Posted 2006-06-02 11:00 AM (#1225) Subject: taking muffler off diesel truck.....
Magnet for Stupid People
Posts: 1578
Location: If I ever get back to Oklahoma.....
I have always heard this will improve fuel mileage? Is this true?I have a 99 Dodge and Im contemplating taking the muffler off and putting on a straight pipe. Nice and LOUD!
Posted 2006-06-02 4:41 PM (#1227 - in reply to #1225) Subject: RE: taking muffler off diesel truck.....
Posts: 1701
Location: New Mexico
I tried to go to that site just to look and it says I'm banned. How can I be banned when I've never been there?!! this my computer and no one else uses it so someone else couldn't have gotten me kicked off. Oh, well. I guess I didn't really want to read about diesels anyway.
Posted 2006-06-02 6:51 PM (#1229 - in reply to #1225) Subject: RE: taking muffler off diesel truck.....
Posts: 63
Location: Central Ky.
The turbo chops up the exhaust pulses,so it might not be as loud as you expect.It should help your mileage some,the biggest advantage will be lower exhaust gas temps.
Posted 2006-06-02 8:07 PM (#1230 - in reply to #1225) Subject: RE: taking muffler off diesel truck.....
Posts: 1701
Location: New Mexico
I just find it odd that I've been banned from a site I've never been to. If they are psychic enough to know I'm a scoundrel, then they should know that I just got a diesel and might have quiestions!!!
Posted 2006-06-04 2:02 AM (#1233 - in reply to #1225) Subject: RE: taking muffler off diesel truck.....
Posts: 175
Location: nashville, In.
It took me to the page to register. It said something about if this was your first visit, blah,blah,blah. Don't know why it won't let you get to the page, and it let me. Unless its because I work at Cummins and build the engines its talking about!! HA HA!! Just kidding...cause it isn't a Cummins web site. Good luck finding an answer. You might try going to the Turbo Diesel Registry site. It is a forum site also. Sorry I don't have the address, maybe you can Goggle it.
Posted 2006-06-05 12:42 AM (#1234 - in reply to #1225) Subject: RE: taking muffler off diesel truck.....
Location: CA
My husband just did something to my muffler on my 97 dodge. It's loud (does the whistle thing) sounds cool and they can hear ya comin'.... Also gave me a little more power. I like it. I think he made it shorter.. I can fine out exactly if you like. I am really happy with it!! :)
Posted 2006-06-05 9:39 AM (#1235 - in reply to #1225) Subject: RE: taking muffler off diesel truck.....
Posts: 2621
Originally written by Terri on 2006-06-02 8:07 PM
I just find it odd that I've been banned from a site I've never been to. If they are psychic enough to know I'm a scoundrel, then they should know that I just got a diesel and might have quiestions!!!
You were given a pointer that assumes your computer has a cookie or something similar already on it. The php part indicates that. USUALLY if you go up a level or two you can get to a welcoming screen and/or a "register" link.
re: removing mufflers;
a) If the truck is over 10,000 GVW, i.e. a "fer real" 1 ton, such alterations are seriously illegal.
b) If you use it for any distance trips you'll almost certainly find the added noise tiring.
c) It is unlikely to add power or reduce fuel consumption significantly, certainly not enough to be worth the down side costs (risk of failing inspection, getting ticketted, tiring noise, etc.)
Posted 2006-06-06 6:51 AM (#1236 - in reply to #1225) Subject: RE: taking muffler off diesel truck.....
Posts: 802
Location: Hagerstown, MD
Reg, what does "seriously illegal" mean for over 10K vehicles? "The added noise thing" is baffling, no pun intended, due to the fact someone already pointed out and that the turbo chops up the exhaust pulses. As for added power and fuel milage, I can honestly tell you that my 1986 6.9 F350 greatly benefited from a straight exhaust on the low end and upper end of the power band. As for fuel milage, I can't say it affected the fuel milage a lot, but stock exhaust gave me less than 18 highway and with the modification, I'm getting a solid 20. My wife's 2001 F350 7.3 is a little different. Much quieter with straight exhaust than the 1986, much lower exhaust temps, significant low end torque improvement and I'm not using 8-10 hp to "push" the exhaust out of the stock muffler system and saved about 100 pounds or more in payload. Just my thoughts on the benefits of changing the exhaust system on late model diesels. Happy trails.
