My 19 year old exhaust sheared due to rust right after the cat, both manifolds are cracked in the classic spot, and I want some more power and grunt...so here it goes, I'm looking to replace the ENTIRE exhaust. Here is the situation:

• 1991 F-150 5.0L (302) 2WD, Ext Cab, 8 ft bed
• I need a cat or two in this to pass emissions, they will be using a sniffer
• I have a 2.5" DynoMax muffler we can use if that helps
• Walker muffler and Muffler-back was put in/replaced about a year ago and is reuseable
• Since I am re-doing everything, I figure I should use Long Tube headers
• Don't mind moderate noise increase (cat and muffler(s) should be enough)
• Have all the tools and know-how to install anything for this project, just cannot weld
• Will have to pay $90/hr for welding/fabricating
• Truck is used primarily for towing, so it needs all the power it can get

This is like an engineering problem lol:

So what is the most cost effective way (including parts and welding/fab labor cost) to get this done? I am not merely looking for the cheapest way, I want some extra power out of this, and don't mind paying a little extra for it, but I am not looking for a $1000 exhaust either.

Initial (probably wrong lol) Thoughts:

1. ~$200 LT headers with a fab'd pipe to an eBay y-pipe, to an eBay $50 cat, to the current muffler, have the shop fab all the piping - probably cheapest option
2. ~$200 LT headers with 2 cats, an eBay X/H pipe, 2 mufflers, have shop do the piping - minimal welding/fab, more parts though, and have to get around driveshaft and gas tanks
3. ~$200 LT headers and try to find (can't find!!) a header-back system with cat(s) and muffler(s) that clamp together (does this exist???)

Thanks, and I will post a build thread so you guys can watch this get done, should be fun!

 

If you don't have the tools to fab a Y pipe yourself I suggest you forget it and go with shorties, a Bassini or Magnafow Y pipe with cat and whatever cat back kit you like. You can install all this yourself with common hand tools and it will perform better than the mess you will pay big bucks for at a muffler shop.

 

Bassani shorty headers, Bassani catted midpipe, and however you would want it after that.

 

I also suggest going with the Bassani Y pipe. You can also get a good Y pipe from Magnaflow.

 

Awesome, I'll look into this stuff today!

 

Were are yall finding a Y pipe from Magnaflow? I can't find a listing for any thing but peices/parts on their site.

Bassini doesn't show one on their site either, (cat-less, off road) but they are listed on Late Model Restoration Supply for $279 SS & $199 Aluminized steel.

 

Part# 501503 Bassani Exhaust - Bassani.com

http://www.autoanything.com/exhausts...0A2083283.aspx

MagnaFlow 93307 - MagnaFlow Direct-Fit Catalytic Converters - Overview - SummitRacing.com

MagnaFlow 93324 - MagnaFlow Direct-Fit Catalytic Converters - Overview - SummitRacing.com

Catco Catalytic Converters 9302 - Catco Catalytic Converters Direct Fit Catalytic Converters - Overview - SummitRacing.com

Walker Exhaust 15742 - Walker Super Converters - Overview - SummitRacing.com

 

Yes, there's a lot more Y+cat combos for 5.0 than 5.8s rather than just Ys. Sorry for not being specific.

 

I got the Magnaflow y with cat kit on summit i love it also using hedman shortys, works great !

 

Those Bassani pieces are great, but they are shorties, and I'm pretty sure the long tube headers will yield better power. And at $800+ for the headers and the y-pipe with cat, plus any cat-back, that is easily going to break $1000.

So here's what I bought, I think it'll work amazing

$330 DynoMax Ceramic Headers -> $32 2.5" to 2.25" reducer with 1 O2 bung -> $35 eBay Y-pipe -> $100 Magnaflow High Flow Cat -> muffler I already have

Total is $500 in parts, maybe another $150 in tubing and labor, so $650, and this is all top-notch stuff