So I have an 88 runner running 31 10.50s with a 22r with a webber, and I have a really annoying flutter in my exhaust which I believe is a leak, I also have no high end power, 4th and 5th gear are almost never used and I have to downshift to 2nd to pull a hill, so I was wondering if I would notice a difference in power if I cut out the cat and magnaflow and ran a header with no cat and a muffler with a bend in it, would this help my power problem or just hurt my wallet?

 

have you done a compression or leak down test?

 

I haven't done a compression test yet, but it is a recent rebuild with about 40k on it, and the exhaust flutter isnthe like a miss fire flutter but literally a fluttering noise, could it be a leak or a clogged cat?

 

Figure out what is wrong with the engine before dumping money into a exhaust system .

If your going header it defeats the purpose unless you run a 2 1/4" exhaust front to back.

 

Could it be a clogged cat tho? because i have read that a clogged cat will affect high end power.

 

I would check the cat, a small exhaust leak wouldnt likely cause that substantial of a power loss. A clogged cat on the other hand would DEFINITELY cause a loss of power.

 

im just gonna get rid of the cat all together because i dont have to worry about emissions where i live, and if it isnt the cat any ideas of what a substancial power loss like that could be caused by?

 

85 and up runners were fuel injected. Every truck I have seen converted to 22r has just had the wiring cut or wadded up and pushed out of the way. I would check for vacuum leaks.

 

Cat delete wont do much. I got a cai, 2 1/4 pipe cat back on a flowmaster and the 31" tires dont feel heavy like they use too

 

well there is a faint wistle /hissing that matches the rpms when i rev it and at idle, but would a vaccum leak have that much of an effect on power?

 

A bad vacuum leak can cause substantial power loss as well, an easy way to track down a vacuum leak is to spray some carb clean around the engine bay, if you hear the idle drop, or sputter while spraying then that area will be your problem.

 

If you have a weber just get rid of all your vacuum lines except the vac advance and pcv going to the valve cover.

If you Dont have to worry about smog look up the de-smog thread. It shows how to remove all the unnecessary equipment that is robbing your truck of power.

Also look into a rv h/o cam. That'll be the one thing that gives you more power than any other single thing.

 

I will have to try that with the carb cleaner , thanks for the info!!

 

I need to ask you did the rebuild or it was done before you bought the truck??

Some people will call changing a valve cover gasket a rebuild.

If you did you know what you have .

If not you just might have a tired engine.

Exhaust leaks can sometimes be a pain to find if it is in the area of the manifold .

 

Check for a wiped camshaft. So far 100% of my cams are toast. Check compression, you are probably down due to burned exhaust valves.

I got so disgusted I just rebuilt one engine and did a head job on the other. Both have Delta regrinds, one has a .020 over bore.

Oh; and a double exit cast iron manifold does just about as well as short tube headers will. All you ar doing is moving the torque peak around.

 

its definitly a rebuild and replacement , the runner originally had a 3.slow and was swaped out with a fresh 22r, now i didnt do the the rebuild but the guy i bought it from put the 22r in it at 230k and now it has 277k so its a pretty fresh motor, so im ruling out a tired motor, i have all reciepts of the build too, could the faint hissing be a vacuum leak and i still need to get a hold of a timing light so i can check timing, if its off by even one tooth i heard it will run normal at low end and almost no power gain at high end.

 

LCE claims 10% power increase with their header, backed by dyno testing.