Exhaust question

[xjcamaro89]

I took some pics but didnt get them off my camera yet, ill try to get to it tonight, and good thing i took the pics last night cause its snowed about 3-4 inches over night and im not rolling around in the snow under my truck for a couple pics, but ill get them posted though!

[kahjdh]

I have a question about the y pipe:

The y pipes come into a collector at the end so my question is can I cut off the collector and weld an X pipe in there? At my work we have a exhaust bender so I think I can handle the two pipes the legth of the truck.

[xjcamaro89]

Possibly, they would have to be a narrow X pipe the Y pipe collects off to the passenger side of the truck not in the middle, you might have more luck cutting the Y pipe way up right behind the cats on both sides and go from there. Its possible, it will just take a little working.

[silveradofirerescu]

I decided to go with the single side exit Summit system. It is 3 inch all the way and I dont think it will hurt any. All I am really looking for is better sound. And for 175 shipped it is cheaper than just buying a muffler and having it installed in my area. I will post back when I get it put in.

[72chevelleOhio]

Originally Posted by xjcamaro89

So i didnt have any SS hardware so i used some regularbolts nuts and lock washers and everything went back together fine.

D'oh.
I had a Jegs brand exhaust on my '02. If its the same as the Summit brand (I bet it is, or at least similar) you get about a year out of it, then it rots off. I wish I would have seen this thread sooner, I think you guys wasted your money. Sorry.
I didn't gain any mileage and little to no performance gain. I seemed only to have gained mileage with a throttle body insert. But I did do a bunch of stuff in a short period of time.
I have a stainless steel exhaust for a diesel on mine now. It has a short jumper pipe off the cat to connect it to the diesel pipe. We'll see how long it lasts.....I had several exhaust set ups on mine. The cheap stuff rusts out quick, that I DO know.

[xjcamaro89]

If all the cheap stuff rots off quickly i would think companies like jegs and summit would change it cause i know there are people out there that would complain till the were blue in the face, ive had several cat back setups and never seen one rot off within a year. This metal is the same as some of the more expensive metal, and if all the setups that were not stainless rotted out than i think alot of exhaust companies would be out of buisness. Not calling you a liar but i find it hard to beleive that all the cheap exhausts just rust off. I think i would have seen a few more posts in here about cat back systems rusting away.

[j cAT]

Originally Posted by xjcamaro89

If all the cheap stuff rots off quickly i would think companies like jegs and summit would change it cause i know there are people out there that would complain till the were blue in the face, ive had several cat back setups and never seen one rot off within a year. This metal is the same as some of the more expensive metal, and if all the setups that were not stainless rotted out than i think alot of exhaust companies would be out of buisness. Not calling you a liar but i find it hard to beleive that all the cheap exhausts just rust off. I think i would have seen a few more posts in here about cat back systems rusting away.

you have to be careful when buying steel exhaust systems....the metal used can be of soft low quality and in 2years the metal will fail.... I have been there too many times.... cheap or expensive if the parts have no warrantee this is for a reason.....

[xjcamaro89]

The kit i have has a one year warranty. And if the metal is soft and going to rust quick, i just put it on so im going to wipe off all the exhaust and spray it with silver engine enamel to protect it, cause the exhaust barely gets warm past the Y pipe so i think some high heat engine enamel will hold up to the heat, or lack there of.

The metal is aluminized (thats what it says on Summit) and ive used some cheap exhaust extensions and peices from Advanced auto and havent had anything rust away.

[72chevelleOhio]

Originally Posted by xjcamaro89

Not calling you a liar but i find it hard to beleive that all the cheap exhausts just rust off.

Maybe its Ohio's excessive salt usage.. But I know I put a lot of cheap exhaust on my truck due to rusting out....Please post an update when it does rust out...

[silveradofirerescu]

I live in Michigan and have always used the cheap stuff. The only time I have had a problem is when I took it somewhere and had a "mechanic" fix the exhaust. I ended up replacing his stuff with more cheap stuff and no problems. To me it is worth the risk to go cheap and the if it does rust off in a year replace it, but I have had some pretty good luck with summit brand exhaust.

[xjcamaro89]

I'll keep and eye on it and in the mean time im going to paint it just for good measure.

[j cAT]

Originally Posted by xjcamaro89

I'll keep and eye on it and in the mean time im going to paint it just for good measure.

one time i had an exhaust that looked good it had a very niece stainless finish ......not stainless though.... and in less than 2yrs the pipes had holes small holes but no rust... I got a pair of channel locks and it collapsed that tail pipe like apiece of plastic......so the exhaust gases are the corrosive factor inside the pipe......not just the road salts..if your not gonna keep vehicle or take long trips use the rusting exhaust but only pay the cheapest price as they will all rust out....in a short time 2years maxxx....

[kahjdh]

I had a cheap summit cat-back that I bought b/c their tallmadge store is right down the street. $130 and after a year and a half there was some surface rust on the clamps but it held up in ne ohio. This was on my jeep though.

I think it depends on how the car/truck is designed. My first car was a tempo, had it 3 years and went through 2 exhaust systems whereas my truck has the factory stainless and it still looks new.

[silveradofirerescu]

Well 1.5 hours later I have a new exhaust system. The only really difficult part was I had to trim about 8 inches out of the center piece and I couldnt find any Saw-z-All blades... so the hacksaw it was. Sounds good, little performance gain, but I expect more when I put my K&N on next week. Next up will be a Tune... now nelson or wheatly?!? Different thread for a different day...

[xjcamaro89]

what kit did you end up going with?