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Topic: Exhaust upgrade? (Read 9190 times) previous topic - next topic

Exhaust upgrade?

Within a few weeks I'll have everything done to my 88 XR7 that I plan to do except for the exhaust. I wouldn't touch it but both lers have holes in them so since I have to replace them anyway I might be willing to spend a little more while I'm at it if I get the bang for the buck. I doubt if I'll ever do a mass air conversion, change the heads or fuel injectors but you never know, I might get bored next winter. Assuming that I don't plan on doing anything else, is it worth going to something like Magnaflow lers on stock pipes or upgrading to larger pipes from the Y back? Or to make it simple if I planned to spend something like $300-$400, what would be the best bang for the buck? Would I notice the difference over just going to my local ler shop and getting standard lers installed or is it a waste of money on my stock 5.0?

On a side note I went through the original owners paperwork and the car has is on it's 3 set of lers. Both of the replacement lers were listed as lifetime guarantee but they charged her parts and labor at the same shop when the last set were installed.

Exhaust upgrade?

Reply #1 –
Hey Charlie...a lot of guys are grabbing the Mustang 5.0 stock shorty headers, and from there an aftermarket X or H pipe (I went with a catless BBK X pipe, in 2.5") and whatever cat-back kit you want. Keep in mind though, that while pretty much every X and H pipe for a Fox Stang will work great, the rest of the exhaust for the Fox Stang will need lengthened a few inches to fit our Birds/Cats, due to the longer wheelbase.

Now for the rest of the system I went with Flowmaster American Thunder, again in 2.5". I got mine for a '87-93 Stang LX 5.0, but you can also use the GT kits, as the tails are a little different because the GT Stangs had the effects, so the tails come out a bit different.

Any good exhaust shop would be able to lengthen the pipes for you, but if you live in a smog area, you'll need to stay with a catted X/H pipe, instead of the offroad version. Obviously the catted part is a heck of a lot more....if you're only looking for lers, but don't know what to get, there's tons of vids on you tube of different exhaust setups. Myself, I decided on flowmasters because of cost, and that's what a friend has on his '95 5.0 Stang, and I think his sounds awesome. Throaty, decent tone at idle, and it doesn't scream like a glasspack when you lay into it. Magnaflow is pretty nice too, but a bit costly, and a little louder.

Thunderjet302 has a nice exhaust on his car, but of course he has a nicely cammed engine, so that affects the idle and the volume a good bit.
'98 Explorer 5.0
'20 Malibu (I know, Chevy, but, 35MPG. Let's go brandon, eh)

Exhaust upgrade?

Reply #2 –
I live in the mountains of Colorado. Denver does emission checks but this isn't an issue where I live so being within emission guidelines wouldn't matter to me. I guess I could technically get away without running a cat. I don't think I want to get into change the exhaust manifolds to header though, I'd be getting out of the budget I'm wanting to hold to. I could get the lers replaced for less then $200, I'm just wondering if it would be worth going to better lers and larger pipes or if I'd be wasting my money.

Exhaust upgrade?

Reply #3 –
I'd put some aftermarket Mustang headers (at least 1&5/8" primaries), 2.5" H-pipe (catless if you can), and 2.5" midpipes, lers and tails. It will be big enough that if you do any engine upgrades you won't have to upgrade the exhaust.
88 Thunderbird LX: 306, Edelbrock Performer heads, Comp 266HR cam, Edelbrock Performer RPM intake, bunch of other stuff.

Exhaust upgrade?

Reply #4 –
I appreciate your input Thunderjet. Any other suggestions for doing an exhaust system or just lers on a budget if less then $400 that might improve performance would be greatly appreciated.
 

Exhaust upgrade?

Reply #5 –
Id buy any Mustang shorty header you can find, plenty of used ones out there when guys go long tube. Id rather have a used BBK than new chinese ebay, etc. Probably no more than $100.

Any fox stang H/X, same thing on used, I bought a new looking bassani x for $100.

I used a GT fox Ultra Flo cat back. Snagged junkyard hangers to go dual. Exhaust shop hung the cat back for me with some universal hangers on the tailpipes.

Mine:
87 Thunderbird LX
65mm tb, exploder intake, iron gt40 heads, 1.6 rr, a9l mass air swap, 9.5" Billet Dirty Dog TC, Built AOD, 4.10's, 31 spline TLoc, Superior Axles, full sn95 five lug swap.

Exhaust upgrade?

Reply #6 –
Have
I spend money I don't have, To build  cars I don't need, To impress people I don't know

HAVE YOU DRIVEN A FORD LATELY!!

Exhaust upgrade?

Reply #7 –
Quote from: TOM Renzo;410155
Have we not been down this road of eliminating CATS. Remove them and loose hp. keep them and you system will flow better. Or install lers and restrict the system YOUR CHOICE. Enough said!!

 I know you're knowledgeable on this. I'm really looking at the cat right now or headers, something like that could always come later. I'm just looking at the fact that I have to replace my lers anyway so I'd like to make the best choice. If it were worth it I'd go as far as putting better lers and possibly larger pipes from the Y back. Would I gain anything from this or would this be a waste of money over going with standard lers? Would anyone have a really good ler that they would recommend on a budget?

Exhaust upgrade?

Reply #8 –
Quote from: TOM Renzo;410155
Have we not been down this road of eliminating CATS. Remove them and loose hp. keep them and you system will flow better. Or install lers and restrict the system YOUR CHOICE. Enough said!!

 
If he's on a budget an offroad H-pipe is cheaper than a catted H-pipe. At that power level I don't think he'll notice much of a difference.
88 Thunderbird LX: 306, Edelbrock Performer heads, Comp 266HR cam, Edelbrock Performer RPM intake, bunch of other stuff.

Exhaust upgrade?

Reply #9 –
I put on an offroad x pipe, and lost some low end power...

Said no Mustanger ever.
'98 Explorer 5.0
'20 Malibu (I know, Chevy, but, 35MPG. Let's go brandon, eh)

Exhaust upgrade?

Reply #11 –
Mine has magnaflows after the Y and it runs and sounds very nice. I was glad to find the PO added these. I will add stock or FMS  mustang headers and a mustang stock H-pipe for mine, and the engine will stay basically stock.
88 5.0 LX  66,000 original miles
92 5.0 LX Mustang convertible 82,000 original miles

Exhaust upgrade?

Reply #12 –
Don't ever use chambered lers.  Run straight through lers like borla, magnaflow or Dynomax ultra flow. Tom's right about cats, but if your budget doesn't have it, it doesn't have it.  You probably won't notice the difference at your level.  I know it's sort of  like picking a fight with Tom to say so, but he's wrong about lers vs. no lers.  Straight pipes on a 5.0L will make less power than straight through lers, there is much data to support this, even on this very forum, dig deep in the engine section, you'll find it.  You can Google for things like ler shootout, where in addition to comparing lers to one another, they almost always baseline with none at all.  Having said that, I'm unaware of how it affects a 2.3 turbo, so he could very well be right on TC's.  I just don't know.

Exhaust upgrade?

Reply #13 –
Bo
I spend money I don't have, To build  cars I don't need, To impress people I don't know

HAVE YOU DRIVEN A FORD LATELY!!