Hey guys, I have a late built 2004, 2500 4x4, 4door, long bed. Late built means ctd changed and is 325 HP, 600-610 torque motor from what I know???

Anyways it has 49,xxx miles on it and now needs a 3rd muffler and tailpipe. I'm looking at going with a magnaflow 5 inch stainless steel pipe system.

I think I want to go turbo back instead of cat back....(better flow?)
At this time my state isn't checking for a cat on a diesel (I of coarse would save the cat just in case for the future).

I have a K&N air filter on it and have NO plans to ad a tuner /chip.

What's your guys with CTD's thoughts???????

I replaced the cat for a flow through muffler and added a stainless down tip to keep the soot off the back of my 04 dually. The muffler lowered the EGT's 2-300 degrees while pulling my car trailer. Overall fuel mileage increased as well. The 5" system is going to make noise if that's what you want. The muffler was installed label side up and looked just like the cat so a quick visual wouldn't set off any alarms. I live in a high altitude area so no smog required now.

The system I'm looking at has a performance muffler, not straight/open pipe. I'm guessing it can't be any louder than it is now with the entire seam of the factory type muffler blown out. At least the noise will be out the end of the pipe past the rear tire as factory.

I don't want real loud... Some noise is ok

Sounds like my truck. I have an early 2005 Ram 3500 quad cab long bed, single rear wheels. I installed the Magnaflow stainless 5" exhaust kit (Turbo back) and it fit good and was pretty easy to install. It sounds good in town, but on the highway and pulling a heavy trailer for long periods, the sound level can become annoying. Originally I had it installed without the cat, but a few years after I had to emission the truck and used a Magnaflow 5" Diesel cat. We just cut out a section of the original exhaust and welded the cat in. No issues at all.
I have been thinking of putting a quieter muffler on the truck, but I haven't. FWIW, the exhaust has been on the truck for about 10 years and almost 100,000 miles.

So your saying sound is annoying when on towing trips.....Did you have the Magnaflow muffler in the system? Or no muffler?

My truck with the stock system and two mufflers was loud when you were on it. The 5" can get annoying with the mufflers. It looks cool and will certainly help with the EGT's.

I have an early build 2004 4x4 Ram quadcab Ram with the HO 305/555 Cummins with no emissions.
My truck is an all stock daily driver and I have no intentions of adding a programmer or modifying it.

A couple years ago I replaced the factory stainless exhaust system that rusted all along the welded seam and muffler, it got pretty loud.

I wanted the truck to have just a slightly louder sound with NO drone on the highway or when towing.
After doing some research I went with a 4" stainless turbo back system from Diamond Eye with muffler.
I picked up a nice 5" polished stainless tip on Ebay for $20.

I an extremely happy with this system, I had a buddy install it at his muffler shop, very easy install and the fit was excellent.

Sound is much quieter than the leaking factory system.
Just slightly louder than stock at idle and driving around town but with the flow through muffler it will get a bit louder if you want it to.
I have found no drone at any speed.

I have the 5 inch magnaflow and hate it, its well made and fits nice but drones, i liked the sound when your on tbe gas but its horrible at 60 and up. I ended up having to put a resonator after the turbo to quiet it down some. My buddy put a mbre stainless exhaust 4 inch and he said he liked it. If you are leaving it stock 5 inch wont help any unless you like the noise.

My 99 has the stock downpipe to the resonator and a 90 deg elbow where the muffler used to live that dumps in front of the rear tire. No muffler and no 5 feet of pipe with 5 or 6 bends should help exhaust flow.

Not too bad noise wise. The resonator takes the edge off the straight pipe so it isn't obnoxious. Extended cab and 8' box probably helps a bit as far as interior noise is concerned.

I'd get rid of that K&N filter if you plan on keeping the truck a long time.

The only reason one air filter flows more air than another of the same size is that it has bigger holes in it. More air yes but more dirt too.

Kevin

I've seen the sandblasted turbos from using after market air filters.

I'm running the Magnaflow muffler now. I may try a large truck Donaldson muffler to see how it sounds? I don't know how well it will fit as it is several feet long.
For a filter, I have the old AFE stage 2 kit with 7 stage filter.
I had an Edge Juice with hot upgrade on the truck, but it started acting up last year. I also have the old Super Chips Digital Propane Injection system on the truck. Almost all this stuff was added the first year after buying the truck in Feb 2005.

