So the truck is going in the garage tonight to get a new exhaust.

I picked up some kooks lt's from a member here. Got their "green" cats for the mid pipe, New DI DO Magnaflow muffler some extra piping and some nice stainless band clamps, arp header studs and kooks aluminum header gaskets.

Reason for install is broken and leaking manifolds..4 of the 12 manifold bolts are broken and I imagine a few more might break on the way out.

Plan is to get the front end on jackstands, remove front tires and inner fenders, start at the back and work my way forward removing exhaust. I have the welder ready and plan on just welding nuts to the broken bolts for removal.

A few questions, What size/pitch are the current manifold bolts? I want to make sure I have plenty of clean nuts in that size for welding.

I need to get the 4 bolts for header to mid pipe connection, any recommendations on size and material?

How much louder is this thing going to be?!

Pics are a rough mock up of how exhaust will go, still need to get two tips for the exit, plan is to have the pipes end where it would cross the frame rail so I don't have to worry about a snow bank or tree or rock smashing the pipes into my bedside.

I know I will probably need a few more bends etc to get pipes over and under cross members....

 

Lookin good!

My one comment is that the muffler will likely need to be further back. There are some crossmembers up that far forward that will likely get in your way.

Its going to be considerably louder, but its going to sound and perform great!

 

That looks great, nice and shiny.

I agree, the muffler location will more than likely need to be moved back some and boy oh boy is that going to sound good and loud.

I'd also look into getting some V-band clamps instead of band clamps.

What model # muffler is that? Looks like a 12599

Are you keeping it the way it is laid out? Or are you going to have full length tail pipes?

Either way, its bad ***.

 

arp bolts with grease is best choice and worth the money. as for the muffler, when you take the stock one out and see the size and the quietness of the truck, and compare that with this one you can tell there is going to be some difference. exact difference is hard to tell and is different from person to person but i do not foresee it being that loud. good sound though for sure compared to flowmaster 10's or something...

 

Do yourself a favor and run stock GM manifold gaskets. You can't beat them.

 

Got the headers and muffler installed this weekend. Went pretty straightforward except for two bolts that were broken below the surface of the head. I ended up taking the grinder and taking some aluminum down till a nut could lay on the bolt and welded together.

I had 4 broken bolts and really though a few more would break but the other 8 bolts came out fairly easy....

I used some of the factory piping to get the muffler clear of cross members etc its all nice 3" stainless figured I could save a couple bucks. I'm not really happy fit the muffler location and the pipes are resting on a cross member so it might be going to an exhaust shop to get finished up.

Right now the muffler just ends before the rear axle but the original plan was to turn the pipes at a 45* and have them exit in front of the rear tire. Muffler is currently to far back for that to work.

It is Magnaflow 12599

I bought a bunch of those 2 bolt stainless clamps. they are working great so far

Had already bought the kooks aluminum header gasket so that went in and no leaks so far...

A few questions:

What plug wires do you guys run with headers? I have two wires contacting the primaries so need to address that asap.

It has a lower rpm miss, feels like lack of fuel will the fuel trims adjust themselves enough or should I get the tune fixed up?

Do you know any good tuners in North Jersey? The guy who originally tuned my truck is no longer around...havent had the need to tune in several years.

Will try and get some install pictures and a video up soon, my cell phone sounds crappy when recording...

thanks

 

After i installed my longtubes it felt like it was lacking A LOT from a dig compared to stock.. But once i got my custom tune done it felt great..

 

Interested too on what the go to plug wires to run after you do headers.

 

I just run MSD wires on mine, you can bend the boots to keep wires where you want.

 

X2 same here.