since i can only afford to do one at a time, what would be the best order to get things done. the only performance modification i have is i recently installed a k&n cai and it made a little difference. the first mod on the list i'd like to do is which ever one is most benificial to the bottom end. another question: if i do exhaust first, would it be a pain in the *** to install new headers afterwords? like recut and rewelding stuff?

ill have meineke or somewhere do the exhaust portion, but how easy is the throttle body to install? i enjoy working on the truck myself.
i plan on getting jba for exhaust/headers, but im debating whether to get the fastman or f&b tb.

 

I would say go with the catback exhaust. I did mine on my jeep and it was easy except for the muffler being rusted onto the cat. With your's being a 2k1 i think you could do it in your driveway. All you need is a sawzall and some hand tools. I jacked up the rear of my jeep so that I could get the new mandrel(sp) bent pipe up over the axle.

With some header kits all it replaces is the exhaust manifolds and not the cross over pipe so it will just bolt up the that. Other kits give you a new cross over pipe and that should bolt up to your cat unless it has a bigger diameter than the factory cat. What you could do is buy the headers and a high flow cat and save your money for a new exhaust and install both at the same time.

For the throttle body it should be 4 bolts and then some clips for your throttle cable and CC line if you have CC. Also there will be a connection for your TPS and I think that is it. It doesn't take that long to swap TBs and I am not sure how much of a differance they make on the 318. But if you do that then I would like to know how much of a differance it makes.

 

The TB is super easy to install and, of course, I recommend the Fastman, it's what I have, and it's OUTSTANDING, made a great difference. Plus it's hand made buy a man who's life revolves around Dodges.

I got my Exhaust first, Headers second and TB third. All made a great gain. TB made the most noticable difference when i first drove it after the mod, but that headers and the exhaust did give more HP.

I'd say go with the exhaust, then the Fastman TB, then headers.

~Amanda

 

thanks for the tip, that's what i had in mind since ive already done an intake mod (cold air), go with exhaust, then another intake, then another exhaust. =P

so you think that i could replace the exhaust myself? (i have access to a garage with a hydraulic lift) it won't require any welding? i can weld but i don't exactly have the best equipment...

 

I did mine on my 2002 and they only problem I had was it was nearly impossible to get the "old" muffler off. I suggest cutting the pipe just in front of the muffler rather than trying to bash if off with a hammer. Yours may be different however. I'd say if you can get the old one off easily, getting the new one on is VERY easy. Just mount the muffler with the rubber isolators first then hold up and mark your tubing to the correct size. Once you've got them cut, it all slides together easily. If you want it welded, put the clamps on at half the specified torque or just enough to "immediately" take it to a muffler shop for welding. They will charge like $15 but that's nothing.

 

One solution for the muffler if it is stuck on there from rust is to use some wd-40 and a sledge hammer. I changed my exhaust in my driveway with only using my spare tire jack. just needed to get the back end up enough to get the new tail pipe in.