Wow, professional arguments. I'm a studying engineer myself, actually.

Yes, I understand the law of Conservation of Energy, but disagree with how much of a role it plays. Turbulence or not, the gasses have to keep moving at a certain rate or the pipe would compress. Now, I know it will to some extent due to bends and resrictions in the pipe (mufflers, cats [which seem utterly useless to me; make the engine burn cleaner and you won't have to "clean" the pipes...], ect...), but not too terribly much. To me, bigger pipes flow better. Yes, the velocity is slower, but the restiction is lower. It is proportional, a larger diameter means a larger volume, and a larger volume means that less velocity will be present due to the lower acceleration cuased by the shorter distance that the exhuast must be moved to accomodate the newer gasses. Heat loss will not make the gasses inside slow down. Hot water running through a pipe will run at the same speed as cold water. The only thing that will work against the flow of the exhaust is restriction. Heat is a by-product of friction, a.k.a. restriction. True, there is more surface area in larger pipes, but there is less friction. In smaller pipes the exhaust molecules are closer together and come into contact with each other more often: more friction, more resistance... In larger pipes, there is less contact between molecules: less friction, less resistance...

I want to talk more about exhaust scavenging, but I don't have the time now. I'll try to post that tomorrow. If nobody else gets anything else from this post, atleast I'm getting a chance to present my ideas to someone who understands what I'm talking about...

Before it gets skewed much more though, I would like to point out that the reason for this post was to tell people that a true-dual exhaust system will fit on a 2nd Gen Ram and that it won't do any damage. How you go about doing it is up to you; afterall, it is your truck. My way works for me. It's easy to build (I still don't see what the problem is with using componets. It's a whole lot easier to mount than a single tube and if you do it right, it works almost as well. [Oh, and it costs less, hehe...] Even the flex-pipe... No it's not prefect, but it makes a good template for the real pipes I'm bending and it gives you an idea of the sound you will get. It sounds a whole lot different if you stop the pipes before the differential, it's more like a Harley...) and it works and sounds great. Regardless of your opinion of the optimum size of length or muffler or header, it is possible to do it. I hope you all understand that...

 

Yes, true duals will fit on a Ram, nobody ever disputed this. Is it a good idea? Yet to be shown.

I can see where you're coming from with your arguements, but you're wrong. You'll understand after you get thru your advanced fluid dynamics classes.

 

I haven't had advanced fluid dynamics classes and I understand.

 

Ok, maybe one of you engineers can resolve this "myth"? I was told that on dual exhaust with loud pipes, the fast bop-bop-bop sound when letting of the gas was due to back pressure (vs. just a low grumble). Is this sound good or bad?

Is there a way (for a non-engineer) to tell by the sound if your exhuast is tuned correctly?

Thx,

 

bop bop bop? are you talking about little backfires? That would be caused by the mixture not igniting completely in the cylinders and firing off when it gets to the hot headers.

 

<<<<< needs some tylenol

 

Would it help to run the left bank out the right side of the truck and the right bank out the left? With both going down the right side might help to keep the pipes more nearly the same length. [sm=patriot.gif]

 

Yup, that's exactly what I'm doing with mine.

 

Those "bops" you hear are indeed backpressure, not a backfire. Glasspacks are notorious for back pressure, where as delta-flow mufflers, such as Flowmasters, are known for there low rumble at all rpms... Personally, I like the sound of glasspacks over that of Flowmasters.

Interesting thought with switching the sides. That works well with what I had wanted to do next, which was to install an "X-pipe" system. Not only could I run the exhaust to the other side, but I could also help equalize the flow...

And as far as fluid dynamics, well, we'll see...

Why would it not be advantageous to switch to dual pipes though??? The increase in volume would allow the engine to breathe easier: True, maybe 6" pipe is too big for a stock 318, but to make the poor thing force (I.E. loss of power from resistance) the exhaust through a very restictive single pipe system seems very wasteful to me. I'm sorry, I just don't buy all of it... Just like I don't buy the need for catalytic converters, O2, sensors, EVAP systems, or all that other smog junk. They just place a higher burden on the engine. What we need to do is make the engine more efficient, don't try to hide that it's not. They used to put pumps on engines that drew in fressh air and pushed it into the exhaust pipe. The pumps were run off of the crank, so there is more resistance there for the engine to deal with (more lost power). The pipe is now even more compressed and therefore more restirctive. It just doesn't add up does it? All this power is taken away, and for what? It makes the air look cleaner when you read it at the tailpipe. Well, duh!!! You just diluted it with clean air!!! C'mon... There's a better way out there... Maybe that doesn't have to do with dual exhaust, but you know what, I think it needs to be out there... Don't always just listen to what they tell you... (Not to say that anyone did, just putting it out there.)