grotto

New to the forum, greetings to all.

I picked this up a few weeks ago:



I'm currently base lining the truck, and the muffler has a leak that is starting to drive me crazy. Sorting things out and I can't ID the header that it came with:





Looks to be stainless? With a 2-1/2" collector.

Anybody recognize it?

Thanks

highonpottery

iTrader: (1)

looks like your standard aftermarket 4-1 header. most likely a downey or pacesetter. the LCE ones will definitely be stamped or have a placard welded on, and the Thorley headers are a 4-2-1 design. shouldn't make a difference if your attention is on your muffler welcome to YT!

Rollz79

Maybe OBX

grotto

Thanks for the welcome and replies. Much appreciated.

It may not matter who the manufacturer is, which leads to my second question. Thinking of later down the road, does it look like a stock exhaust manifold gasket set would work or do headers typically require manufacturer specific replacement gaskets?

Elton

at the head the gasket wont matter there the same remflex makes nice ones ... take a pic of the header under the truck

grotto

I almost started a new thread as this leads to my next questions........but........as requested, here's the underside............

Collector:





6" Long, 2-1/2" to 2" Reducer w/O2 Sensor:



Another View w/Cat:



Back of Cat W/ 2" to 1-1/2"? Reduction:



Toasted Factory Muffler:



So here's my exhaust dilemma. Normally I subscribe to the philosophy that if it ain't broke, don't fix it. However, since I have this header, it seems counter productive to keep it choked it down as it is now set up. Seems to me I might as well take advantage of the gains that an opened up exhaust supposedly offers.

With that, here's how I see my options:

1: Replace the stock muffler and call it good. Cheapest but no net gain.

2: Buy a Pacesetter or like kind cat-back system for $200 and clamp it on. Still cheap and opens up the back end but if I'm installing new exhaust I'd rather it be welded. Plus I'm still choked down in front of a 20 year old cat.

3: Have a muffler shop weld in a 2-1/4" cat back system for $300. Price is starting to creep up and I'm still choked down up front with a 20 year old cat.

4: All new 2-1/4" pipe w/ hi-flow cat from either the collector or 2-1/2" straight pipe back. $500-$600 installed by shop. This is the direction I was leaning towards at first but with this system; (A) will the gains be noticeable enough over a cat-back only system to justify the extra $200-$300? (B) How, if at all, will the larger pipe affect the O2 sensor function? One shop told me it would mess it up but couldn't explain how or why. The other shops aren't sure.

The truck is new to me and seems to be running perfectly as is, getting over 20mpg. I hate to mess with success, but if I can safely gain a little HP and efficiency why not?

Your collective thoughts appreciated.

Elton

o wow thats a horrible job ! ... a hi flow cat 2.25'' cat back to a 18'' maganflow muffler will help alot

Elton

also i think that 2.5'' from the header to the cat is too big 2.25'' be better

grotto

Thanks for your thoughts Elton,

I was thinking the same thing, a 2-1/2" to 2-1/4" reducer at the collector, then 2-1/4" w/ hi-flow cat and Magnaflow muffler. What about the O2 sensor? How will this affect how it reads?

With this set-up I suspect a new mounting flange for the O2 sensor will have to be fabbed but what about replacing the stock sensor with a 4-wire universal? Welding a bung to the pipe would be much simpler than fabbing up a stock flange type mount.

Elton

the o2 sensor will be fine its before the cat

grotto

I sure hope that's true. What about replacing the stock sensor with a universal? That would sure make life easier, unless I can find a section of 2-1/4" pipe with a stock mounting flange.

93YotaGuy

It's a downey. Certainly not a pacesetter! Shame on you for mixing the two up! the 4-1 design with the 2 1/2 inch down pipe is definately a downey method of design.

Downey headers are great quality headers. I purchased mine used on ebay about 6 years ago and still works great with out any problems. The header itself is 1000x better than a pacesetter and is comparible to a LCE - Keep in mind that the LCE headers sell for about $400 new.

It really depends on what type of sound you want. I have a 4x4 with a downey header, high flow cat, and magnaflow 40 series with 2 1/2 throughout the whole thing, and a 4x2 with a thorley header, high flow cat, and 40 series flowmaster. They both sound great but I love the way my 4x4 sounds. The whole 2 1/4 or 2 1/2 argument really depends on what you like. I have had great experiences with both.

