I have a crack in my exhaust between my two cats on the passenger side so it gives me a good excuse to redo my whole exhaust!!! Here is what Im looking at doing. Going with two maggie hi flows dual back into a maggie with the built in x pipe and then out the back. My truck is a 98 scab 4x4 4.6.

Question # 1
I wanna go with 2 1/4 all the way but i know my factory is 2.5. So where should i go down to the 2 1/4 before the cats or after the cats before the muffler?

Question # 2
Depending on the size of exhaust at cats, which cats? There is so many different models!

Question # 3
Do I put the O2 sensors back about where they are? (one before the cats right after manifold and one bout 2-3 inches after last cat)

Question # 4
How is this going to sound?

Any opinions are welcomed!

Thanks for the help guys!!

 

Any help guys?

 

#1. Make the entire exhaust 2.25" for best performance. So buy 2.25" cats.

#2. Magnaflow Hi-Flow cats perform great for these trucks. Check out Troyer Performance.com and give them a call for more reassurance for what part # cat to go with.

#3. Yep, O2s go right back in the same area. IF there would be any errors your exhaust installer should take care of it.

#4. Magnaflow cats, true duals, and the DI/DO muffler, very good! A few people have this exhaust in 2.5"

 

Thanks Darren! I was pretty sure that the O2 needed to go back in the same place but its great to hear it from someone else.

Should I go ahead and replace the O2's since I'm doing this?

If i buy the maggie cats and the maggie muffler with the built in x, what do you think the cost for the install. A ballpark estimate?

 

No problem. Ho many miles does your truck have? If over 150,000 I would change them, but thats a tad pricey, so if your miles are below that I would hold off till then.

The DI/DO muffler install and tailpipesshould be $150 average, or cheaper. The system overall if you provide cats, muffler, and tips, $220 - $240 is average. Parts included Im not sure but I would imagine it would be a bit over the $500 mark.

 

I have a gentle 180,000 miles on my baby! Yeah those dang O2 sensors are a high! X4

But the crack in the exhaust I have now I can hear it and see the crack so it gives me a good excuse to put some more money into my truck.

I love spending money on my truck! As long as its good for my truck,dont wanna hurt her?

The next purchase for my truck is some custom tunes, will this setup be a good for some custom tunes?

 

Nice! Fords keep on going. I would definitely look into replacing them sensors then, One guy on here had 198k on his '97 and after he upgraded to the Hi-Flow cats his truck was out of wack because it needed new sensors.

Investing in the truck is always a fun hobby. Im looking at real estate currently otherwise I would be putting more into mine

Sure thing, after tuned your truck will work even better with that exhaust.

 

Nice! I cant wait! Getting a nice paycheck this Friday so Ill be ordering my gear!
(x2 high-flo maggie cats, x1 maggie muffler built in xpipe, x4 O2 sensors, x2 tips)
Does that sound like i got it all?

Im sure my wife thinks different about me investing in my truck so much! But she will get over it!

I know this is not the place for this but after the exhaust do you think the custom tunes or a regear would be best for me? I have 35x12.50r18 with 18x10 xd balzacs black. I have the 3.55 now and im not really complaining bout it how it runs but just which would be best next?

 

sounds perfect, order it all

She might like it, if not, well tell her its just a guy thing

Well with aftermarket exhaust and a intake, a custom tune is best to have done to level it all out and get your maximum performance. Does your truck have a lift? If so maybe then I would upgrade the gears. I do not have alot of knowledge in the suspension dept. so I suggest you go over to the suspension threads and ask questions. 6" of lift I would imagine needs 4.10s, and with those larger tires.

When you get a custom tune, make sure you are very informative about your truck, tell them all about the lift and exhaust so they can design the perfect tune for our truck.

 

Thanks Again for your input!!

I told my wife what I was going to do and she said will it be really loud? I told her I guess we will find out pretty soon, and she said sounds ok!! So its a go!

I have a 3" body lift with cranked torsion bars a bit and an AAL in the rear. It clears the 35 very nice!! I also have K&N fipk, throttle body, electric fans, superchip and my exhaust right now is a sido flowmaster 40 straight out the rear.