Posted 2006-06-06 9:15 AM (#1237 - in reply to #1225) Subject: RE: taking muffler off diesel truck.....
Posts: 2621
Originally written by deranger on 2006-06-06 6:51 AM
Reg, what does "seriously illegal" mean for over 10K vehicles? "The added noise thing" is baffling, no pun intended, due to the fact someone already pointed out and that the turbo chops up the exhaust pulses. As for added power and fuel milage, I can honestly tell you that my 1986 6.9 F350 greatly benefited from a straight exhaust on the low end and upper end of the power band. As for fuel milage, I can't say it affected the fuel milage a lot, but stock exhaust gave me less than 18 highway and with the modification, I'm getting a solid 20. My wife's 2001 F350 7.3 is a little different. Much quieter with straight exhaust than the 1986, much lower exhaust temps, significant low end torque improvement and I'm not using 8-10 hp to "push" the exhaust out of the stock muffler system and saved about 100 pounds or more in payload. Just my thoughts on the benefits of changing the exhaust system on late model diesels. Happy trails.
re: "Seriously illegal"
OK, a poor choice of words.
Legal/illegal should be binary, though the gray areas and interpretation probably justify the armies of lawyers that we now have (-:
As I understand it there is a federal "hurdle" at 10,000 lbs GVW that defines a truck as a truck. I don't have a reference for this, but I think that under 10K it is just a "pick-up". To put it another way, there is more (federal) BOOK for them to throw at you if you remove or modify the exhaust system on a truck with a GVW over 10K.
Yes, reduced back pressure allows the turbo to spin a bit easier and therefore faster for any given amount of exhaust gas coming into it, thereby increasing the boost pressure quicker. The result is that it will "spool up" quicker and give you better accelleration. The power comes on quicker, although the max power is probably the same. At some point there is a boost pressure limiter.
Indeed, the turbo acts as a baffle to some extent, the muffler quietens it down even more. My truck isn't noisy inside the cab, but I certainly wouldn't want it any louder. I say this after another > 1900 mile 3 day week-end, ANY more noise from the exhaust either directly through the truck or bouncing back off the trailer would be unwelcome.
Posted 2006-06-06 8:03 PM (#1238 - in reply to #1225) Subject: RE: taking muffler off diesel truck.....
Posts: 802
Location: Hagerstown, MD
Gosh Reg, with the title of "expert" and well over 2000 posts to your credit........."a poor choice of words" is not what I would expect from an expert like yourself.
As for the 10k dividing line on truck, non-truck, I disagree. Most D.O.T. dudes that I have talked to in the recent past don't make a big stink about federal stuff until you get into the 26k catagory. Then they find new and exciting ways to make your life miserable.
Posted 2006-06-06 8:52 PM (#1239 - in reply to #1225) Subject: RE: taking muffler off diesel truck.....
Posts: 2621
Originally written by deranger on 2006-06-06 8:03 PM
Gosh Reg, with the title of "expert" and well over 2000 posts to your credit........."a poor choice of words" is not what I would expect from an expert like yourself.
As for the 10k dividing line on truck, non-truck, I disagree. Most D.O.T. dudes that I have talked to in the recent past don't make a big stink about federal stuff until you get into the 26k catagory. Then they find new and exciting ways to make your life miserable.
Just my thoughts on the matter. Happy trails.l
As you know, titles get bestowed upon us purely as a function of how much idle time we spend asking/answering questions here - NOTHING to do with quality, just quantity.
B'sides, that counter wasn't there a month or so ago, but it has come back again.
OK, in the fields in which I actually EARNED expert status I quickly learned that self criticism isn't always a bad thing.
