Experts... What's the difference between the cat back exhaust systems and the muffler elimination kits that some make? Besides looks and the fact that the cat backs are a lot more expensive.I thought it was the stock muffler that was the big restrictor, so if you replace the whole line from the cat back does it really increase perfomance more than just cutting out the muffler? If so, is it worth the extra $$$$? Thanks

 

I'm not quite sure WHAT your looking for here, but lemme try and explain what it is that you have now.

You've got from your turbo a -
Downpipe, to a
Cat Converter, ( I had a resonator here ) to a
short straight pipe, to a
muffler, to a
tailpipe

Now I just saw a pic where a fella had a resonator after the muffler that pointed up as it was going over the rear axle.

Some folks her ( and I won't say who but it's damn nea every one of us ) eliminate the Cat Converter and run the downpipe right into a straight pipe going to a "straight through" muffler and then out the back.If you wanted to continue using your Cat, you would do the same thing only you would do it from the "Cat back".

Get it ??

 

I just went to the local muffler shop and they cut out my cat and muffler and then welded in a 7' piece of 4" pipe (the rest of the stock piping was 4" as wel). So now I have straight 4" (not crush bends either) from the turbo back. The muffler shop only charged me $35 for the pipe and $30for ahalf an hour of labor. Some shops might hesitate to do this because I think it is technically illegal to remove the catalytic converter, but if you go toa shopwith the name "so and so's discount muffler", like I did, you probably won't have any problems .

 

Here is a pic. The shop even welded on hangersin the factory locations. I love how it sounds too, like a freakin semi. The exhaust you choose sould be based on what you have done or plan on doing to the engine. If you are stock up top or maybe a mild chip or whatever 4" should be fine. thats just my opinion though, some of these other guys may know better.

 

I picked up a couple feet dropof 4" flex pipe at the local truck stop for $13 and did it myself. NAPA sells exhaust hanger clamps that bolt onto the exhaust clamp and I drilled a hole for it in the frame.

[IMG]local://upfiles/57704/68F7830FA38B4A34BB01F29985EE2027.jpg[/IMG]

 

if you use those hangers, make sure that you have a piece of flexpipe between the engine and the hanger. Without movement in the hanger, the engine will tear that exhaust apart.

 

The flex pipe is back under the bed, it's solid pipe from the turbo to the flex pipe. there's at least 2 hangers welded to the solid pipe before the flex pipe.

 

Sorry for confusion you guys. The only thing after the cat converter is the exhaust. Sowhat's the difference between buying a MBRP muffler delete pipe for $60, or buying a cat-back exhaust system from any company for $300-$700?

 

If all you have after cat is straight pipe then your truck already has a cat-back exhaust on it, but a cat delete pipe and you'll be straight off the turbo

 

A cat back system is that, from the cat back. It removes the factory muffler and usually has a strait through muffler (like a glass pack). The bends in the pipe are supposedly less restrictive. The cat and muffler are very restrictive and if done away with the turbo will spool faster and egt's will drop. As far as cost goes a muffler elim pipe if far less expensive and probably will give the same gains.If I were you, I would strait pipe from the downpipe to the tail pipe and eliminate the cat and muffler.