y-pipe flange/adapter

[Nedwreck]

I'm playing with a plain round header collector/reducer to bolt to my y-pipe... so I can run a magna-flow CAT or whatever else that attaches to a plain round pipe.

I have a dead catalytic converter that I figure to cut the flange off of, and work the 3in to 2.5in reducer into shape to fit the 3in side to the flange, and weld it up.

the maga-flow CAT is way cheaper than a OEM-style, and I hear good things about them, plus I just like the idea of having a reducer/adapter for plain pipe.

Has anyone else tried this?

 

[mrboyle]

On my old '92 I did something similar. Make sure to mount the new cat back a few inches from where the front one sits now. This will take some of the heat off the radius arm bushing and help it last a lot longer.

 

[ranger7ltr]

I did something similar...

But I used a dual 2.25 to a single 2.5 adapter cut in half to match the flange to run dual pipes to a pair of hi flow convertors in parallel and a dual in/dual out Magnaflow muffler and a pair of tailpipes out the right side rear of the truck...

Personally I like the performance of duals and the increased fuel mileage so far...I drove 229 miles down to the Galveston coast this weekend and got over 25 mpg and got better mileage coming back to Austin...

Are you going to run single or dual exhaust on your truck?

 

[Nedwreck]

I was going to run single exhaust. (it's in my budget. lol)

However, I do look to go 2.5 all the way from the y-pipe to the tail... I had a 2wd 92 Ex that was set up that way and yes, it got great gas mileage!

 

[mr cribb]

What about putting on a new Y connection? Magnaflow makes one, and alot of 2nd gen users have them. It'd alleviate the oval shaped factory one.

 

[Nedwreck]

What about putting on a new Y connection? Magnaflow makes one, and alot of 2nd gen users have them. It'd alleviate the oval shaped factory one.

Now that would be cool too! Google, here I come.

Of course, I'm guessing... that it would work great for a 93-94 (two O2 sensors), but on my '92 (one O2 sensor right by the flange) it might get weird. (?)

 

[mr cribb]

Now that would be cool too! Google, here I come.

Of course, I'm guessing... that it would work great for a 93-94 (two O2 sensors), but on my '92 (one O2 sensor right by the flange) it might get weird. (?)

Yeah I have a 92 as well I know what you speak of. On fleabay, I looked up magnaflow y pipe, about 7 different summit racing links popped up. It's $27 for the y. I bet you buy a $5 o2 bung and drill/ weld and install it'd work like new.

This was my thoughts for mine.
magnaflow y, a new cat and magnaflow chambered muffler.

 

[Maniak]

Many years ago, we had the Cat replaced and that is how they did it.. They just cut the pipe just downstream of the flange (still in the bulge), squished a 3" pipe and welded it into there.

Since then, we have had the Cat moved downstream a bunch to get it away from the transmission (700r4 was too close to it).. Our Cat is now by the transfer case (protected by that skit plate too).

This is the only pic I can find that you can see the flange. This was before we went to extended Radius Arms.

RA bracket reinforcement by maniak_az, on Flickr

You can see how far back our Cat is now. I don't know if you can get away with that where you are, but at least around here, it still passes visual emissions tests and the sniffer tests.

IMG_1937 by maniak_az, on Flickr

~Mark

 

[Backwoods "X"]

I installed a "non fouler" from the local A-zone in my Magnaflow Y pipe when I redid the exhaust on our old 89 Bronco. Same pitch/diameter as the O2 sensor, 18mm. Welded it in right between the 2 inlets running into the main area. NEVER tripped the CEL, plus the passenger side exhaust dumping into it from about a foot away helped to bring the O2 sensor to temp quicker, something to keep in mind about moving a CAT too far back... it needs to get hot quickly to do its' job effectively, hence the reason that the factories mount them so close to the engine.

 

[mr cribb]

Many years ago, we had the Cat replaced and that is how they did it.. They just cut the pipe just downstream of the flange (still in the bulge), squished a 3" pipe and welded it into there.

Since then, we have had the Cat moved downstream a bunch to get it away from the transmission (700r4 was too close to it).. Our Cat is now by the transfer case (protected by that skit plate too).

This is the only pic I can find that you can see the flange. This was before we went to extended Radius Arms.

RA bracket reinforcement by maniak_az, on Flickr

You can see how far back our Cat is now. I don't know if you can get away with that where you are, but at least around here, it still passes visual emissions tests and the sniffer tests.

