I have a 2001 dodge ram 1500... 5.9L 360...

I am wanting to redo my exhaust to get a louder, great sounding truck.... What im planning on doing is cutting off my cat... Then installing headers, an x pipe, then most likely i will end up getting 40 series flowmasters...

My question is, I know there is a huge array of header prices.... I know the main difference is the ceramic finish... My funds are somewhat limited, I can if needed get the best headers avaliable but what im doing is already costing me quite a bit... Im wanting a better sound than anything... Performance would be nice, but i can live without it....

What would be the best headers to buy?

 

If I was modding a second generation Ram I would go with some edlebrock shorties. A good cat back will give you the best sound and perhaps some electric cut outs if you want to wake everyone in your neighborhood.

 

what you do is get one (or two) electric cut out, and you get a full throttle switch, and you get an arming switch, so basically, when you mash the gas pedal, the cut outs open (only when armed) and you get a free flowing exhaust and it won't hurt your engine because there's still lots of backpressure at WOT.

 

pacesetters go lt

 

whats the differenece between long and short headers?

 

anyone know roughly how much this would cost you at an exhaust shop?

 

Long headers stretch clear back to the tranny and can pretty much eliminate your factory "Y" pipe, great for custom dual exhaust.

Shorties resemble pretty much what you have in there now, short, usually direct bolt up to existing "Y" pipe.

I have always heard good things about the Gibson headers on here, whereas I have heard weld issues with edlebrock, to the point you could see daylight.

 

Well the cutouts cost about $150 each at summittracing (http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?autofilter=1∂=QTP%2DQTEC30&N= 700+4294923429+4294920534+115&autoview=sku) and those just need to get welded inline, so not much, then you just have to do the wiring.

 

what a great time to ask this question

i JUST finished taking my crappy eddy shorty headers off and i put on some stainless steel gibson shorties..

HUGE difference.. eddys use 1 5/8" primarys while the gibbys use a 1 1/2" primary.. which i feel contributes to my gain of low end tq.. the difference between the two sets are night and day..

ALSO the gibbys have a steel donut that is part of the header where it meet the collector..while the eddys use a replaceable lead donut.. where the lead donut might seal up easier (less re-tighting after warm-ups/cool-downs) they rot out at an incredable rate of speed.. if i were to just replace the donuts.. today would have been my 4th set... in a little over a year... ..

i know someone makes a copper donut ,, just something i didnt feel like doing again..

crafstman ship- eddys looked like they were built with better quality... the welds are an example of perfection.. mounting the gibbys were far easier then the eddys...

as a person speaking from the relm of dealing with both gibby and eddy headers.. id like to say Gibby headers are by far the best.. hands down...

 

what are you going to do with your downstream o2 sensor?