I know its worse at 26K and a whole bunch of other size, length, weight and material hurdles. They may not hit everyone in the 10K to 26K range every time, but there IS more to throw at you - I'll look it up later.
Vermont seems to jump on ANYONE running a duallie and there is a widespread belief up there that driving a duallie requires you to keep a log book, even for "private" use. More than 5 wheels is another definition that isn't thrown around a lot, but it puts you in another class wrt fed regs.
In any case, putting the truck back together again for the annual inspection would be expensive and at least here (in Mass) you would have to put it back.
Posted 2006-06-07 8:54 AM (#1240 - in reply to #1225) Subject: RE: taking muffler off diesel truck.....
Posts: 1701
Location: New Mexico
Aside from all that legal stuff, think of how annoyed your neighbours are gonna get. I absoutely HATE when my neighbours son comes to visit. It always seems that he arrives at 3am (and sits up drinking and blaring the stereo every night while he was there) and you can hear his stereo for miles. He has no consideration for others.
Posted 2006-06-07 12:31 PM (#1241 - in reply to #1225) Subject: RE: taking muffler off diesel truck.....
Posts: 211
Location: Kansas City
New vehicles have very sophisticated computer chips which monitor everything. IE many tuneups are done via a computer rather than a wrench. Since federal and state laws closely regulate emissions, etc. I would think the computer system monitors them and makes adjustments to idle, combustion air, etc. The days of making willy nilly adjustments to powertrains are long gone. Used to any high school greese monkey could soup up a vehicle - now it takes mechanics with more techinal training than mechanical training.
Posted 2006-06-08 6:09 AM (#1242 - in reply to #1225) Subject: RE: taking muffler off diesel truck.....
Posts: 802
Location: Hagerstown, MD
Reg, your response would beg the question of why 18 wheelers run modified exhaust systems, sometimes straight exhaust and "open jake brakes" that would rattle the windows in any trooper's cruiser sitting along the interstate, knowing they will have to reverse the modification before being inspected? I know for a fact they are not pulling their rigs into any backyard garage before they pull into the "local chicken coop" to get inspected and weighed on a daily basis. Please explain why an 18 wheeler licensed for 80,000 pounds can run a modified exhaust and we can't. Happy trails.
Posted 2006-06-08 7:12 AM (#1243 - in reply to #1225) Subject: RE: taking muffler off diesel truck.....
Posts: 2621
Originally written by deranger on 2006-06-08 6:09 AM
Reg, your response would beg the question of why 18 wheelers run modified exhaust systems, sometimes straight exhaust and "open jake brakes" that would rattle the windows in any trooper's cruiser sitting along the interstate, knowing they will have to reverse the modification before being inspected? I know for a fact they are not pulling their rigs into any backyard garage before they pull into the "local chicken coop" to get inspected and weighed on a daily basis. Please explain why an 18 wheeler licensed for 80,000 pounds can run a modified exhaust and we can't. Happy trails.
Dunno
and I really don't care.
They're not my problem, MY truck IS my problem.
With live animals in the trailer I don't even want to have the long and tedious conversation with the nice people at the weigh station, even if I could win it by pointing out what the guys in the big rigs are doing (unlikely).
Mayhap there are "approved" modifications, but that isn't the topic of this thread. I do seem to see a lot more signs prohibiting Jake brake use these days, so maybe its more about usage than equipment. OTOH, maybe they really ARE getting ticketted at weigh/inspection stations ?
Again, I don't know and don't care. If it interests you that much you could go to an appropriate news group and ask it there.
Posted 2006-06-08 2:25 PM (#1244 - in reply to #1225) Subject: RE: taking muffler off diesel truck.....
