What exhaust system are you running on your F/2F?

[Great Scott]

The exhaust on my 2F is totally shot so I'm looking for ideas.
I want the best compromise between power, fuel economy and quietness.

Also, is it worth bothering with a catalytic converter?
I don't have one at the moment because this is Australia

If I add a resonator as well as a muffler will it be much quieter or will it just inhibit performance?

Stainless or mild steel?

2.5 or 3?

Weld it myself or get it done professionally?

 

[FishTacos]

cats are expensive but if you want it to be quiet they help.

On my '74 F I just put the saw to it about even with the firewall (just aft of where the pipe goes horizontal) and bought a $20(us) glass-pack thrush muffler, 2 sections of straight 2 1/4", 2 45 degree bend pieces to get above the axle, and a 90 degree to exit just forward of the rear Left shackle. Almost typed 'drivers side' there. 3 rubber isolated hangers and 3 clamps and a bit of welding and it is done. Cost less than $60 but I have a buddy that manages his family's parts store so he sells me stuff at their cost.

Most people don't like the glass-packs because they are louder but I
don't mind it. Not real loud anyway. I think stock was 2 1/4 OD into the muffler and 2" out.

I didn't drive it with a stock setup so I can't speak to performance but years ago my brother had a bone stock '71. This doesn't seem any better/worse. The Toyota L6's spirit animal is the tortoise; not the hare. Wins every time . HTH.

 

[Weber Sarge]

I just went the simple route with Mark's tri-y header and 2.5" pipe . Just used a simple DynoMax 2.5"x10" shortie glass pack that's just hollow - not really loud as expected , just a nice growl when it gets on the torque band .

In the pics you can see the "muffler" , v-band joint and stainless flex connector about a foot behind the header flange joint . Works pretty well allowing the system to move without hurting the joint seal . As stated - the sound is pretty unique for a straight six - no drone at highway cruise speed but a definite growl if you step into the throttle in 3rd and 4th torque loading the engine .









Sarge

 

[LAMBCRUSHER]

I went with 3FE exhaust manies on my later 2F. sure I lost the heat riser, and I had twice as much work running the pipes, and sure, it isn't exactly "quiet", but boy does it sound good and it can breath like a hurricane...

 

[Tigerstripe40]

I'm running a Man-A-Fre cheapie header with a magna flow muffler.
I might have to redo the exhaust when I do the spring over because of the tail pipe exit, but I am not sure.

Initially it was pretty quiet -too quiet, IMHO, but after a while it got louder and I think it sounds very nice.

Right after I got the truck, because I Was a bit of a greenie then, I put a catalytic convertor on the truck in order to somewhat offset the bad gas mileage with better tailpipe emissions. Where I live, though, it failed the emissions test because it wasn't OE equipment (they failed to spot the missing air injection rail, missing spaghetti under the hood, etc). It failed because of the sticker that said Non-catalyst...

 

[DSRTRDR]

whatever you do, don't get a Flowmaster "muffler" noisy as hell

I have the el-cheapo MAF headers as well - mated to a custom exhaust the tucks up high and some flat style muffler that is quiet (sorry, no idea what brand/name) - the header is leaking by now, so everything is louder again

when I have to do it over again, I'll get the ceramic coated headers (like I had before these cheap ones, but they cracked) - they run cooler, too

 

[Great Scott]

I went to the local exhaust shop the other day and was quoted $1800 for a 2.5" mild steel system with extractors
This seems hugely excessive... maybe I looked like a mining apprentice with too much money to spare... I don't know
I could make one myself much cheaper if I buy the stuff off ebay. The STAINLESS pipes are $90, the mandrel bends and flexible bits $100, Wildcat extractors $400, muffler $200.
Thats $790 which leaves me $1010 to buy a welder and enough spare stainless pipes to practice tig welding on...

So by doing it this way I will have a a free welder and an upgrade to stainless...
er, this is a good idea... right?

 

[YELLA DAWG]

I went with Thrush as well. Stock manifold w/ 2 1/2" front to rear. Not loud, but has a nice low sound.

 

[Chamba]

Are you on gas, petrol or dual fuel? No need for a cat with gas.

I ran 2.5" either a magnaflow or flowmaster (can't recall) using the stock manifold, no cat. Sounds great, breaths well and never pops.

Even for Australia, $1,800 is a bit steep. I had mine done at profix on the parade in Adelaide by a young bloke called Geoffrey. He did a superb job. I bought the muffler in America and brought it back as it was less than half the cost here ($95 here stainless, $290 in Australia). Geoffrey did the install and all the welding, mounts, bends, etc. with aluminised 2.5" pipe for $580. It's held up really well over 7 years, many miles in the Bush and now in America in good wheeling, snow and rocks.

I had to be really involved in the install though as most Aussies don't really understand the need to tuck the exhaust up high and tight away from rocks. I knew I was eventually bringing the rig back to America with me and I did not want to have to redo the exhaust for the kind of 'wheeling we do here. Profix was also the only one who would do a 2.5" exhaust for me: everyone else said it was too big and would not give sufficient back pressure. of course I knew this was rubbish as I'd run 2fs (and Fs) for years with 2.5" exhaust.