Actually milk crates stack well, are cheap, and I have half a dozen of them. Also, if it's something quick like checking the oil, I just stand on the pushbar.

 

I will take some detailed pictures after the project to show you what a nice true dual should look like

 

Are mine not?

 

didn't see em

 

Then look through my gallery bro!

 

I think you should have taken some pictures of the exhaust from the rear, that's definitely a cool truck though bro! looks like one of those ones that never die!

 

FYI, Dynomax builds a 4-inch exhaust system for the NA 6.9/7.3 it comes with an improved Y-pipe a short section of 3-inch and then a 4-inch muffler and 4-inch out. It fits 2/85-87 Fords with a 6.9L eng. It's kit #19429.

IMHO, if your engine is in decent shape and you don't crank the fuel up outrageously, maybe even a little less than specified in the kit, a turbo kit won't necessarilly kit your engine any quicker. If you flog it of course.... but flogging it NA will kill it too and you haven't blown it up yet. A turbo kit is Big-Lots hp. A good dollar/results ratio. Rememberthe old adage..."There's no excuse for a naturally aspirated diesel!"

As to NA performance, I can't give you any 6.9L numbers, but I did so a GM 6.2L years ago and by going to a single three-inch system with an improved Y-pipe (a Banks Stinger), wich included a low restriction air cleaner and turning up the pump a skosh, the Blazer went from about 115 rear wheel hp to 134 (we tested), or about 17 percent. For the purposes of our discussion, that percentage of improvement should translate to flyweel hp too. If you extrapolate a 17 percent improvement to the 170hp 6.9L, that's somewhere around 198 hp if your engine was in like-new shape. Not turbo numbers but useful. You could feel the difference in the Blazer on the Butt-Dyno.

 

I would like to start a gallery for each of my trucks, but I'm still learning how to do this stuff. I have to have the wife's help, and that's like pulling teeth.

 

Here are a couple of pics. More in my gallery.

 

wow! Thats way cleaner than mine! HaHaHa

 

Barehuggs: Is your system split all the way back or does it pair up later? The reason I ask is that you can gain a few ponies by putting a balance tube (aka crossover, "H-pipe") betweeen the pipes. This helps balance the exhaust pulses and lets the two pipes share some flow. If you look in the performance parts catalogs, you'll find the pieces to make that happen. A big single system will produce higher hp than unbalanced duals. There are indications that a single system may produce more power than even a balances dual system if the single system is big enough to carry the flow.... but that's subject to a lot of debate. If true, it's not by much.


'86 F250HD 4x4, 6.9L Powersmoke
'87 Vintage Banks kit
Dyno'ed 192 rwhp in 2006 at 130,000 miles

 

He has duals to the muffler and a single 3" from there on back.

 

Barehuggs I guess I should have actually READ your post to note that it pairs up later. That will probnbaly have the desired effect, though, the balance pipe is usally placed as far upstream as possible. Still, looks like you came up with a cheap, simple improvement!

86 F250HD 4x4, 6.9L Powersmoke
'87 Vintage Banks kit
Dyno'ed 192 rwhp in 2006 at 130,000 miles

 

Hey Jim, did you catch that part earlier in the thread about the H-pipe? I know it can be a good thing as far as performance, but as I have an older IDI, (mine is an 85 as well) I have found it useful on the true separate duals to be able to diagnose which side of the motor to start looking at for a problem by the difference in smoke between the two sides. That has been a time saver in the past by already knowing which side of the motor I need to be looking at when I start tearing into it.

 

Thaks Jim.

I have performed no modifications (YET)
This is how the truck came to me last fall.

I guess it can exhale easy now I need to let it inhale better. (where's Bill Clinton When you Need him?)