True duals are not as efficient as duals with an X-pipe or H-pipe. Ram2K1 ... you are 100% correct ... the crossover balances the pulses and enhances scavenging. If you're going to go to the trouble of running duals, taking it to the extreme of "True Duals" is counterproductive.

 

i'm not sure about it being counterproductive. I'm sure that the scavenging is slightly better (very slightly) with the x pipe but some people (including myself) like the sound and look of a true dual system (where each cylinder bank has a seprate exhaust system essentially). i guess i just dont want my pulses balanced

 

I don't know, perhaps I'm bias; but I've never been a fan of true dual exhaust systems. I think guys run them just for bragging rights, when really they aren't necessary for a relatively stock vehicle. Some guys think it's big and bad to have two mufflers. The uneducated exhaust enthusiast would think more mufflers means louder exhaust. Sure, a true dual system can be loud, but nothing a single exhaust system can't match. I never was much fond of my brother's true dual system. Even after he got the h-pipe installed, it still liked to make an awkward farting noise at full throttle; clearly due to the imbalance. Beyond the noise issue, every time he wanted to change a muffler...he'd have to buy two, which sucks. It's almost hilarious how many mufflers he's bought for that system. He started with flowmaster super 44s, then dynmomax bullets, then cherry bomb extremes, then a dual in/dual out flowmaster super 40, and now he runs a dual in/dual out cherry bomb extreme muffler. The dual in/dual out muffler seems to have eliminated the bizarre slapping note; but apparently his system isn't considered true dual anymore because he only has one muffler. He still has two cats though. I like it much more with the one muffler, which is why he should have just bought the y-pipe that went with his Doug Thorley Tri-y headers and made it a single inlet/dual outlet system. Much smoother, and less mess underneath the truck.

 

a cat back dual exhaust/single in dual out system is not necessary for a relatively stock vehicle either. i think people get these for the same reasons: braggin rights! it really boils down to personal preference.

 

Lol, yep, I concur! I bought my exhaust system for looks and sound....period. I don't ever try to fool anybody that it was done for performance. It may have freed up some power with the bigger piping, new muffler, and new cat, but I didn't do it for performance. However, I did buy the long tube headers for performance, and that did make a difference. Around town I have some extra torque to play with. Having headers with an exhaust system kind of lets you back up the noise a little bit I suppose.

 

i love long tubes, but had to settle for the cheaper shorties. at least they are better than rusty manifolds.