To answer this question, yes there is a difference. If your cat is not gutted it should not sound that bad, but it won't be much louder. And if you split it, it will be the same sound, just out of two pipes instead of one, not twice as loud though. I did this once on a bronco I had. Thing is, it failed inspection because, in my state, there has to be some kind of muffler on the vehicle. Now, if your cat is gutted, thats another story, it would be loud when you get on it and then you will have the raspiness and cracking that others are mentioning. When I had mine straight piped with a good cat, I did not have cracking or popping.

 

I ran mine that way a couple times. I thought the idle and WOT sounds cool but everything else too me sounds bad. Plus everyone in the county including cops looks to see about all the commotion every time you hit the gas. For all the sound you make you better be going 1000 mph. Problem is you are still going the same speed as always. I always end up putting my muffler back on. Maybe if I lived out in the country I might like it more.

 

Since you are bent on straight piped exhaust I see no reason to express my own opinion about it.

If I were you I would run a single 3" pipe after the cat dumped out the side before the passenger side rear wheel. If you change your mind about the tone later, you can cut out the cat, put a muffler in, or both, etc. But I think the 3" would be the most affordable, move the air efficiently, and sound right.

 

I agree.
I test drove a 98 360 that was straight-piped from the non-existant cat back with dual's. Idle sounded good, low end sounded good, everything else sounded annoying. It wasn't just loud, it was just an annoying exhaust note.


Then again, that's why I have my nice, semi-quiet Thrush.


(you gotta love me and you know it)

 

dump it with a 45* under the bed pointing toward the ground. sound waves will bounce up and down making it louder

 

I have that

 

I'm trying a new solution to the o2 thing and wondered if I'm wasting my time. I cut off the cat and y-straight-y-ed out with no hole for sensor. My plan is to hook-up the wire for sensor 1 to sensor 2 and the wire for 2 to 1. Then I'll find a cozy spot for 1 to hang out in the nice fresh air. Is this doomed or dumb to try?

 

Not a good idea. Do you have any idea how O2 sensor's work?

 

If you want the engine to run right, and be reasonably efficient (well, as efficient as they get anyway...) Weld on the bungs for BOTH O2 sensors, and do the non-fouler trick on the rear O2. (there is a thread in the faq section about that....) Anything else, and you are compromising performance, and efficiency.

 

I've had done my exhaust both ways OP had mentioned, straight pipe after the cat y-ed to dual and single. The dual was 2 1/2 inch pipe with 3" tips, and the single I have now is 3" pipe with 4" tip. From my experience the single is slightly louder and after I installed a magnaflow cat it is slightly louder yet. I wouldn't want this thing any louder than it is, IMHO it sounds good.