Posts: 606
Location: Home of Wild Turkey Whiskey
OK, I aint skeered so here we go, First off the truck in question is a 99 Dodge, it doesn't need any modification to the exhaust to outpull all Powerless-strokes and all GM's up till the Duramax. I also believe that the fuel savings would be hardley noticeable vs the noise that would be very noticeable. By the way my comment about the powerstrokes is not unfounded I owned three of them the last being a 2002, traded it in on a Dodge because of a warranty dispute, and had my eyes opened to the real power in the diesel world. Same Trailer, Same Horses, Same Kentucky Hills, much different towing capabilities now with the Dodge. Don't need no chips, no exhaust mods., no modified air intakes. I'm still running the paper air filter, It is one bad truck, or should I say it is one bad Engine. I'll never own anything other than a Dodge as long as they have a Cummins.
Posted 2006-06-08 8:17 PM (#1245 - in reply to #1225) Subject: RE: taking muffler off diesel truck.....
Posts: 216
Location: Northern IN.
Y'all want some insight about "Big Rig" exhaust, well let me tell ya........ The answer is YES we can and do get tickets for no mufflers. It is not something that most coops (weigh stations) will pull ya around back for, BUT, if you should decide that a battle of the wills is necissary at a "roadside conference" they sure can ticket ya for it. The way that the "books" are written you can pass an annual D.O.T. inspection without mufflers as long as what exhaust parts ARE there are in working order and get the exhaust at least to a predetermined point past the sleeper birth area, either in a rearward or upward direction. My brother runs straight pipes on his Kenworth and gets along fine with it (even inspections), I on the other hand have mufflers on my rig and did NOT pass this years D.O.T. inspection untill I had one on my mufflers replaced because it was rusted away from the rest of the exhaust pipe at the bottom. The Jake brake restrictions are, obviously, for us all, straight pipes or mufflers. If a driver is stupid enough to make his (or her) pipes cackle in front of a bear, well... they deserve a ticket!!
Just thought I'd chime in a bit, now back to your regularly scheduled debate.........
P.S. HWBAR, if ya want REAL power, wait till you've got a "kitty cat" under the hood !!!! MEOWWW
Posted 2006-06-09 5:43 AM (#1247 - in reply to #1225) Subject: RE: taking muffler off diesel truck.....
Posts: 2621
Originally written by HWBar on 2006-06-09 4:36 AM
Originally written by Broken Bit on 2006-06-08 8:17 PM
Just thought I'd chime in a bit, now back to your regularly scheduled debate.........
P.S. HWBAR, if ya want REAL power, wait till you've got a "kitty cat" under the hood !!!! MEOWWW
I can't believe that Cat hasn't cut a deal with Ford or GM.
Huh ?
I think Isuzu is a wholly owned subsidiary of GM, so why would GM want to ?
Ford is kinda tied up (or tied down ?) with IH and probably not in a deal cutting condition right now.
Cat probably has enough biz ?
Posted 2006-06-09 6:45 AM (#1248 - in reply to #1225) Subject: RE: taking muffler off diesel truck.....
Posts: 802
Location: Hagerstown, MD
barry, I disagree with your view of modifying newer vehicles with computers. Computers have been in fossil fuel powered vehicles for a LONG time and poeple have been modifying them for a LONG time as well. The factory produces a vehicle that will run relatively well in extremely hot and cold climates as well as very low level terrain and high altitude terrain. All I'm saying is, it's a wonderful thing to make a few modifications to a personal vehicle and have it run better than when it came off the assembly line. Happy trails.
Posted 2006-06-09 6:58 AM (#1249 - in reply to #1225) Subject: RE: taking muffler off diesel truck.....
Posts: 802
Location: Hagerstown, MD
Reg, I take exception to your "liberal" approach to my posts on modifying my truck exhaust. F.Y.I. I am a law abiding citizen, pay my taxes, go to church on Sunday and my wife and I do foster care in our home on a full time basis. I care about my family, my horses and my neighbors, whether they live next to me or taveling down the interstate next to me. I have completely replaced the exhaust sytem on my truck with an aftermarket unit that is significantly better than the factory unit in many ways and did not affect the factory warranty on my power train. You said that legal/illegal should be binary and understand how you came to that conclusion. Happy trails.
taking muffler off diesel truck.....
