Looking to put duals on my truck. Im 17 with not much money.
Option 1. If I put true duals on with cutting the pipe behind the stock cats, and run no muffler for now with tips out the back, how would that sound? Would the Service Engline Light come on? How would it sound with mufflers later on?

Option 2. Cut out muffler and put in a y pipe and run no muffler out the back. How does this sound? How loud is it? Would I get the SES light? Not looking to spend any more than 200

 

o i dont kno i would say chop them off after the cats and 02's make it 2.5 true dual with slash cut tips 45 out the azz end that would sound the best and if u want power throw in an H pipe

 

You could get some glass packs, it would sound better than a straight through exhaust imo, and a set of them would cost maybe 60-$75 maybe less depending on where you get em, shop should install em for less than $140. Straight through with or without the cats should be fairly loud, glass packs depending on the size, shouldnt be much quieter, but will have a better tone for a small amount of money more.

 

351FordGuy, I have the same year F-150 with the 351. I just put a Si/So Magnaflow and 3" pipe from the cat. back. 240 bucks. Nice mellow sound till you romp on it. Gas milage and power is way way better than stock.

 

im not lookin for a single exhaust. im thinking true dual with an H pipe with 4.5" tips. Then if thats too loud, i can always go back and throw in some glasspacks. DO true duals sound pretty good on these trucks? Will my engine light come on?

 

I just looked at the header pipes on my truck, there is only one 02 sensor, located in the small diameter H pipe where the two header pipes come together before the pre cat. This setup allows 02 sensing of both banks with one sensor. If you go to duals you will essentially eliminate 02 sensing on the left bank, and yes, I would expect you may very well have trouble with your check engine light since the computer would only be sampling half the exhaust. As far as sound goes, if you want loud, crackly and obnoxious, you'll be happy. Not trying to be a bugger, but from a cost and maintainability stand point you might be happier with a Si/So setup, and it would certainly save you the headache of having duals and only one 02 sensor and the possible if not probable issues that may come with that. Just my opinion, but for trucks with stock engines or even mild mods, dual exhaust is highly over rated. Bottom line - how bad do you really want duals.

 

Well I can chime in on this subject. Used to have a '95 5.0

In Arkansas we have no vehicle inspection at all.

If you leave the 02 sensor in the STOCK LOCATION and run your exhaust after that it will run fin with whatever you have on it. That 02 sensor gets the info before the converters touch it. I removed my exhaust from the sensor back. You can put true duals on it from there, but not from the manifold collectors. Trust me it will run just fine without the cats on it. I had dual 2 chamber flowmasters on mine and it was pretty loud that way. Just be sure when you cut the exhaust by that 02 sensor you use a SAWZALL and not a torch so you will not burn the sensor. And use a muffler that will provide some backpressure.

 

yeah i wasnt planning from the manifolds back, going to cut exhaust off after the cats, then put in an H pipe to balance exhaust, and run duals back from there. So its pretty much true duals with an H pipe in it. The H pipe will get rid of most of the rappyness correct? I DO NOT WANT SINGLE. Im 17 too if that helps. No mufflers, if its too loud and i dont like it, i can throw in some glasspacks or a super turbo muffler. How do they sound true duals with an H pipe, my buddy said that should get rid of the popping for the most part correct?

also should i go with 2.25", 2.5", 2.75", or 3"

 

I could be wrong, but I think your exhaust comes out single from the cats right? I think it goes in to the first converter dual and comes out single and then goes to the other one right? If that's the case you couldn't have true duals in a catback. What do you have against a single if it sounds good?

 

I looked under it. There are 2 pipes infront of the cats, with a small H pipe where the sensor is in it. Then you are right, the cats are 2 in line. is there a sensor after the cats? I couldnt see where the other one is. Between them maybe? WHere is the rear O2 sensor? If there isnt one i could cut off the cats and run true duals from the o2 sensor. But i guess i cant. how does splitting the pipes right after the cats sound with no muffler?

 

351FordGuy, remove your cats and the rest of the exhaust system leaving as much of the header pipes behind the 02 sensor as possible. From there, run your duals all the way back on the right side of the truck and exit them at mid quarter panel behind the right rear tire. Having both pipes exit close together really sounds sweet. If it were me I would install an H pipe halfway between the 02 sens. and two FM super fortys. Keep your pipe dia. at no more than 2.5" and then use 3 to 4" tips. There you go, no cats, 02 sensing from both banks, and true duals with bitchin sound.

 

wouldnt having no cats cause the Engine light come on? I need a way to do it so it stays off. I would like true duals, but I dont know if i can make it happen. I want them angled at 45's out the rear. Is there an o2 sensor behind any of the cats or just infront?

 

does my truck have an o2 sensor after any of the cats? i cant see any

 

Your 02 sensor is upstream from the cats. There are no 02s down streamstream of the cats so it shouldn't bother the Ck engine light. If emmissions are a concern, remove the existing inline cats and replace them with dual, smaller cats, one for each bank. As long as your dont upset the small H pipe with the 02 sen. in it everything should be fine. You will have a tough time however putting all that together for only 2 bills.

 

so if i take a hacksaw out under my truck and cut off the cats directly infront of them, take it to a muffler shop and tell them to run true duals i should be fine? that makes me very happy now. Well just wanted it to be around 2 bills, i dont see it costing more than $250 tho.