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Topic: 5.0 Exhaust questions (Read 3979 times) previous topic - next topic

5.0 Exhaust questions

so my exhaust still has the stock setup 2 to 1 to 2. exhaust was rusted pretty bad on the bend after the 3rd cat but still said ok on emissions on scanner. well now the exhaust has broken clean off between the cat and y pipe.

Just wondering on suggestions on what I should do. I'm more about gas mileage then anything since I drive to college 50 miles a day round trip. was just going to the replacement rear pipes, lers and y pipe but apparently the y pipe cant be ordered anymore. I want to keep price and work fairly minimal but I do have access to a lift and welder to do what I need to do. Just wanting some suggestions or links to what I can/should do.

5.0 Exhaust questions

Reply #1 –
if u were local to me id sell u my y pipe....

but in all honesty just get a set of headers and run full mustang exhaust. if ur on a budget find a set of stock mustang header looking things on craigslist.. and a stock mustang h pipe.

now if u have some money to burn.. buy ford racing or bbk unequal length headers. matching H or X pipe and then lers with flow tubes and tail pipes. every thing built for a mustang will fit ur car but ur gonna have to add some pipe urself due to our cars being longer.

the full mustang exhaust will most likely be 2 1/2 inch pipe so it will breath a little better and also have a nice sound.

u can order new H and X pipes with or without cats.

I see ur user name is 88 sport im assuming floor shift aod... if so on the driver side ur gonna run into a small clearance issue with the pipe and shifter linkage, can be fixed two ways.... simple way is to lightly indent the pipe with a hammer (don't smash the shiznit out of it) or harder way is to get a mustang aod shifter linkage setup.

id personally go with all new stuff with the headers it makes a nice improvement in power also plus it will last and its easy to replace down the road...

I have bbk equal length (pain in the ass) headers on my car with a pipes off road (no cats) x pipe 40 series flowmasters and lx mustang tailpipes sounds amazing

5.0 Exhaust questions

Reply #2 –
what is the reasoning for unequal headers?

I really dont wanna have to replace the whole exhaust but if i can talk my brother into it I will. how much u think it runs if i buy the whole set new? any links to good buys?

5.0 Exhaust questions

Reply #3 –
The equal length headers look like this:

http://www.latemodelrestoration.com/item/BBK-1512/BBK-86-93-Ford-Mustang-Equal-Length-Headers-Chrome

BBK unequal length headers look like this:

http://www.latemodelrestoration.com/item/BBK-1515/79-93-Mustang-BBK-50L-Chrome-Shorty-Headers

The issue with the equal length is that they are a bit more massive and can cause issues with hitting nearly everything on the driver side of the car.  The unequal length headers are less massive and are much easier to install.  There is about zero gain going from one to the other as the additional primary length on the equal length shorties is not enough to benefit from like full length headers.

I can speak from experience wihen my '83 Bird had a stock 5.0 CFI motor a buddy of mine (his family owned an exhaust shop) and I put a dual 2-1/4" system with no H or X pipe on the car it was like night and day.  The car performed much better and it actually picked up in fuel mileage on the highway.  It most likely would have in town as well but I had my foot in it way too much to ever find out.

Do you have to pass both a visual and sniffer test where you live?  Once we know this information I am sure myself and the guys here can suggest an array of exhaust systems of which one or more might just fit your budget.

Darren

83 351W TKO'd T-Bird on the bottle


93 331 Mustang Coupe - 368 rwhp

5.0 Exhaust questions

Reply #4 –
no visual or sniffer test here.

what is the difference with or without an h or x pipe? which is ur suggestion

Also if i did get unequal length headers do u keep resonators or no?

5.0 Exhaust questions

Reply #5 –
Alternatively, you can use stock Mark VII exhaust from head to bumper. All 2", all will fit perfectly with little modification (relocate and extend O2 sensors, possibly have to swap crossmember). Use flowmasters or misc turbo lers for the big sound.

5.0 Exhaust questions

Reply #6 –
what years will fit? can i just buy a full exhaust for one of them and it fit?

its funny I can get the pre cats and cat from jegs but dont see the y pipe and cant get y pipe from local shops, its discontinued.

maybe i'm just bad at finding stuff. don't mind making it duals as long as it doesnt take alot of work cause would have to be able to do it in an afternoon basically

5.0 Exhaust questions

Reply #7 –
With a stock motor there is no real performance gain from an X to an H pipe. The general thought is that the H will allow the exhaust gas pressure determine which tail pipe to go down which will increase the efficiency of the exhaust. The theory behind the X pipe is exhaust gas pulsation helping to pull the exhaust away from the cylinder heads. This is typically more effective in higher RPM motors than a Fox stock style V8.

The X pipe will change the tone of the exhaust to a higher pitch than the H pipe or another way to describe it is more raspy. I have X pipes on both my cars but the compression, ported heads and intake manifolds, and higher rpm shifts take advantage of them.

