The more I think about it the more I favor a y pipe that runs simular to the stock setup without the expansion chamber or dumping into the driver's side manifold. Main reasons being:
-No heat on starters
-No burnt floor mats
-No risk of rock rash (these are 4x4's after all)
-Cheeper to produce
-Easy to retain stock o2 location.
-Easy to retain stock cat location.
-No heat transfer to tranny
-Overall better us of space.
I really don't see any major negatives to this plan and it would bring the cost down from the ~$200 range to probably the $150 or less range (depending entirely on the cost of parts of course).
Last week I mentioned (to whoever is paying attention) that I'm pulling the heads off 2 3.0's. Well, I've got the heads off one of them, and getting ready to be shopped. While I was sitting there looking at the block and the crossover exhaust, I can see how R.O.R. came to this conclusion in this abandoned thread. I have some time and want to try this, but I have a couple of concerns/questions.
1. How close to the trans bellhousing and to the firewall/floorboard can you get without getting too close? I ask because, although there is room, there isn't alot and it could get tight. Plus, with everything off the engine I might be overlooking something that I'm gonna have to put back on....
2. Pipe diameters: the crossover pipe is 1.5"......I could be over analyzing this, but would it be better to neck the driver side exhaust down to 1.5" off the manifold before the two come together? Then, the two 1.5" dia pipes would joint to a 2.25" or 2.5" before the O2 sensor. Would this equalize the exhaust pressure on both sides? (well, not exactly because the pass side travels further, or does that matter).
3. The block off plate doesn't need to be special, does it? Just a steel plate with 3 bolt holes that you just bolt on in place of the crossover?
The only exhaust work I've ever done is replacing mufflers and covering holes/leaks with beer cans....so any advice is appreciated.
Also, if you're out there Rauch, what is it about the expansion chamber in the crossover that makes you want to eliminate it? I was just going to try to cut the driver side flange off and turn the exhaust down from there. Do you think that's the wrong approach?