Yeah I was just wondering which I would see more out of, the custom tunes or a regear. If I do the regear I was looking at 4.54's. With the custom tunes I searched and there is a few I can order from but any advantages or disadvantages them? (troyer,vpm,php,etc)

What do you think of me leaving my exhaust with the sido flowmaster and just put in the hi flows and saving some money there and use that saved money and get the custom tunes?

 

Thats awesome, wife approval your definitely in

Sounds good. You probably should upgrade the gears. Ask some questions and get some more clarification for whats best for you.

Well leaving the 40 series in, yeah it would be cheaper, the high flow cats and the Flowmaster will sound good & loud, my old Chevy had Magnaflow cats and true duals, damn loud & good sounding but you will still have that Flowmaster low end torque loss. The Magnaflow will be quieter in cab and good sounding outside with a close to stock sounding idle, with the Magnaflow sound though. And Magnaflows straight through design muffler will help the low end and fuel economy more. Not trying to make ya spend your money though just trying to tell you the difference and what to expect of the two.

You probably could leave the Flowmaster in and tune it, and in the future if you wish to, put a SI/DO Magnaflow in to replace the Flowmaster and it should work out well without requiring a tune.

If the sound really matters, heres a couple videos of fellow F150online members trucks with exhausts similar to the ones we are discussing.

Magnaflow cats and a 40 series.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=o2GAf_l3cng

Magnaflow cats and 14" Magnaflow
http://youtube.com/watch?v=EwDOFlPKce4

Magnaflow cats and Magnaflow DI/DO
http://youtube.com/watch?v=WcCOwzqiQro

 

I appreciate you being honest with me! Honesty is the best policy!!

Thanks for the clips! That really helps out hearing the choices I have.

Yes it is a bit more for the dido magnaflow setup up but boy did that sound good!! I really like the way that!! MEAN!!

How bout the DIDO maggie as far as sound in the cab?
Also is there a big difference (noise,power,etc) in where the exhaust exits at( straight back,or behind rear tires) and at what size?

Thanks again for all your input Darren!!

 

No problem at all man. I rmemeber when I knew nothing about exhausts and had minimal help, would have liked someone to go the extra mile for me

Yeah them trucks sound pretty good. As loud as that DI/DO truck is with an 18" muffler I cant imagine how mine will be when I make up my mind on the 11" or 14" DI/DO.

Like the rest of the Magnaflows it should be nice and low in cab, but giving everyone outside a nice sound. Even with the Hi-Flow cats its quite quiet. Theres a guy on here who has the 14x4" round Magnaflows in true duals with the cats, all you hear is the start up and a very low idle, and the revs ofcoarse, but in cab its very low. Put down the window then it will be loud.

They way exhaust exits is mostly just appearance, but there is different affects. Straight out the back which is very popular with alot of people but if your towing it could smoke up whatever is being towed, and the sound could reflect off the object your towing and louden the drive. Side exit looks great on 4wds and off road trucks in my personal opinion. It is louder because since both pipes are facing the corners & some of the side of the truck, the sound echos to those areas making it sound better outside, and very awesome in a parking garage or against a building.

I had 4x12 rolled Magnaflows on my Chevy and that sounded great. Loved the sound and look so much i'm doing the same to my F150 but with the 18" length tip to hide the weld as best as possible. Magnaflow tips are by far my favorite, my Silverado's never rusted after going all winter with no cleaning, coated with salt and debris, smoothed them out and polished up in spring, brand new again! They are a bit costly depending what you get, my rolled 4x18s were $55 each, kinda steep but you get what you pay for, and the rising steel prices dont help.

 

Now that I know my options and have even heard my options its time to find what I want.

Where do you recommend me getting my gear?
Good service with good prices!!

Once again Darren thanks for all your help!

Jake

 

No problem. Good luck with the exhaust and come back here with a video of it!

Gears i'm not quite sure about, I say stop over at the Suspension section and ask where to buy and for any additional suspension related advice. This website is very helpful.