Hi there, being a long time reader to this forum I usually find myself coming across great information that usually thoroughly answers my questions. Thanks to you guys my 02 ram 5.9 is running better then ever having gathered enough information to tackle the plenum fix and timing chain replacement. Let me first start by saying thank you.
Now to my questions. Having started university and although money spent towards modding my truck has been limited, I have managed to collect 600 or so bucks that I seek your guy's guidance in spending. I am torn between picking up a set of Harland sharp 1.7 roller rockers or redoing my current exhaust system. First, to those who live in Canada, where or whom have you bought these roller rockers from? Two, I already have a cat back single exit at3030 system and I fear that my cat is clogged from a previously blown plenum (reappearing cylinder 8 misfires agh!). Will I see a performance increase in going to a dual system with an x pipe or addressing the y pipe and a putting in a high flow cat? And about a performance y pipe, is this something an exhaust shop makes on the spot or do I have to buy this online? It seems that all the y pipes I have seen for the 5.9 online say they fit up to year 2001 and I have the odd 2002 hybrid 3rd gen year with the 5.9. Is there going to be fitment issues? Basically, where's my money best spent? I already have a CAI, superchips tuning, and 180 thermostat if that matters in determining what's best next. Thanks guys!

 

In my I did the exhaust first. I had true duals run from front to back. ALso 2 new cats. My thinking is and or was that you have to let more air out before you can bring more in. YOu may fund in the end that the added and updated exhaust is all you need. Just my 2 cents and good luck

 

Yeah, I would go with exhaust first. Lone has it right. Headers, either shorties, or long tubes, (long tubes give more benefit) a good y-pipe, high flow cat, if required in your area, and a single 3" exhaust. Pacesetter makes decent longtubes for a fair price, and also a y-pipe for them. I am not entirely sure if they fit the third gen body style though, might wanna give 'em a call, and see what they have to say.

 

What about a mangaflow cat with the dual in single out to replace the current y pipe? Or am I better of with a single high flow cat and a better y pipe? I am a little unsure about headers though for two reasons: the manifold bolts are rusty as all hell and the nearest exhaust shop is a thirty minute drive so getting the truck there on straight headers may be a problem, no? Thanks

 

exhaust bolts are always rusty.... I think that come that way from the factory..... Just hit 'em with chemicals for a couple days before you actually do the deed. Most times, they will be a drag to break loose, but, once loosened, will come right out.

You could just replace your y-pipe and cat, leave the stock manifolds, and your cat back, and still net some gains..... not as much as long tubes though.

You could install the long tubes, and the matching Y, and only be a little (lot..) loud. Tolerable for a fairly short trip.

 

The stock cam is .410 with 1.6 going to a 1.7 RR takes it to .435 not much of a difference, the gain going RR is the loss of patristic drag. Here is the math .410 divide that by 1.6 which gives you .25625 then times that by 1.7 which = .435 that’s about the same as the 5.2 stock cam. No bigger exhaust is needed than what you have. As we have no idea were in Canada you are its hard to say were to get the HS RR from. I have a set here that cost me about $450 CDN to get to me and two sets were messed up, there just sitting in a box on a shelf doing squat. I went with Mopar adjustable 1.7 RR’s and like them very much but still not that big of a power gain. $600 would put a nice cam and a set of cheap headers in/on your motor. You have a half decent exhaust all ready that would work with a mild cam say up to .470. White knuckle just put a cam and intake in/on his motor never done one before and did it without too much of a problem and is running about the same exhaust system as you have. Long tube headers are more for high rpm motor a good set of shorty’s headers work just great on a truck. Have you done any type of comp tests or leak down tests on your motor? If not I would start their, these motors have a bad habit of craken valve seats, especially on number 8 cyld. You might want to spend that coin on new heads.

 

A compression test has been done (not a leak down though) and cylinder 8 actually had 10% higher compression than the rest of the them. And since the rest of them had good compression I figure my heads are fine?? I have owned the truck for the full 10 years (well its been in the family for that long) so I know the maintenance record and it's been good. If I recall didn't whiteknuckle have to put new cam bearings in and found other problems? That's the only thing that scares me with a cam swap. I am sure I can handle the teardown, but I'd rather not be out of a truck for a week if I wreck the bearings etc since its my daily driver to school and back. Summer project maybe??

 

I don't think he changed the cam bearings.......

 

I did not change my cam bearings. It's a case-by-case situation. Like you, I've owned the truck long enough to know its history.

If you can't be down for that long, then I wouldn't recommend it. However, that's w/o knowing anything about your mechanical abilities. I had none with respect to this engine, for the record.

 

He did not change the cam bearings nor did he need to its a common thing that you will mark the bearing when removing and installing a cam. You can use all the special tools possible to try not to mark the bearings but everybody does, you touch those bearings with the cam going in or out they will get marked up a little bit. He took his time with that job, a cam can be done in a weekend.