I'm starting to plan out what I want to do with my exhaust. Took a peek underneath and pulled some measurements. What I had hoped to do was get a Magnaflow high flow cat to replace the factory cat, join it to a 2.5" extension, then to a new muffler that would use the factory tail pipe section. After a quick glance I realized that the factory cat seems to be "built" on to the collector and intermediate pipe to the muffler...no clamps, doesn't seem to be welded...just looks like a press fit. The intermediate pipe also has the bung for the rear O2 sensor.

I'm trying to find some way to replace all of it without having to get one of the Y-pipe/cat assemblies that are upwards of $300. I guess I mistakingly assumed that I could get new stuff and clamp it all together...or, am I missing something obvious???

 

Just get a cat for your year truck. Cut the pipes to the correct length and clamp the cat in. Look on Summit or Jeg's for the correct cat. Or better yet, go to MagnaFlows website and get the part # and use Google.

 

What are your plans for the Y pipe itself?

 

right...that was the master plan. What worries me is that the space between the upstream O2 and the collar on the front of the cat doesn't look to be enough room to cut it off and still have enough meat for a clamp to hold. I can literally just fit my finger between the back side of the O2 and the collar from the cat.

 

For now, I intended to use the factory Y pipe...until I can see how everything snugs up with the 5.9 in the hopefully near future. I would like to replace the cat/O2's and muffler just to see how much more life I can get from the 3.9 in the meantime.

 

Get the correct replacement cat, hold it up there and mark and cut the pipes to the correct length. The worst that can happen is you'll need an adapter. But the front of the cat should be the correct size, and the rear for that matter. That's why they sell the replacements.

 

And like you, the OP has a 2001. So the Y is not an issue like it is on earlier model trucks.

 

I must have missed something somewhere along the line of reading posts here...I assumed my '01 y-pipe was an issue??

 

You did miss something. Because Dodge changed the Y for the better in 2000.


https://dodgeforum.com/forum/2nd-gen...ram-1500s.html

 

I missed it too... thought the '01 Y was restrictive too.. If that's the case I can abandon my plans for world domination..., I mean move onto the rest of the exhaust....