A local muffler shop installed a 5" turbo-back system for me today...good price at $565 installed! I am about 99% sure its an Expandit type kit as its aluminized, true 5" from down-pipe back, with a generic muffler, and no tip of any kind. From what I could tell from watching is the kit fit pretty well with no issues and welded up fine. I did cut about 4" off the tail-pipe section after I got home because it just stuck out from under the bed way too far...

As far as sound goes...its surprisingly quiet! I had stock 4" exhaust w/ a 51" Donaldson before and at cruising speeds (65-75 MPH) it is as quiet as my old set-up. I was amazed to say the least. It is louder at idle and when you first get on the throttle but soon as you build some boost....it quiets down tremendously! The sound is killer though....VERY deep "big rig" sound to it with no raspy noise of any sort. Now, I haven't hooked up to my race trailer yet so I'm anxious to see if there is any drone when I'm pulling a load.

As far as the truck runs...everyone talks about how you get some turbo-lag and loss of bottom-end torque when you go to 5" but I can't tell a difference! Maybe I'm just crazy...but the turbo lights up, builds boost, and starts rolling just as it did before. The truck does pull harder in the mid-range and top-end though (60-95 MPH). Another thing I noticed was when I upgraded to the Smarty REVO software....passing someone took a lil' finese of the pedal unlike it was before with the older software as there would be some lag before the truck would build boost to take off. Well now at 65-70 MPH, you can roll into the throttle or punch it, and the truck responds instantly it seems which is very cool. It builds boost and just takes off...

Only down-falls is that I havent seen that "claimed" 100-150 degree drop in EGTs that everyone claims to get with 5"....at 65-75 MPH I'm still holding solid at 550-600 degrees. My pyro is post-turbo, tapped into the exhaust elbow just past the turbo. On the bright side, the EGTs do seem to take longer to heat up on a WOT run which is very cool.

Going to do a mileage test this week and see if I get any improved mileage...

I must say that this might be my favorite mod to date as far as "performance" mods...yeah, our stock 4" exhaust is more than enough for most of us out here but this 5" exhaust stuff is freakin' sweet

 

Man you rig runs pretty cool, I'm hittin 700-800 @65-75MPH, with the trailer I'm at 1000 @ 70-75MPH. Running from MT to CA the highest EGT I saw was 1350 @ 70MPH up and down most every grades. Total weight of rig and trailer was 14,350Lbs
W/Out Smarty

 

I did the same way when I installed my probe at first. Then I was informed that the ex.manifold is best. I checked out edges' instructions on how to do it. I just plugged the elbow and drilled and tapped the manifold.


Just a thought and I'm sure you'll be informed by others.

I love my ex. system when I 1st installed it. It has a pretty killer sound. Then I went with a stack, which I love just the same.

 

I'm in the manifold, #3 cyl

 

Yeah, I know it should be in the exhaust manifold but I honestly didnt wanna mess with having to worry about metal shavings and such so I just stuck it in the elbow.

My wife drives my truck as a daily driver and I don't tow anything heavy but maybe a few times a year. My race trailer is just an 18x7 enclosed trailer that weighs nothing at all even with 3 quads loaded up in it so I'm not going to worry about...especially the way I drive!

No worries...

 

I have also found that the 5" allows for the EGTs to drop alot faster before shutting down....

 

His rig will show that much difference due to location of probe.

 

That is correct...I just compensate for the lower readings and watch my pyro carefully when towing or playing...

I hardly ever break 800-900 degrees (post-turbo) which, from what Ive gathered reading EGT threads, would probably be around 1000-1100 degrees pre-turbo.

And, yes, my EGTs do drop much quicker now when cooling off before shut-down...

 

Okay, so what benefit did you get for $565?
Just a little deeper tone to it?

 

Like I stated above, the truck seems to run better in the mid/top end as far as cruising down the road. EGTs don't rise nearly as fast and cool off way quicker now as well. And yes, the new sound of the 5" is freakin' sweet...love how it sounds now. Its perfect to my ears...

My wife filled it up yesterday so I'm running a mileage test for the week as she drives it to work every day where she always sets the cruise at 65 on the highway and 75 on the freeway. She's a perfect test driver for mileage tests. So far, it seems like I mighta picked up some mileage but won't really know till she fills back up and I hand calculate the mileage.

My point of this thread was just my honest thoughts on going to 5" as I have been on the fence about getting it for several months. I figured some of the members might find my write-up usefull from the perspective of a daily driver and someone who's not trying to make gobs of power. Just real-world honest opinion of doing a new mod...

And I don't regret it one bit

 

yeah I dont agree with all the people that say 5" is a waste of money. ive put it on both dodges ive owned because I like the looks and the sound. theres tons of parts we spend money on that dont make much difference at all. these guys that pay 500 for an air intake are wasting there money for nothing also. I had 5" on my truck when it was stock and it didnt kill it or ruin the truck. I think the 4" system sounds dumb personally I like the deeper tone. mine goes from 5" to 7" now. overkill maybe but its my truck haha

 

XXX222, I love my 5" system. I wish I had that kind of money to throw away on what some have spent on things for their trucks. I'd have alot more go fast goodies that I've done research on to get them at alot cheaper price.

EXAMPLE; my black stack itself-$85 shipped, elbows 2ea.-$90 shipped, stain. clamps 2 ea.-$25 shipped. It cost me $200 +/- for my own stack kit.

Sorry, didn't mean to hi-jack this thread. I know how ya feel on the exh. system, it does have it's benefits regardless of the ney sayers.

 

I bought my aluminumized steel 5" for $340 shipped, t.b. to stock exit. It fit perfect too, then I went single stack.

 

did mine myself for 260 HA

 

Indeed

I'm not even mad...I'm impressed!