As we all know, the Canadian y-pipe used to be a great way to cat-delete an FMJ. Unfortunately, walker hasn't made any in a number of years. I set out to make my own, using off-the shelf stuff, modified as needed. Started with a stock replacement y pipe for a 99ish dakota with the 318. Dakotas use rear dump manifolds, vs our cars with the not-quite-rear driver, and center dump passenger, so I knew some modification would be in order. It surprised me just how little was actually needed. In order to get to the actual y part, the only thing needed in addition to the dakota pipe was a straight piece of 2", maybe 10" long. Anyone with a flux core welder and some enginuity could replicate/improve this with little difficulty
Custom y-pipe diy (new substitute for the NLA canadian pipe?)
- Thread starter Gearhed
- Start date
The dakota pipe is much too tall, and has that woop-dee-doo in it for driveshaft clearance. Start by cutting this out, as shown. Save it, you need it for the other side. Cut the passenger side as shown. That dogleg looking piece you cut will become the offset on the passenger side for the center manifold
The next part I didn't take enough photos of, because I got lost in doing the work. You want to start by getting the flared flange pieces bolted in place, so you can connect the rest to it. Get it all mocked up and tacked together, and confirm that everything fits like it should. On the crossover under the oil pan, you'll need a short straight piece of 2", maybe 10" or so long. As of this point, that's the only piece that wasn't from this pipe to begin with
I ended up needing to do a piecut wedge on the passenger side, but with the exact right planning/cutting, this may have been avoidable.
To get to the tranny-mounted hanger, you'll need the dogleg piece shown (red label, order 2 of these if building the rest of the exhaust, you'll need one further down the vehicle) and a straight 2.5 piece (blue label is a great part # to have have handy, it's like 30" long, vs those dumb 18" ones that parts stores have on the sales floor)
To get to the tranny-mounted hanger, you'll need the dogleg piece shown (red label, order 2 of these if building the rest of the exhaust, you'll need one further down the vehicle) and a straight 2.5 piece (blue label is a great part # to have have handy, it's like 30" long, vs those dumb 18" ones that parts stores have on the sales floor)
I added a v band flange after the hanger, so my exhaust can be easily removed, but that is totally optional. The factory was all one piece. Get it all welded up, and the y pipe is done, and can be installed. From here, it gets much easier
Next, you'll need another straight chunk of 2.5. if using the blue label shown above, it's most of the rest of the piece that was used ahead of the cross member. IIRC I cut like 3" off the remaining piece. Then you'll need the second one of that red label, as mentioned. This is to step around the rear passenger footwell. After this, you could either hook it to factory exhaust (boring) or build something else. I chose to extend it using most of a blue label piece, followed by a thrush welded muffler, a short piece of 2.5 scrap, and a turndown under the axle (where I live exhaust must reach the rear axle to be legal) obviously it needs a hanger added behind the muffler, ran out of daylight
Aspen500
Well-Known Member
Necessity is the mother on invention! Added bonus, V-6 and V-8 Dakota's have 2 1/2" exhaust.
The V-6 and V-8 use the same y-pipe and it doesn't matter if it's a RWD or 4WD. In case someone wants to go shopping at the yard for a used one anyways.
The V-6 and V-8 use the same y-pipe and it doesn't matter if it's a RWD or 4WD. In case someone wants to go shopping at the yard for a used one anyways.
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Yup, same walker number too! 40235 if anyone was wondering. They're about $55 or so. all said and done, I've got like $100 into this exhaust. That's at the discounts I get through work though. For any guy off the street it'd be closer to $150. Still pretty cheap, there's also cheaper mufflers than the thrush welded I'm using. I swear by those mufflers. Got one my Jeep, one on my chrysler. Hell, I even put one on my buddy's subaru, it sounded...interesting...
Aspen500
Well-Known Member
When it comes to mufflers (or exhaust pipes), cheaper isn't really cheaper in the long run. Replace a cheap one every couple years or have really good one last 20 years or more. Yeah, Subaru's with a performance exhaust,,,,,,,,,,,they sound weird. Actually they remind of an old VW bug. Four cylinder boxer engines have a sound all to themselves and not necessarily a good sound, JMO.
Aspen500
Well-Known Member
It's an acquired sound. Kind of like those 2.7L and 3.5L Ecoboost F-150's with a cat back exhaust, not a good sounding exhaust note at all.
BTW, nice work on the exhaust!
BTW, nice work on the exhaust!
Thanks!
A salesman for one of my commercial accounts (ford dealer) got one of the brand new rangers with that turbo 4 cyl engine. After about a week of driving it, he got bored with it and came to me looking for a muffler he could clamp in there to make it louder. I talked him into a thrush welded for that too. Such an open design for such a small engine. Sounded good though, well, as good as a 4cyl can lol
A salesman for one of my commercial accounts (ford dealer) got one of the brand new rangers with that turbo 4 cyl engine. After about a week of driving it, he got bored with it and came to me looking for a muffler he could clamp in there to make it louder. I talked him into a thrush welded for that too. Such an open design for such a small engine. Sounded good though, well, as good as a 4cyl can lol
I'm surprised at just how quiet my chrysler is with just the thrush welded on it. I was figuring on it being pretty obnoxious, it's really not. Still haven't driven it yet though. Been procrastinating doing the rear brake lines
