I have only gotten disaproval from people when i tell them that i wanted to install cutouts onto my L. "you'll lose torque because of a lose in backpressure" My response to this is non-sense. I was born in Texas and i've been to 1 too many tracter-pulls... ie i've been to one. And those babies aren't even running headers... it's just a FAT pipe stright out the roof. Now those tracters are producing in excess of 1000 ft/lbs. Then also after visiting the pits at a nascar race. The same theme.... it's RIGHT out the back. The only reason they dont just have straight headeres is most for safety as well as down force. Then finnally I met 3 very nice gental men at the track a week ago. They said that before they installed cutouts (or "exhaust dumps" as they called it... later i'd also find cutouts to be called "race readies") that they got the same friction from other people. But after putting in the "dumps" they gained .1 to .15 on their et's. So I was determinded to get to the bottom of this back pressure thing.... in short it's all about tuning the exhaust to the rebounding presures to aid in the exhaust stroke. Now for those of you whom have no idea about the powerful presure waves that travel up and down your intake as well as exhaust, that is what people mean by tuning your intake or tuning your exhaust. im sure that there's a post about this somewhere so i wont get into it.
Now on with the installation of my summit cutouts.... first this is MUCH cheaper than a whole new bassani catback... so if you're looking to gain power from this the MUST MUST MUST MUST go before the cats... i have seen countless people try to short cut this by putting them on the bend after the cats but before the muffler... now i dont know what this would do other than make your truck loud. The lose of power that people assosiate with catouts comes from this same move. You are leaving the power sucking part of the exhaust in (the cats) and taking out 1/2 of tunned exhaust (the rebounding wave from the muffler). So here's how I propose to fit the cutouts before the cats... well kinda before. (pic: fitting diagram) well i can only attach one pic. i dont know why. but i have many more pics of the first days work as far as fixing up the cut outs. Tomarrow (if time premits.. it's race day ) ill post more. if someone could please tell me how to post more than one link for pics... thanks yall

mark

 

Just reply to your own message with an other pic attached..

Doug

 

Be careful with the placement of the cutout. It looks very close to the header outlet, you may end up with a burnt valve or two.
Good luck, keep us informed.

 

burnt valve? what are you talking about redneck? yes it is very close to the hearders... about 4-5" down stream... if it answers your question they will be pointed slightly outward to aid in cooling the underside of the chassie

this photo is the proper way to put anything mettal on the vise for porting (she was dirty inside... later pics)

 

this pic is of the dirty welding inside the cutout... now there's little gain from porting it out but i had time to waist... the red area is to be ported and the blue dots so where the acctual welds are (on the outside)

 

this next pic is of the cutout nearly finnished. I didn't get a pic of it finished and im too lazy to go take another. the red area is where i ground out parts.

 

this was an idea i got while i was grinding away.... if you want your exhaust to be REALLY loud... but not "open" then you can take these little buggers... i just found them laying around my garage and put them in as spacers..... that will PO any ricer... hehe

 

and here's another view of the spacers from the side.

 

here's a little addition i thought might add the needed color it will probly come off soon. it's not high temp paint

 

Yes, IF the exhaust is opened too close to the valve rebounding pressure can burn a valve. The question is, How close is too close? and will you gain anything from this?

???????????
What benefit do you think it will give you?

 

Good luck man, go for it!

I had almost a similar reaction when I told everyone about my muffler falling off, then me WANTING to keep it off.

Then I took it to the track and gained a reduciton of .2

It wasnt until other people had similar reactions (BADDASSVT was put in the 12s!) that it became less controversial I guess.

Its pointless to get mad about it though, just imagine how Galileo had it when he was trying to convince the world wasnt the center of the universe!