I have to say from a Trucker's point of view (and even many that are not): you guys with these after-market exhausts on 6 cylinder Dodges sound absolutely GAY. Period. End of discussion.

Number 2, and I thought the whole World knew this by now, but that aftermarket Horse-sh1t air filter will ruin your engine. As above: GAY. Period. End of discussion.

Do everyone a favor, save yourself a bit of embarrassment every time you hit the skinny pedal, and just put it all back to stock and leave it there.

Thanks.

WOW, u guys are killin me now about the K&N air filter!!! Would not have expected to here it's [censored] and will "sandblast" the turbo!! The cone shape seams to have more surface area and i figured it could flow more air?

I only did the filter hoping for mileage???

I bought the truck about 3-4 years old and still had some warranty from Dodge. NOT at all abused but was used by 2 women (YES they were hooked up, lol !!) to occasionally tow a 25 foot camper with a fifth wheel hitch. My friend knew the owners.

The mileage always SUCKED from what i thought it would get...13.5mpg no load or towing. Towing a 20 foot enclosed trailer with a total weight with car was 6700 pounds and mileage drops to 10mpg?????

For some reason i decided to check the mileage 2 months ago and somehow got 16.5 unloaded cruising the highway at 75mph!!
SO, i'm kinda thinking it's due to the muffler being blown out at the seam and flowing better?????

SO now i'm hearing i should throw away the K&N filter and go with factory exhaust system???????????????

Many years ago Chrysler tried to stop people from using K & N filters and there was a lawsuit I believe filed by K & N. This was based on warranty returns which showed severe damage to cylinder bores and rings along with turbo dust out. In all the cases the culprit pointed to the air filter.

If you look at the inlet side after the filter after driving though dusty areas you can see the accumulation of this debriis.

We always told people looking for a truck that if they saw an aftermarket filter kit especially K & N to walk from the truck.

Great filter for a gas engine car or truck driven in a clean environment - diesel truck - I wouldn't ever consider using one.

I myself am looking for a new exhaust system for my 93 D250 diesel. The Cummins rep at work told me to use a Diamond Eye. I don't want the noise - just a lower cost than OE replacement exhaust system that will give me more power. 93 was the last year for diesel with no lockup converter, my truck has a 3.54 gear. - the truck needs more guts to haul my car and trailer - only 8K pound rig loaded.

Coming out of a Portland Oregon to Michigan it gave me 12 in the mountains and 16-17 mpg in the flatlands - way overloaded.

Empty it gets me 21 - thinking of installing a 3.73 or 3.9 axle with a lockup converter.

Anyone else out there with a similar rig / ratio that has done this ?

Shorty after I bought my 2001 in 2004 or 05, can't remember, the baffles broke loose in the muffler. I got sick of the racket and went to get a new muffler. They had none in stock so I decided to try a straight pipe. It's been there ever since. I can't hear the exhaust over the engine. Only when I get near the rear of the truck can I hear the exhaust at all. I DO have a small factory resonator and no cat con. A cat con should provide a small noise reduction? FWIW, YMMV, etc.

Robert

I have a 5" SS diamond eye TBE with FTE Resonator and Aero muffler. No drone, has a deep tone and not loud at all.

As for dude saying its gay he's probly looking for a boyfriend.

When the muffler rotted off of our 03 ctd,straight piped it. 20 bucks compared to whatever for a muffler. Sound level is perfect. Glad it pisses the truckers off.

Going through my dad's 97 ctd. Going bigger exhaust for mileage/why reasons. It's gonna get injectors, fuel plate and most likely a bigger turbo. Should piss the truckers off also....😭😭😭

I put the Banks turbo & exhaust on my 92 w350 back in the day.....wasn't much, if anything else out there.

The k&n filter didn't last long, what a pita to clean, good riddance.

Don't know what I'll do when the exhaust goes bad, better flow and stock exhaust note. I outgrew a loudarse exhaust long ago. Customers get testy when you plow their driveway at 2:00 am with a loud truck.

Ed