2.3 catback exhaust

[Tbars4]

....well i started showing some water coming from the exhaust last week at startup in the morning....it was coming from underneeth the passenger side where the exhaust pipes connect together...during this week it became an exhaust leak, nothing major but needed to be looked at...i went down to my local muffler shop and had them check it out...they could have replaced the donut for 20 bucks...i expressed my concerns of not only the donut but, it was a stock 2" pipe that between the muffler and cat, it was only 1 1/2" pipe...also the big hook tailpipe behind the tire was a problem for catching things on jobsites and trails and i wanted to keep my noise down if i could...well, i drove out of there with a new 2 1/2" catback exhaust...new pipes, muffler and the tailpiece tucked up high and custom cut...well it is throaty i have to admit and it sounds like a 6 cylinder...the whole thing cost 150.00 labor and materials and about 45 minutes in and out...it feels like it has more power but we'll see...any thoughts or questions are welcomed...:

 

[Tbars4]

well, i just run her on the freeway and she ran a whole lot different....i would say i got more power with less throttle...as i was merging on the freeway i was in forth gear and as i went to change to fifth, i was already doing 65 and i barely had my foot in it...in fifth she was running at about 2600 rpm at 70 mph and it felt like i was coasting...

 

[Tbars4]

well, i put a little over a hundred miles on her today and i must say so far i like it...it seems to have more power from middle to top of each gear and i beleive it's liking the highway better for milage...it seems gas consumption is about the same city and highway seems to be better... but i can't wait to do a long highway run with her...i know it has more power running up hills now...as for the noise, it is not as bad as when i first put it on, or i am just getting used to it but again, it is a quiet muffler...

 

[Tbars4]

...It's been a while since I originally posted this but, Saturday I ran down to Oceanside in the a.m....A little foggy out and probably a chilly 55*, brrr...Started the Ranger up and it had a rattle like the cat's heat shield busted a weld...

...I got down the 5 and on to the 78 where there is the slightest of an incline and my muffler blew......Uncorked for all the world to hear but the worst part was the loud rattling of what sounded like rocks in a can...

...I took it to the muffler shop who did the work and they warrantied the muffler and charged me 35 bucks for the labor...Thats pretty fair on both parts and they didn't even sweat it...now, to break it back in...

...I almost forgot...The muffler shop owner is a fan of his Ford Ranger Sport, about a 2000 model, 4.0, and he has a duramax single in, dual out that comes out old school...Straight out the back on both sides...He said it was a great improvement to his truck, but he likes the sound of my 2.3's exhaust better...

 

[Stic-o]

I had a gibson cat back on my old '96 S-cab Ranger 2.3. Big differance! Only problem I had was I launched it and it all fell apart Called Gibson and they said come on down and we'll weld it on for free.

 

[Tbars4]

...Saturday mine split wide open like a U...I looked at it today and it looked like a fist punched from the inside out...They did ask if I had a misfire before they took it off and I told them no...When they took it off I understood their questioning..

 

[RangerX]

Ted, glad to hear they warrantied it. What were you doing in Oceanside? :

 

[Tbars4]

...Harley had a play date (and there was paparazi), and I was looking for an asada burrito...:biggthump

 

[Voluble]

Do you know what make/model muffler you got?

 

[Tbars4]

...Sorry, I thought I had included that originally but off the top of my head I can't remember..

...I do know it was a flow thru muffler as that is what I put on all my trucks...