my exhaust has more leaks than i can find so i want to put a whole new system in starting with headers. Any ideas on what to do after the headers, and which would be better true duals or cat back?

thanks

 

I don't know if you have vehicle testing in Mich. but in some states it is illegal to run without a cat. I may be wrong but i think the benefits of duels is it creates less back pressure thus giving you better preformance. I'm sure somebody with more knowledge of exhaust systems can give you a more precise answer on that one.

 

A duel out system with an crossover fitting (x-pipe) would give you the highest gain over the entire RPM spectrum. Depending on what you primarily use the vehicle for will determine the best pipe sizing, BUT for everyday driving a 2 1/2" setup is great. As far as "back pressure", I would not be concerned with it at the "daily driver" level. There are many articles that delve into the practical application of exhaust systems, but as you may know, alot of companies are just selling snake oil products. Loud and straight, or twisty and quiet are your main considerations. Mandrel bends beat crimp. Thicker pipe is better. Stainless beats aluminized beats steel. Too large of exhaust kills your lower end (where most driving is done), too small costs efficiency. Biggest gains are at the exhaust manifold area to the first "enlargement", and the muffler/ resonance chamber areas. Cat back will get you around 10 torque (mainly from the muffler design and mandrel bends). The Y pipe is "okay" for daily, but you could pick up a little torque with the proper length of the expansion area (ie "tuning" the exhaust). What is you budget?

 

i don't have a certain budget but i would like to keep it as reasonable as possible.

 

Reasonable budget is a very subjective term, however, catback systems are premade. Stainless steel is the only choice. A nice turbo style muffler will keep the resonance in the cab to a minimum (or buy a glass pack/ cherry bomb). I would say about $450 is a target for a decent system (2.5" to the muffler and dual 2.5" out or a 3" single out. Plus $100 for welded install. Headers are $300-$800 depending on your wallet. Long tube style would be the best as the primaries are in the 35-42" range. The long tubes would neccesitate a custom area where the catalytic converter is. All in all, a practical and tactical system will be around $1200 with labor, and net you about an honest 25-35 torque. Which is about $35/ torque. Your mileage should go up about 1-2 mpg in town. So at 50 miles a week the system would pay for itself in about 4 years.

 

I was concerned with keeping the low end on my truck as I use the truck to pull from time to time. I also wanted to keep it cheap. I didn't care for running duals but I did want a nice sound. I put the 92-93 manifolds on my 360 for the better flow they provide. I had the cat removed and am running a stainless 2 3/4 magnaflow setup from the factory Y back. I keep my low end and have a nice sounding exhaust with this setup. I have less than $225 in this setup and that includes the $50 to have a muffler guy finish the install.

 

will long tube headers fit on my 5.2?

 

yes, but may not fit IN the truck where the same motor in a car may have room, check the steering ect ect