If you are simply looking for a stock style replacement exhaust then the Mark VII exhaust is the ticket. If you can get the complete setup you should be able to remove your old system and install the Mark system in a strong weekend with a buddy if you have not done this before. The gains will still be significant over the stock V8 Bird exhaust.

Darren

83 351W TKO'd T-Bird on the bottle


93 331 Mustang Coupe - 368 rwhp

5.0 Exhaust questions

Reply #8 –
You could do it in an afternoon with a hoist and air tools, but in a driveway on ramps, buckle up and pace yourself on the beer, because you'll be there a while.  Swapping the headers and gaskets will take you about an hour to an hour and a half per side (bonus: you don't have to care about breaking the studs), make sure to be careful with the bolts that attach them to the heads, installing the Mark VII H-Pipe will require a slight adjustment to the mounting position of the shift linkage pivot, and assuming you can get the car high enough, you can have the H swapped in 2 to 3 hours once the cross-member is swapped (if you have to swap it).  Protip: buy some 5/8" high temp silicone hose and some worm gear clamps to adapt the AIR injection tube to the injection port on the H-pipe. New Mark VII mid-pipes will go on quick, lers also, and then tails which depending how high you can get the car can go as quickly as 15 minutes each, or as long as an hour each.  Be sure to help yourself out and disconnect the shocks from the axle before you raise and support the back of the car, having that little extra space between the axle and the body will make all the difference.  The Mark tails should attach directly to your stock mounts, however, universal performance lers will not.  You'll want to adjust the shape of the right ler's leading roll crimp so that when the suspension hangs, the ler doesn't hit the driveshaft.  your stock right side ler is smaller to avoid this, but now they'll be the same.  Don't tighten any clamps or s anywhere in the system until everything is installed and the vehicle is raised again BY THE WHEELS so that the body's position relative to the suspension is the same as it will be when sitting on the ground.  Now you'll get your H-Pipe up into correct position "High and Tight", the pin mounts in the cross-member should have virtually assured that it's already pretty close to where it needs to be.  Next move down to the mid-pipes. Adjust their position by turning them (because they're still loose, remember?) until the ler is level and as close to the body as possible, you don't want it to se when the suspension bounds.  Get your tails in proper place (they should be close because they're secured to the mounts at the bumper).  Tighten all s, flares and clamps, from front to rear, make sure the air injection is connected to the h-pipe with the hose, and that the oxygen sensors (now located in the h-pipe) are connected.  You'll want either the stock Mark VII units, or any other 5.0L HO units, as they have longer wires to help them reach.

Light it.

Climb underneath and listen for leaks at flares and clamps.  Your lers may seem to be leaking from a small hole in the front or rear end plate, but that's ok, it's meant to let condensation out of the ler.  If you have no leaks, let the car down and roll it like a boss.

5.0 Exhaust questions

Reply #9 –
The holy of all holy write-ups right there! Follow this to the letter and get a buddy to help.

Darren

83 351W TKO'd T-Bird on the bottle


93 331 Mustang Coupe - 368 rwhp

5.0 Exhaust questions

Reply #10 –
I just did duals on my 5.0 from the front back.  I used a mustang H pipe with cats, and had a ler shop do the work for me.  Duals all the way back.  H pipe came from craigs list.  The total cost for everything was $325 out the door.  They reworked the front of the H pipe to fit the factory manifolds then bent and made the rest of the pipes right there in the shop to fit just right.    Might be worth your time to check it out first before you decide to lay on your back and do it that way.  ler shop had it done and out the door in about 3 hours.    Even with a buddy and cooler of beer, I don't think you could accomplish it in that time frame.  Besides that, by the time you get to the bottom of the cooler you and your buddy may not care too much about finishing the job in one day.

Go Fast the first time.  The tickets the same.
86 Thunderbird 5.0.  All original good weather driver. Tbird Reg #53035
86 Thunderbird TC.  All original good weather driver.  Tbird Reg # 58555
87 Thunderbird TC.  All original good weather daily driver.  Tbird Reg # 64647

5.0 Exhaust questions

Reply #11 –
I did have unequals on my car then swapped to equals due to the first set was black rusty and one gasket blew and the new set is chrome..

But I did notice a lil more botton end pull out of the equal lenghts but its nothing to write home about.

If u do go the header road use unequals. Much nicer to install

Also buy a set with one solid exhaust . The indevidual s on my first set sucked and I think thats y I had a gasket failure

5.0 Exhaust questions

Reply #14 –
unfortunately the h pipe he has is for even/stock headers but how much u think i should offer for it? it had oxygen sensors in it already but i think my brother said they was 4 wire and might be different from mine.

also what years of stock mustang headers fit? so i can try to get from a local junk yard

my brother just wants to take the y pipe out and reweld it and replace the lers and rear pipes so might just only do that for now. might pick up the h pipe regardless though