Hi, I was wonderin if any one replaced there stock muffler with straight pipe or glass pack? and kept cat. I was just thinkin about this,but i do not want to damage the muffler or pipe. so i could turn back stock if need be. Ijust wonder how loud it would be? thanks

Dags
2004 ram 2500
ctd h/o 4 door
3300 miles

 

I left the cat and put a magnaflow muffler on it and it sounds great. Not to loud but has a nice purr to it. Even my Ford buddy had to admit it sounded good.

 

hey josh. do you have the stock tail pipe? how much was the 4in magna flow? And did you clamp it on or weld it on? were i live we have harsh winters lots of salt on the road. I don't want it to rust out so i want to keep as much stock as i can and be able to put stock muffler back on if i have a problem with any of the exhaust. Its all stainless factory but the hangers are not they are just aluminized. I don't think they will hold up under the lifetime warrenty on the exhuast.

 

I live in Colorado and he welded it on because I was not too worried about something happening to it. I think I ended up around 160.00 installed and all he did was cut the factory muffler off and welded them together and made a couple of hangers. Overall I was pretty happy except I was waiting while he did it and it took a lot longer for him to do then he said. I have never seen or experienced anyone having exhaust problems because of the salt or magnesium chloride. I know Colorado Department of Transportation says that you should wash your vehicle within a few days after you drive through the mag-chloride. I would just go through the car wash and have the undercarriage washed.

 

at first i left the cat and welded in a straight pipe in place of the muffler. it sounded great, but i wanted a little more noise so i cut off the cat and welded in a straight pipe there. now it sounds awesome and the turbo spools up a little faster. if you cut off the cat and are not happy, just weld it back in. it might cost a few bucks, but you have options.

 

Big Mike,

You would not happen to have any pics of your handy work would you? When I bought my 05 CTD, they told me that 04 CTD's did not have a cat, and that I do. Now I never really gave a hoot, but I would like to hear my "Quiet" Diesel a little more often. Crawling under mine I noticed somthing that resembled somthing more of a resonator rather than a cat. Just curious, would like to hear from sombody.

I did not buy my 3500 CTD for the quiet diesel, I bought it for the 600 + ftlbs of torque! There are times where I wished it was louder, and some I am glad its quiet, (Like leaving my quiet little neighborhood @ 0430.) Has anyone ripped off there muffler, and cat on a 05 yet? If so is it so loud that it gets annoying on long trips. I love the beefy sound I hear on some, but I question the comfort inside the cab with the windows up, and the radio on. I am reminded of the OTR days in a 1986 359exhd Peterbilt with 8" straight stacks,,, LOVED IT!, but I had to have the radio cranked way up to hear my tunes.

 

hey gunzdoc,
my truck is a late 2004 model. the early 04's did not have cats, to my knowledge. But mine is a cummins 600 that came out late in the 04 model year....and yes it doesn't really look like a cat, but i cut it off. Sorry i don't have any pics though. Let us know what else you hear.

 

there were a few early production 600's that came from the factory without the CAT. however the CARB required for there to be a CAT on these trucks, so to make things easier DC just started installing CAT's on all 600's.

If I could convince my better half that it's not going to be too much louder I would love to rip out the stock exhaust and run a 4 inch pipe to the bed, Y it off under the bed and mount two 5" stacks comeing out of the bed. but better yet get a larger turbo, stack some boxes and run 5" all the way. but I'm trtying to buy a house right now so my modding is held down to my yoda, that I already have the parts for, I just need to install them

 

Big Mike,

Well at least you understand what I am thinking,,LOL. I appreciate the help. I think I will take some pick this weekend, and see about getting them posted. Too the everyday smuck like me I have never seen a cat look like this. So figured it had more to do with the noise than anything.

Next question what are the laws against removing that cat. Is it regulated by the gov't? I thought if it was manufactured with the cat it had to remain on the vehicle to pass emissions. Right now I am living in CA, but will be going home in Janurary to Nebraska. Now I figure Cali, might **** and moan, but Nebr has no emmisons inspection.

Drew,

Have you seen www.bigbaddodge.com ? You should see some of the vids/pics he has on his site. I think 4" Y'd up with some 5" straights would look evil![sm=badbadbad.gif] I think at worst for right now I might just leave the CAT, and remove the muffler. I already removed the baffels from the intake tube, and removed the turbo silencer ring, not difficult at all, and if anyone is interested I have pics I can refer you too.

 

Doc, Ive seen alot of Scott's vids(BBD) that is one bad azz truck. Ive also got alot of other vids of CTD's not only doing pulling, but also blowing the doors off modded C6 corvetts in the 1/4 mile. My truck is totaly stock except for the baffels and silencer ring being MIA[8D]

oh, BTW, Even though I have the NV5600, 4X4 and 4.10's Ive taken a mustang from a stoplight. guy was so pissed off he did a u-turn and left me alone