I would stay with the stock sensor since it is already wired and you don't have to worry about the connection.

I would recommend buying the O2 sensor adapter from lcengineering or simply making your own. The LC one is listed below. Overpriced, but you don't have to worry about making one.

http://www.lceperformance.com/Oxygen...-p/9010055.htm

All you have to do is simply drill a hole in the exhaust and weld thos adapter on.

When installing the O2 sensor make sure you are keeping it as close to spec as you can get it. Normally they are no more than a foot away from the Catalytic converter. Look into it to make sure you get the spacing correct.

Turd Furgeson

It looks just like my old doug thorley without the doug thorley badge welded on.

grotto

Thanks for the link to the O2 sensor adapter, that solves one problem. Overpriced? Perhaps, but if I can't afford a $10 solution I shouldn't be driving.

I think I can manage it from from here and will post up my system when completed. Thanks once more for all the help.

highonpottery

iTrader: (1)

Check out/call up Dave'z Offroad - IIRC they had an exhaust system on their old website that was only like 350 for header-back system. Had 2"+ pipe, hi-flow 50 state CAT, flowmaster 40 or 50, and possibly new hangers. It was the cheapest exhaust I'd ever seen for a 22re. Much cheaper than a local shop for me. I never ordered it though because I need a rebuild before I fix my Swiss cheese exhaust and I didn't see any install pics to see how well it fits. I don't think he'd sell it if it didn't fit and they're a pretty reputable shop.

grotto

Thanks for the tip. Nothing on the website, I'll give them a call tomorrow.

highonpottery

iTrader: (1)

http://www.davezoffroadperformance.c...opic.php?t=457

grotto

Bingo!! Didn't search the forums. Thanks a bunch.

Edited: The description says it is designed for V-mounted shocks and the custom cross member he builds. You can see how it's set-up in the pictures. I have a call in to see if he will build a stock set-up.

grotto

FWIW, Left a message with Dave'z on Monday, called again on Tues. to make sure message was received, was told that someone was checking inventory. Haven't heard back so I guess they have bigger fish to fry. Understandable as I am a small business owner and find myself in this situation quite often. No biggie, they aren't the only game in town.

Called Greg at Mandrel Bending Solutions: http://www.mandrelbendingsolutions.c...let/StoreFront
Wonderful guy to talk to. Was considering removing my exhaust and shipping it to him to template and decided I was making things way to complicated at this point.

BTW, Greg at MBS http://www.mandrelbend.com/ was open to developing exhaust kit(s) for our trucks if any YotaTech'ers local to Pasadena, Maryland want to contact him and follow up on it. He'd need to be compensated for the 2-3 hours it would take to make a template but once a template was made he could crank em out and even individually customize from there. For example, I was going to run a 2-1/2" pipe straight off my header to a new, 2-1/2" in/out cat (keeping the cat in the stock location). Then run a 2-1/2" offset off the cat to get the muffler as high and rearward as possible, reduce to 2-1/4" before their 4'x9"x18" Max-Flo muffler, and reduce again to a 2" tailpipe with no tip. This would have provided maximum flow and noise reduction.

But too many things can go wrong shipping exhaust systems across the country so I've decided to just go with a 2-1/4" cat to muffler pipe, then a 2" tailpipe and call it good for now. For what small gains may have been had, I decided the leftover $200-$300 can be better spent somewhere else.

And look what showed up :



My Remflex 22RE header application gasket set, part #RF7002. $18.38 from Amazon. But there are two sets you say? Well yes, you see I was looking one over and noticed a little bend in it. For no good reason, kind of like an anal reflex, I foolishly tried to straighten it out and snap it broke. That must be why it says "FRAGILE! DO NOT BEND" on the packaging. What a moron!! So I had to buy another set. It's hard to tell for sure with all the racket from my leaking muffler but I'm pretty certain my header gasket leaks so this will fix that. Thanks for the tip Elton.

Exhaust is scheduled for installation tomorrow. I'll post up results w/pics.

grotto

If my header is a Downey it's probably an old one. What I was hoping was just a gasket leak turns out to be a cracked tube and a weld failure at the collector.

I'm bummed. Anybody got a good used header for sale? If I have to buy new I'm not putting any junk on my truck so I'll probably go LCE or DT.

Suggestions welcome.