Diesel_Day_Dreamin
05-02-2005, 05:17 PM
I installed my "MBRP T409 Turbo back system" yesterday evening and wanted to share my thoughts for those who are thinking of an aftermarket system and if they think they want to install it themselves...
First thing's first. before I tackled this job, I went to the local 'Over the Road' truck dealer and bought some stainless steel band clamps (makes for a leak free system and easy disassembly if needed later). Why MBRP sells you a stainless system with standard steel hardware I'll never know. Next stop, Lowes for the stainless bolts for the cat delete pipe. Yes, the kit had regular steel bolts too! The hanger/clamp combo are regular steel also and I could not find stainless ones to make stainless hangers with... I will have to live with those. http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/images/smilies/mad.gif With the cat delete pipe, you have to use your old manifold clamp.
Next, get out the floor jack, jack stands & tools. The first thing we did was to unbolt the cat pipe from the rest of the exhaust. Removed the manifold clamp and this is where I hit the first snag... The cat was too wide to slip between the frame and the transmission. After removing the hanger bracket that mounts to the tranny, I removed the two transmission mount bolts and shoved the trans over enough (about 1/2 inch) to give me the room needed to get the cat out. After that, we used channel lock pliers to get the hangers pushed through the rubber mounts. It took about 1 1/2 hrs. to remove the stock system.
Now the fun part. I installed the entire MBRP system losely, making sure everything had plenty of clearence, not a problem at all. The hardest thing of the whole install was re-aligning the rear trans mount to reinstall the two bolts removed to get the converter out. Of course... I had to start it with just the cat delete pipe installed. Suprisingly, it was not that loud. I guess the turbo muffles allot of the noise. After getting it on the way I wanted, we tightened up all the clamps.
As far as difficulty of removal and install, the removal of the old system was harder than installing of the MBRP system. Keep in mind I wanted to remove the stock exhaust "intact" in case of "future" emissions requirements that may dictate my reinstallation of the catalytic converter. Someone with a torch could have made quick work of it... Better yet, a buddy with a lift would have made the job easier also.
Test drive... At first start-up, you could notice a slight throaty rumble until turbo spool up. At the tail pipe it sounded like a hair drier. On the road you could hear a drone (about at the 1700-2000 rpms level), at least I heard it at first and have since then gotten use to it. The "drone" is Not as loud as the clatter of the engine, but none the less is there. I didn't want a loud system since the family is in the truck allot with me, and I must say that I am happy with the sound. At highway speeds 60 - 75 mph, if you listen closely, you can hear the whistle of the turbo (very faint). When you come up to a stop sign or light, you can here that "big rig" whistle of the turbo, again, kinda faint sound-wise in the cab with windows rolled up. It's chilly here today and I have not heard it with the windows down yet. Putting a couple hundred miles on it today, the milage seems to have increased about 1 to 11/2 miles per gallon and the turbo spools up a little faster. No regrets, I am happy with this system and I'm glad I installed it.
I hope this post is of some value to those thinking of an aftermarket exhaust system. Enjoy!
First thing's first. before I tackled this job, I went to the local 'Over the Road' truck dealer and bought some stainless steel band clamps (makes for a leak free system and easy disassembly if needed later). Why MBRP sells you a stainless system with standard steel hardware I'll never know. Next stop, Lowes for the stainless bolts for the cat delete pipe. Yes, the kit had regular steel bolts too! The hanger/clamp combo are regular steel also and I could not find stainless ones to make stainless hangers with... I will have to live with those. http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/images/smilies/mad.gif With the cat delete pipe, you have to use your old manifold clamp.
Next, get out the floor jack, jack stands & tools. The first thing we did was to unbolt the cat pipe from the rest of the exhaust. Removed the manifold clamp and this is where I hit the first snag... The cat was too wide to slip between the frame and the transmission. After removing the hanger bracket that mounts to the tranny, I removed the two transmission mount bolts and shoved the trans over enough (about 1/2 inch) to give me the room needed to get the cat out. After that, we used channel lock pliers to get the hangers pushed through the rubber mounts. It took about 1 1/2 hrs. to remove the stock system.
Now the fun part. I installed the entire MBRP system losely, making sure everything had plenty of clearence, not a problem at all. The hardest thing of the whole install was re-aligning the rear trans mount to reinstall the two bolts removed to get the converter out. Of course... I had to start it with just the cat delete pipe installed. Suprisingly, it was not that loud. I guess the turbo muffles allot of the noise. After getting it on the way I wanted, we tightened up all the clamps.
As far as difficulty of removal and install, the removal of the old system was harder than installing of the MBRP system. Keep in mind I wanted to remove the stock exhaust "intact" in case of "future" emissions requirements that may dictate my reinstallation of the catalytic converter. Someone with a torch could have made quick work of it... Better yet, a buddy with a lift would have made the job easier also.
Test drive... At first start-up, you could notice a slight throaty rumble until turbo spool up. At the tail pipe it sounded like a hair drier. On the road you could hear a drone (about at the 1700-2000 rpms level), at least I heard it at first and have since then gotten use to it. The "drone" is Not as loud as the clatter of the engine, but none the less is there. I didn't want a loud system since the family is in the truck allot with me, and I must say that I am happy with the sound. At highway speeds 60 - 75 mph, if you listen closely, you can hear the whistle of the turbo (very faint). When you come up to a stop sign or light, you can here that "big rig" whistle of the turbo, again, kinda faint sound-wise in the cab with windows rolled up. It's chilly here today and I have not heard it with the windows down yet. Putting a couple hundred miles on it today, the milage seems to have increased about 1 to 11/2 miles per gallon and the turbo spools up a little faster. No regrets, I am happy with this system and I'm glad I installed it.
I hope this post is of some value to those thinking of an aftermarket exhaust system. Enjoy!