Afew days ago I installed the Napa #6637 air filter (Instead of a "Snorkel) while waiting for my exhaust parts to arrive. They arrived and I drove to my neighbors shop where he has a platform vehicle lift.

After the truck was on the lift we started wailing on the stock down pipe with a sawsall & other tools of destruction.

I was amazed as to how flat Ford decided to smash the original down pipe, what in hell were they thinking. If everybody that has replaced this flat piece of crap with a larger, round down pipe why in the hell couldn't they.

Getting the old pipe out was a piece of cake. The hard part came trying to seperate the cat from the tail pipe. Once that was accomplished the cat was set aside to collect dust and the rest of the system was installed after the pinch welded seam was cut and folded back to allow clearance for the new down pipe.

The hardest part came trying to re-install the bolt that secures the tranny dip stick tube. (who would have ever thought this would be the hard part?) Seems that during the pinch seam folding session the area around the bracket that secures the tranny tube was infringed upon by about 1/2".

So I cut approximatly 1/4" off of the bolt plus opened one side of the tube bracket and viola, it's done.

I started the truck and power braked it in both drive and reverse and did not observe any contact by the new down pipe and the firewall or engine.

I was only able to drive the truck approximatly 200 yards to the house but even in that short distance this was the first time that I have ever heard the turbo spool up (Really Fast) and I could hear it whine.
Tomorrow will be a fun day playing with my new toy.

I think that it is appropriate to thank the members of this forum for their past input and expereance as it really made my installation go much easier. Thank you.
Roger

 

Congrats on the install. Not a ard job huh? Did you replace the rest of the exhaust with a 4" or so?

 

Right after I bought this truck I installed an exhaust brake (3 1/2"0 which was quite expensive so I'm stuck with the 3 1/2" system but the "Kitty" is gone which brings me to another question.

The removed cat had an exhaust heat shield which shielded the tranny from its heat. Now that that is gone is there going to be a problem with the addional heat from the exhaust pipe?

Roger

 

hmm, i have a 3 inch downpipe, i am considering doing the 4 inch down pipe

 

oh and no worries on the heat shield, the exhaust doesnt get as hot as the kitty did

 

Joe, I was amazed that I was able to get the 3 1/2" in without it viberating off of something. I have about 1/4" clearance or less between the fire wall and the passenger exhaust manifold. I had thought of wrapping the down pipe with a heatshield type tape and I know if I had it just would not have fit.

I would surmise that one would really have to violate the integraty of the fire wall to get more clearance, in MHO.

Thanks for the tip on the heat shield.

Roger

 

I would love a 4" DP. just need to borrow a porta power and mash the **** out of it

 

Anyone have a pic of installed down pipe? And about the flat pipe, does the width X width measurement come close to the that of a 3 1/2 inch pipe? In the end the down pipe is about flo or CFM , is the flat pipe really a dog compared to the 3 1/2 pipe?

 

Oh yes it is a dog compared. Wait till you see the pics. I have seen them on the net and I think I have the link but it is on my other computer. Take a flashlight and get under your rig, you will be surprised.

 

I look forward to the pics............. How long does it take to get 3 1/2 pipe in? It looks so friggin tight in there that the pipe swap must be a a real beacth, but Id like to do just to get to here that cool tubo whistle.........

 

Time varies on you tool availability. Be sure to have a sawzall. DP only could be done in an hour or two or possibly longer.

 

96powerstroke has a 4 inch on his truck, it looks awesome. the 4 inch downer meets right to a 6 inch pipe splitting to dual 6 inch stacks. no vibrations whe i rode in it, sound is incredible power is mind boggling

 

Was it a SD DP modified?

 

I still like the idea of dual DP's. Hmmm

 

sd pipe, unmodified, just some firewall modding, i think he said he did it in under a day, made a tunnel to run it in, he has all the pics in his gallery, i will post a link