IMG_1937 by maniak_az, on Flickr

~Mark

LOL "Technically speaking" where I live and where I'm from has no emissions neither visual nor required at all. But listening to all bazillion sound clips on goob-tube I have figured out 4.0's sound better with a cat, that and it's the legal way.

What was fords purpose of the "two cat" setup? There is the y-cat then the main cat.

What (if any) is the advantage to running a true dual setup on the X? I have a 2wd so I don't have a t-case/ driveshaft occupying the real estate.

If the factory setup is "good enough" then I'd replace the y-cat with a MF y-pipe, add a set of flanges, a MF cat, exhaust pipe then a MF chambered muffler.

I prefer the MF sound over FM.

 

[benjammin97624]

The reason that ford used two catalytic converters was to split the emissions in half so the vehicle wont belch out pollution. Something along those lines.

 

[mr cribb]

The reason that ford used two catalytic converters was to split the emissions in half so the vehicle wont belch out pollution. Something along those lines.

Sounds like a marketing thing to me.... since I last posted in this particular subject, the 2nd cat (as I called it) disappeared. I what happened to it . My truck runs a lot better, and has more oomph, I guess that means it was pretty stopped up.

Either way my exhaust got louder for sure, and I like that. I still have the FM on it, but one day I'll put a MF on it to get my sound I'm looking for. The last time I had MF on anything was my 83 ranger (2.8 v6), it had true duals with echo chambers... man that sounded good.

 

[cloaked_chaos]

Can you take a video of how your exhaust sounds now without the second cat? I have a spare set of cats that I was considering gutting and installing on my x.

Also, which flowmaster do you have installed?

 

[mr cribb]

Can you take a video of how your exhaust sounds now without the second cat? I have a spare set of cats that I was considering gutting and installing on my x.

Also, which flowmaster do you have installed?

You will have to give me a few days on that.... I'm at the hospital awaiting the birth of my daughter(my 3rd child, 1st w/ current wife).

I should able to answer everything at that time. I wanna say its a delta series flow, I got it from a blown up jeep for $20.

 

[Nedwreck]

Can you take a video of how your exhaust sounds now without the second cat? I have a spare set of cats that I was considering gutting and installing on my x.

Also, which flowmaster do you have installed?

Gutting your stock CATs (aside from being illegal) will reduce your performance and mileage. After experiencing this on *two* explorers, I opt for keeping a CAT.. especially if I drive them on the road.

Attached is the flange I made to use a plain aftermarket CAT. It connects to strait pipe (2.5") so any commonly available aftermarket CAT should work.

I used a 3" to 2.5" header reducer, dropped it in the old stock CAT flange and formed it with a hammer. Lots of gentle whacking to form it! Then I removed a bit of extra material that stuck up to much, tacked it, then welded it up.

If you do this at home, try to remember that the stock CAT does not feed strait towards the rear. Your new adapter needs to be a bit **** eyed to get the stub pointing in the right direction. So some trial fitting is probably a good idea.

In my case the engine was out of the truck, so I used another Explorer to compare angles with.

Also, the factory y-pipe has a 3" or so oblong pipe sticking out of the rear of the mount where the stock CAT goes. This must be removed to mount a flange like the one I made. You can see it in two of the attached pics with a black rectangle around it... after it was removed. lol

 

[kindred4x]

What about putting on a new Y connection? Magnaflow makes one, and alot of 2nd gen users have them. It'd alleviate the oval shaped factory one.

Where do I find one of these? I have looked on summit and ebay with no luck

 

[Anime]

Walker makes the Y-pipe, part #50206. $77.89 on Rockauto.

http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/x,carcode,1119620,parttype,10038,a,Ad+Code+www.google.com+

Might be able to get one off an Explorer at the salvage yard or from someone parting out for a lot less.

 

[mr cribb]

Where do I find one of these? I have looked on summit and ebay with no luck

you mean this?

http://www.summitracing.com/search/?keyword=y-pipe&dds=1

 

[jd4242]

i just built my own exhaust and did same as nedwreck did.before i go any farther this is a OFF ROAD TRUCK ONLY!!just posting some pics for ideas with using LEGAL cats!!!i cut the flange off the old cats and used two fake 3" cats,the 3" pipe fit in the flange after some hammering.the rest is all custom so i wont go into to much details.but basicially its reduced to 2.5'' into a flowmaster 40,then over the frame to dual 3.5 slant cut tips.