I was at a muffler shop here today looking for a chrome tip for the Escape and got talking to the guy about my truck. He was telling me that in order for ford to meet sound regulations they greatly resticted the exhaust on the truck. The Y pipe drops down to 2 1/4 inches before entering the 2 1/2" tail pipe. He has been cutting the Y to open it up and forming the new 3" tail pipe to go on the cut Y pipe and weld it on, He also adds a high flow muffler. He said it makes a big difference in power and mileage. He had a guy document his mileage and he was getting 1 1/2 to 2 mpg better. He was telling me this is why cat back systems don't make much difference, because your not opening up the Y pipe. It makes sense that the exhaust won't flow very good through a 2 1/4" hole. He would do this exhust system for around $500, I think I just might have to try it.

 

sounds like a guy to talk to!! i know i've read that before about the Y pipe. Are you considering doing it?? i wonder if he could do it on a saturday...??

 

I'am considering it!! He said the guys that had it done say it made a big difference. With a really good low sound to it. Add the cold air intake and chip and that would make the truck really perform.

 

Very interesting Marlon. I can believe what he is saying, for sure. Ive always been the guy to say that true dual exhaust wakens a motor up quite a bit. Now imagine throwing a 2 1/2 inch pipe on each exhaust manifold, removing those cats(or at least going hi flow's), then we are talking flow!!

I say go for the y pipe though, its a relatively cheap mod!

 

Very interesting indeed. Might be time to awaken the Beast Marlon.

 

I'm just not to shure If it will pay. I would like to get a bigger truck for pulling the camper and possibly a boat behind. I just think that putting a boat behind the camper will be too much for the 150. We could take two vehicels camping and put the boat behind the Escape but that will use too much fuel. My FIL pulled the same trailer we have and his 17' boat behind with his '98 F150 and I have a little more power than he does.

 

Sounds like ya need a diesel Marlon

 

if you're back around there, ask the guy if he'd do it on a saturday!! i'm real interested in it.

i'd love to hear your truck with that system towing the trailer...

 

I can check for your Sherm, I think I will take the Escape there next weekend for a chrome exhust tip.

The guy said it would give the truck a similar sound to a new mustang GT.

 

the only thing is i think i'd try to find another Y pipe to get done and keep my factory system... i'd hate to have it screwed up and no back up... wonder how many he's done, and if a person could talk to someone he's did it for??

 

I am pretty sure the restrictive y-pipe was corrected with the introduction of the 3V engines. On the F150 that would be the '04 and up 5.4L, on the F250/F350 that would be the '05 and up 5.4L and 6.8L engines.

This was a big problem on the 2000 to 2003 trucks (2004 in the Super Duty) but it should have been fixed with the intro of the 3v.

I would be doing some more research on this for the F150 before I spent the money to change out the y-pipe on your 2007. It is possible the F150's still have this problem as the Super Duty trucks went to 3" exhaust all the way back in 2005 on the 5.4L. I don't know what they are running for pipe size on the 2004 and up F150.

If you don't need a y-pipe, you'll still find improvements by going to a 3" pipe into the exhaust and then lots of choices for single or dual options beyond that. The best gain will come from a high flow muffler like Magnaflow (only choice in my books).

 

Wild west, whats your opinion of going from a high flow muffler, to no muffler? Performance wise, not talking about sound

 

Some back pressure is good, just want it minimal - most V8 engines can handle limited to no backflow and still run very well so you could run headers and straight pipes off the engine and have an extremely high flowing exhaust - just might end up with computer issues on these newer vehicles.

If you removed the cats you would definitely want a minimum of a high flow muffler installed. If you kept the cats, you could run with no muffler and see some definite gains (I wouldn't want to listen to it).

A high flow muffler with no cats is probably the best option but due to 02 sensors on the newer trucks you would likely need to use a high flow cat vs. no cat and would still want a high flow muffler to keep the sound down to a dull roar. Starts to create a more expensive upgrade.

Summary: simplest and most reasonably priced upgrade is a high flow muffler (won't throw codes like removing the cats) and will still provide HP and torque gains.

Too many options.....now I'm getting confused.

As posted previously, changing the y-pipe on an '04 and up F150 5.4L 3v may not be the answer, but do some research before spending the $$'s to do this mod. Anybody who owns 2v 5.4L v8 trucks could probably benefit from an improved y-pipe (2003 and earlier F150, 2004 and earlier F250).

 

what you need to realize is that "backpressure" isn't the issue. its exhaust flow velocity. straight piping with an "X" pipe or "H" pipe to equalize the flow is the best thing there is, provided you have a matched intake flow. the Y pipe is a necked-down unit, i've looked at mine myself. it looks very restrictive. forget backpressure. think Flow velocity and matching it to your intake flow.

 

Sounds like the setup I have on my 99 F150. From the "Y" it goes into a 3" pipe to the muffler and then I have 2 - 2-1/2 inch pipes coming out of the muffler.