[Shawn MacAnanny]

I read on several forums about it and saw a handful of pictures but wanted to add some of my own. I have an otherwise stock 1993 crew cab, long bed 5 speed 2wd truck. It's not lifted, has 193k miles. When i bought the truck the exhaust was cut off just behind the front door so i had already planned on getting a 4" exhaust and did some reading and saw the pictures of the stock down pipe so i decided to replace that too. The Banks unit comes with a plug in a threaded bung for an EGT probe which is nice.

I would say it was not "bolt directly in". I didnt masage the firewall heat sheild as many mentioned, i opted to cut that area. I used one of those oscilating tools, took about 30 seconds. Then i immediately realized it wasnt a heat sheild but the actual truck floor haha woops. It's ok i painted it and i'll patch it from the inside.

There is a sharp corner where i didnt cut all the way over, i ended up having to bend this tab down after 2 hours of tring to get that v-clamp to line up by myself. It was just enough to keep the clamp from starting a thread. As soon as i bent this i was able to line it up and get the clamp on in 5 mintues. I wrapped the downpipe in some titatnium exhaust wrap from Amazon. I figured it was going to be a tight fit and it should be wrapped to keep the carpet from melting. 25ft roll i only use about 20ft.

I will say that once bolted it is solid. I cant move it at all. It's definitely a nice piece. I know the turbo outlet is the restrictive part but i figure this cant hurt since im already replacing the exhaust. Anyway here is some pictures i took through the process that might be of use to someone like me who was going to take it on.

The pictures were large so i uploaded them to a gallery

7.3L IDI Downpipe install - Album on Imgur

 

[Octer20]

soooo. How does it run?

 

[Shawn MacAnanny]

I haven't started it yet. I have it all apart going through everything on the truck to make sure it's all new and safe before I put it into service. All new brake components, lines, fuel lines, fuel tanks steering box tie rods etc. I'm still waiting for the exhaust kit to get here anyways. I'm installing the rear 38gal tank this weekend and new front tank and all new CuNiFer fuel lines just to be safe.

 

[Octer20]

whoa. That's a project all right.

 

[Shawn MacAnanny]

It's wasn't too bad. All cunifer hard fuel lines and upgraded to 30r14 soft lines new 38 gallon rear tank and 19 gallon front cost me about $400 and a day to replace it all on jack stands. I used an electric pump prime each tank, replaced fuel filter and filled with seafoam. Started right up first try.

 

[Mohlmann]

i have the same Truck and i bought the same downpipe.. my question is where do you the rest of the exhaust system, especially the elbow that joins up the downpipe with the rest of the system. am having a hard time finding them.

any help would be appreciated.

thanks,
rick

 

[Shawn MacAnanny]

I bought this exhaust system for a 1994-97. I cut it just at the down pipe section and it fit just about perfectly (the downpipe is 2.75, the exhaust is 3" at down pipe). All factory hangers fit, it cleared my 38 gallon rear tank and drop hitch, was an OK fit but tail pipes are about an inch off from being even at the rear

Diamond Eye 4" Turbo Back Dual Exhaust w Off Road Pipe Al No Muffler K4309A RP | eBay

I DID NOT use the u clamps except for hangers, i used these style clamps, but should have gotten the stainless ones from Fleetpride. They are the same cost and seal much tigher. I used one at the downpipe to exhaust junction with the 1/4" variance it seals up OK

[ame]http://www.amazon.com/SmartParts-100400-Preformed-Aluminized-Exhaust/dp/B0043DQNZ6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1451050877&sr=8-1&keywords=exhaust+clamp+band+4%22[/ame]

 

[Mohlmann]

thanks !

 

[LMJD]

i have the same Truck and i bought the same downpipe.. my question is where do you the rest of the exhaust system, especially the elbow that joins up the downpipe with the rest of the system. am having a hard time finding them.
any help would be appreciated.
thanks,
rick

3" is readily available. When ATS was R&D'ing their turbo systems with engines in test stands dyno'ed and all, they found that there was no benefit whatsoever by going to an exhaust system bigger than 3". Plus it's easier to install clearance-wise. You just have to bend up a few inches of the seam where the two floor sections are spot welded just to the right of the bell housing. The factory heat shields are left in so the carpet and floorboards are protected from heat.

 

[chuckster57]

Yup!! I called ATS and asked the tech. He said the same thing, after 3" your not gaining any performance. He also said the heat shield on the turbo could go bye bye.

 

[LMJD]

Yessir, Chuck, evidently FoMoCo decided on the heat shield because it was not included in the regular ATS kits. The name of the game in bigger diesels has always been to dissipate turbo/exhaust heat quickly as possible which the shield and wrapping pipes prevents to an extent. In fact I heard more than once when pulling a long steep grade in a semi if you immediately shut the engine down at the summit you stood a chance of cracking the turbo housing instead of idling for a while to dissipate the built up heat.

 

[Maryland dieselnick]

Yes those babies will glow red and definetly need to cool slowly. Most cracking in coatings comes in the cool down. It can be extremely frustrating welding even with Nickle. You preheat, lay the most beautiful bead in the world, walk away and dink! Go back and it cracked on cool down.