3" Straight Pipes Installed

pciley · 08-17-2004, 11:22 PM

Replaced the resonators with 3" straight pipes to match the Banks 3" y-pipe.
The pipes have been installed on the truck for about 2 weeks now, put 500 miles on them with no problems, no SES light, no leaks, etc.

I had to get the new flanges and gaskets with the oversized 3.125" openings directly from Banks (Gale Banks Engineering) and bring them to the muffler shop to get the pipes made.

I had made an appointment to bring in the resonators and get them measured and the new pipes made while I waited. Took about 45 minutes to cut the pipes, do the welds, drill holes for the bungs and weld bungs in, etc.

Removal of resonators and installation of the straight pipes took about 20-25 minutes, laying on my back (don't have access to a lift), and using just a 14mm socket+ratchet + crescent wrench (for the O2 sensors).

Cost for new pipes + labor was $40 total, Cost of flanges and gaskets from Banks was $50 for the set of 4 each.

Total cost was $90.

The Review: After a couple of weeks and a couple of hundred miles, AND a trip to the track with 8 runs, the pipes perform GREAT! Shaved .15 seconds off of my 1/8 mile which means its good for 2-3 tenths off the 1/4 time. I'm hoping for 14.9s at Fontana in September (Can't go Saturday, deep-sea fishin!!! yeah).

As is to be expected, the exhaust note is alot louder. Its like the truck dropped the other testicle and they are both being used now. The drone in the cabin that came with the Banks is just a bit more pronounced, even when you get on it, the drone is not very much more noticable. From outside the truck as it screams by, the exhaust note sounds more "hot-roddish" without the resonators holding the flow back.

I expected to lose some low end but to my surprise, the gains were throughout the power band. Before with the OEM resonators, I had a flat spot in the upper 3k range where acceleration kind of hesitated. THIS IS GONE!!! Now when you get to the slingshot in the curve, around 4000-4400 rpm, your head is forced back in the seat.

Wow, I'm so impressed I wish I could dino a set that was Mandrel Bent.

Also, a nice bonus, when your feet are planted on the floor (passenger) and you really get on it, the truck gives you a foot massage.

The normal grumble when the truck initially starts before it returns to idle is MUCH more agressive and loud.

No backfiring, detonating sounds, or anything like that. ALL good news. That's part of the reason I wanted to wait to post the info (and the other was finishing the roll of film...

).

By the pictures you can see the bottleneck in the factory resonators. it is down to 1.5" diamater in the tighter spots leading to the resonator canisters.
This is now 3" flow through, except at the formed bends. I was VERY disappointed that I could not find a shop to Mandrel Bend the pipes for me, but the loss there is negligible.

Now I really can't wait to do the same thing with the Cats. I will wait for a better set of headers and remove the exhaust manifold/cat assemblies which are one piece and have the new headers welded to straight pipes down to these pipes. Everything will be bolt on as these are, so when a smog is needed, ... not a prob.

Hope I didn't forget anything.

pciley · 08-17-2004, 11:23 PM

Heres another pic of the bottle neck on the stockers, not to mention the canister slowing the flow

Potroast · 08-17-2004, 11:27 PM

looks good. The bends don't look that restrictive. For future reference, basically every diesel shop can do mandel bends.

Nice to know you didn't lose any low-end. I bet you'll lose some low-end when you ditch the cats, tho.

What muffler(s) are you running? Are they mandrel bent?

pciley · 08-17-2004, 11:31 PM

Thanks!
The muffler is just part of the Banks Monster Exhaust system, Banks makes everything in the kit, and all the bends are BEAUTIFUL mandrel bends.. I was hoping for the same, spent alot of time going to almost half a dozen muffler shops and nobody wanted to mandrel bend them. I found I could send the sections of pipe away to get it done, but I would have to know the angles, etc for the bends and it was going to cost $$$. This project turned out pretty cheap IMO.

I am not looking forward to any loss in low end when the cats finally get unbolted. Hopefully, by the time a better set of headers comes out (cuz I'm not getting the JBAs) there will be a supercharger available and the extra flow can be used to an advantage without the cats.

