
First and foremost, all parts minus the muffler, pipe, and optional cat will be home made.
I can't just build the headers any way I want them. I read an article which stresses the importance of each headers lenght which controls things like vaccuum and scavenging. Looking at 3-1, 6-1 I'd probably lose my mind.
10-1 odds says I do anyway!
The Walker downpipe, has it a bigger diameter? I'll build that as well.
I assume the straighter the pipe, the better the flow? Going to use 2 and a half inch pipe and keep it as straight as possible, make my own mounts. Single ehhaust out the *** end.
'96 f-350rcsrw460zf
watcha doin with your old muffler?
Keep the advice coming!
I can't just build the headers any way I want them. I read an article which stresses the importance of each headers lenght which controls things like vaccuum and scavenging. Looking at 3-1, 6-1 I'd probably lose my mind.
10-1 odds says I do anyway!
The Walker downpipe, has it a bigger diameter? I'll build that as well.
I assume the straighter the pipe, the better the flow? Going to use 2 and a half inch pipe and keep it as straight as possible, make my own mounts. Single ehhaust out the *** end.
'96 f-350rcsrw460zf
watcha doin with your old muffler?
Keep the advice coming!
Elder User
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 726
Likes: 3
i havent found a good calculator for trucks yet but i found one for motorcycle engines that lets you input port size, timing rpm power etc and tells you where to put the bends. The biggest thing you want to look for is restriction. I would take the pipes away from the head with a nice bend about 45degrees. as long as you keep them about equal length and you have them collect together you dont have much to worry about on this motor. Its not a high revving high hp thing. Anything over the stock log will flow much better. you will probably never get two of the same answers when it comes to exhaust work or headers but there are plenty of books out there that can 'guide' you in the right direction.
Posting Guru
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 2,314
Likes: 0
From: southwest michigan
i just wanted to add, that i've found with flowmasters, any slight change in the rest of the pipe can change the sound alot, after we got mine welded on we test drove it, then we welden the rest of the pipe on after the muffler and retest drove it, then put chrome tips on it and drive it again, every time with a very different sound. from my understanding other mufflers don't do this as much.
Elder User
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 726
Likes: 3
here are a few pics of the exhaust i made last weekend. 2.5" all the way from the second cat. i oriented the muffler sideways for more clearance. its a center in offset out from summit, 14bucks. and the pipe is aluminized. uses factory mounts and a 3 bolt flange after the second cat.
