Newly Installed KKM....Questions

[jeems]

so that includes the converter too?
or just the muffler and tailpipe. i've told you guys before that I'm dumb hehe.

 

[X24]

no cat

 

[jeems]

cool. sorry i'm such a retard. hehe

 

[bucky1]

I printed an old post from Tbonz on dual exhaust for the 5.0 and took the printout to the exhaust shop. I have a dual in/ single out muffler and single tail pipe from the factory. The muffler shop will put in a dual in/dual out Flowmaster and run dual tailpipes all the way out. They estimated it will be $170 plus the cost of stainless steel tips. When I look under the truck, I have two little mufflers attached directly to short pipes off the exhaust manifolds. I'm assuming these aren't mufflers, but are dual cats. I'm going by Tbonz's old post since he had a 99 also. Since the dual cats are already there, it is pretty simple to convert to true dual exhaust. If these aren't the cats, I'd like to hear from someone. Otherwise, I'll go with what the muffler shop is telling me.

 

[JoeC5]

Originally posted by jeems
Me and my dad just put on my KKM filter today and of course he didn't want to do exactly as it said so instead of drilling a hole and using the brackets, we used some of those plastic ties and tied the thing down. Luckily it's working just fine.
1. Well, you guys were saying that it gives a lot better sound. Do you guys hear when you just turn on the engine or what? I have to get going PRETTY fast to hear mine.
2. Can I break this thing in? Once I drive with it for a while will it sound even better?
3. Also, I haven't noticed that much of a drving change either. Will I notice it over time?
4. Was I supposed to plug both of my hoses that were in my factory air box?

Are you selling your stock air box?? I would be interested in buying it. let me know. later

 

[X24]

bucky, yes those are the cats and it is relatively simple to convert. the hardest part is bending the drivers side pipe. tbone said he paid like $520 or something. im getting quotes for around $400, so im just amazed that you can do it for $170. the muffler alone costs about $120. i would check with the shop and make sure that the muffler is included in that price and that they are not going to use the same stock tailpipe (it has a resinator in it.. at least my 98 does). let me know what you find out.

 

[bucky1]

I just got a quick verbal quote from the muffler shop while they worked on my other car. I thought the Flowmaster went for about $60 or $70. I will definitely bring the truck to them and get it on the lift for a solid estimate before we do anything. Did you get alumized pipes and stainless tips for $400. Also, how much of a difference in sound level? I know it is in the eye of the beholder, but my wife drives the Ex most of the time, so it can't be too obnoxious.

 

[X24]

aluminized pipe and chrome tips. the noise shouldnt be that bad, but then again you might want to check with someone with a V8. i have the V6 SOHC. its probably not that different, but im not sure.

 

[Big Turkey]

I heard that it's not good to dual out a V6 cause of the backpressure isn't enough so you'll lose lots of low end torque. As with the V8, the exhaust is super restrictive so you have to dual it out so you can pump all that air comin' in.

I went to a local meineke with some dudes runnin' it (they were like 21, all of them) and they were pretty cool. They gave me an estimate of like $525 for a 3" before the cat including y-pipe and a new converter (stock), then it hits the muffler and then a 2.5" tailpipe to provide the back pressure for torque. I passed on that, and just went ahead with the tail pipe. But then we put it on the lift, and he took a look at it and said that after the y-pipe meets, he can cut it there, run a 3" pipe to the muffler with a 3" hi-flow cat, then a 2.5" tailpipe for $400. I just got the tailpipe done (wow he did a magnificent job at welding it to the muffler.. it's basically flawless). Now I'm thinking about going back for the hi-flow cat and the 3" piping before the cat. Anyone done this to a V6 OHV before? Also, is the y-pipe worth changing out? I want performance, sound I could car less about.. I'm probably going to dump it at the end to sound deeper. He said that the 3" hi-flow cat is $275, and I could have sworn I've seen them for cheaper, around $150. Anyone know where I can get some? Thanks alot

 

[expo5.0]

i don't think that much less restriction is necessary or would actually help. we'll see what alec and others say. but that doesn't seem at all necessary with your engine. i would bet you would lose so much torque you would want to switch back.

 

[RTStork]

Originally posted by diablo5969
I guess this is just me, but I actually lost mileage with my KKM. My engine has had absolutely no mods except for the KKM, and before it I could get 250 miles with a tank, and now I'm down to like 230.

Is the lower mpg because you are hitting the gas a little harder now that you have extra power? If not, then the lower mpg could be from the KKM sucking in hot air coming from the engine and fan. Try building some sort of shield out of plexiglass or something. I've used this method on a Mustang that had an open filter setup and I got 2 mpg from shielding out the hot air. Worth a try, its cheap.

 

[diablo5969]

Originally posted by RTStork


Is the lower mpg because you are hitting the gas a little harder now that you have extra power? If not, then the lower mpg could be from the KKM sucking in hot air coming from the engine and fan. Try building some sort of shield out of plexiglass or something. I've used this method on a Mustang that had an open filter setup and I got 2 mpg from shielding out the hot air. Worth a try, its cheap.

Cool. I'll give that a try. How do you do it, like just go to a hardware store and buy plexiglass then mess around with it? Isn't plexiglass too hard for that? Or do you just use a flat piece of it? Explanation please.

Also, I have a question. There was a little box with a hose attatched to the stock airbox, and the hose went to the front of the car right behind the right headlight. Was that a cold air intake of somesort, or just a hose with a box?

 

[RTStork]

I used a flexible piece of plastic and kind of curved it around the filter, I wasn't thinking when i typed that I used plexiglass, but I'm sure you could use a piece for the side and a piece for the top. Basically anything to shield off the hot air and make the filter pull the cooler air from behind the headlight. That hose that was on your airbox is basically the same idea. The factory had a good idea its just that the airbox is so restrictive.

 

[diablo5969]

Cool. I think I can handle that. Thanks.

There's no practical way to utilise the factory cold air intake with a KKM filter is there? That'd just be too easy...

 

[bucky1]

You aren't using the little cold air tube anymore when you pull out the airbox, but the same cold air is hitting your KKM. Also, remove the plastic shield that is in front of the airbox. It only has one bolt and comes right out. It will let a little more cold air in. I thought about trying to build a box around the KKM, but I'm not sure the air under the hood is really that hot where the airbox is, especially once you are moving.

I am keeping my stock airbox in case emission control inspections come to my county, sorry!:mattmoon: for the emissions maniacs!

 

[jeems]

I pull up to my girlfriend's house today and cut off the engine and it jumps. I said what......? I had a problem with my engine trying to run after I cut it off. Well, I open the hood to check it out and my KKM is smoking!!! What is the deal?

 

[TimReno]

HaHa

Probably your plastic ties holding it in. Should have used the metal brackets included to hold it in.

 

[diablo5969]

I might try to get cold air through the fender or something. I don't know. I'm just throwing ideas into the air. And probably very dumb ones, so I don't need everyone to come back and tell me that.

 

[X24]

I am very happy with my KKM but i have one problem. I don't think that the bracket that came with it was a very good design. It holds it in there pretty good but after a month or so I have noticed that it is slowly starting to sag. That is causing the wires for the MAS to touch the hoses and stuff. Does anyone have any ideas on how to keep it up (sorry, couldnt think of any other way to word it). Thanks.

 

[jeems]

It's the whole thing with my engine trying to run backwards that made it smoke I found out. I had my computer fixed for a while (that's whats makin it do that). it just now started acting up again.