Potroast · 08-17-2004, 11:38 PM

yes the s/c will likely more than make up for the cats. On my tacoma, it had better low-end without the cats (although they're back on just to stay legal).

pciley · 08-17-2004, 11:41 PM

Its a shame the headers are such a @itch to take off and on, otherwise I would just use the replacements w/pipes at the track and off-road. No way I'm sittin in the garage every Sunday night for 4 hours bolting smog stuff back on for the week. I guess I'm lucky to have a company car for commuting that way things can be in pieces in the garage if I am feeling lazy

Potroast · 08-17-2004, 11:44 PM

headers are never easy. I don't know anything about the Titan headers, but you have to cut the stock headers on the tacoma to get em out. Getting new headers in is just a pita. But that's what flanges are for! Get the headers on, flange em, and never touch em again -- you can swap cats and straight pipes very easily.

juma · 08-18-2004, 03:11 AM

what you've done is add in the collector portion of a set of headers so no wonder you are seeing some gains. you are giving the hot gas a place to go when before it was stifled to a significant degree. good job! someone should be making these before long. juma

JetTech · 08-18-2004, 03:43 AM

pciley, you have read my mind as to my next exhaust project. I was going to go with 2.5" tubing to match the 2.5" Gibson Y-Pipe I have installed. Glad it all worked ok for you and thanks for the update!!

SoCalBluetooth · 08-18-2004, 04:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pciley

(Can't go Saturday, deep-sea fishin!!! yeah).

Hey pciley,
I'm going out on a overnighter on Sat as well. Taking the Outer Limits out of Seaforth Landing. I've heard the grade of Albies and Yellowtail is excellent this year. Good luck & tight lines!

Slurppie · 08-18-2004, 05:54 AM

I actually thought about replacing the resonators on my drive home last night. More so taking the Dremel to one of them to see how restricive they really are.

the head · 08-18-2004, 06:30 AM

Evil minds think alike. Are there any aftermarket resonators that would fit in the same space? I think the Banks by itself is loud enough for me - I don't particularly want it getting any louder.

You should be hitting 14s with no problems.

Slurppie · 08-18-2004, 06:54 AM

Magnaflow has some small resonators that would probably work. Take a look at these, somewhat longer than the OEM resonator but should still fit http://shop.ivalueinternet.com/bigex...ct_id/1321.htm

Potroast · 08-18-2004, 08:00 AM

you could also try autozone for some glasspacks...

pciley · 08-18-2004, 03:20 PM

Thanks for the props all, thought I would be getting an even mixture of praise and flames. Nobody has chimed in to say "Should have kept it stock stupid!" or anything like that

Quote:

Originally Posted by JetTech

pciley, you have read my mind as to my next exhaust project. I was going to go with 2.5" tubing to match the 2.5" Gibson Y-Pipe I have installed. Glad it all worked ok for you and thanks for the update!!

Jet, the Gibson kit was my inspiration. It was a TRUE cat-back, the Banks is just a "Resonator back".. falsely advertised. The Gibson (as far as the pics that were posted on this forum of the kit out of the box) came with replacements for the resonators, looked like pipes with elongated bulges in them. I thought the diamater of those were only 2" though... so upgrading to 2.5 (and removing the resonator off the kit) should increase the performance. Good luck!

Quote:

Originally Posted by the head

I think the Banks by itself is loud enough for me - I don't particularly want it getting any louder.

Yeah, its louder.. this might not be for you then. Maybe you could replace the Banks muffler with something a bit quieter, that's the source of most of the rumble.

Also JET, I was thinking of 2" or 2.5" to match the OEM pipes after the cats, but kind of wanted to leave growing room for the future mods... forced induction would be able to make good use of the increased flow. You might see even greater low end improvements with a 2.5", come to think of it.

If any one gets a set of these made with mandrel bends, let me know where you got them and maybe mark me down for a pair if the price is reasonable.