Episode 687 – How To Upgrade a Jeep’s Exhaust

This Week In Jeep

We Always Knew This Was a Possibility

I’m just gonna come right out and say it… I’m blaming you. It may not exactly BE your fault… but I’m still blaming you. Jeepers as a whole really, all need to take accountability for this one. We begged and begged for decades, “Please put diesel in a Wrangler!… We would love to have a diesel in a Wrangler! Why doesn’t Jeep put diesel in a Wrangler?!?” So Jeep finally listens and goes out of their way to finally give us whiny unwashed masses what we’ve been screaming from the hilltops for, and we go and look the other way. It all comes down to numbers, and Jeepers, we dropped the ball. Say goodbye to the 3.0L EcoDiesel in Jeeps. We just didn’t show that much interest, and now Jeep is pulling the diesel option for Wranglers for good. Jeep just revealed the 2023 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon FarOut Edition which will be available toward the end of 2022. This limited edition Wrangler model will be the final Jeep Wrangler powered by the 3.0 liter EcoDiesel V-6 engine. Jeep is using this Rubicon FarOut Edition as a sendoff model, so get the last generation of the diesel Wrangler while you still can. With the EcoDiesel no longer an option after this model, you new Wrangler buyers will have the choice of a 2.0-liter turbo I-4, the long-running 3.6-liter V-6, the 6.4-liter Hemi V-8 as a 392 package, and the plug-in hybrid drivetrain found in the 4xe’s. 

For those worried about what this means for the EcoDiesel moving forward, well, there is where the silver lining to all this lies. Jeep has confirmed this week that the engine is not completely dead. Take that all you tree-hugging Greenie Weenies!  The 3.0L EcoDiesel will continue to be offered in the Jeep Gladiator… at least for the time being. The 3.6-liter gasoline V-6 will of course still be the standard option, but at least for now, we can still get a diesel engine in a Jeep, it’s just going to have to be a Gladiator if any at all. I’ve got to give Jeep some credit… As it appears, Jeep didn’t really want to do this, and maybe this is a push from its parent company Stellantis. Why do I say that? Well, Jeep is making sure that this “send off” edition, saying farewell to the diesel in a Wrangler, that this Wrangler is going to be hooked the “F” up. Here is a sampling of the extra Jeep is throwing in on the new 2023 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon FarOut Edition; It will come with unique “Diesel 3.0L” hood graphics, “3.0 D” badging, exclusive 17-inch aluminum wheels, black leather seats with red accents, the Cold Weather Group package, the Trailer-Tow, and Heavy Duty Electrical Group package, Safety Group package, and the LED lighting package. And just to check a few more boxes because they can, Jeep is also throwing in body-colored fender flares, a stained black grille, and all-weather floor mats. A top-of-the-line Jeep to mark the end of the line for what could have been one of Jeep’s most popular engine packages…. If only you had bought one.

But Does It Still Run? 

“The ad will read, slight heat damage, minor burns to the interior, detail needed.” 

Chattanooga, Tennessee firefighters were dispatched to a home Wednesday night after a report of a fire in a basement garage. The home was located in the 3300 block of Oak Burr Drive, a neighborhood with large lots, and many split-level homes, where the garage is underneath the main part of the house, and subterranean to the rest of the slope of the property. When firefighters arrived, around 11 pm, they witnessed smoke already billowing out of windows and vents. The residents, who were home at the time, smelled smoke and called 911. Firefighters were able to get the fire under control within 10 minutes, and it did not spread to other areas of the home. There was damage done nonetheless. The home’s basement garage and the Jeep that was parked in the basement garage were severely damaged by the fire. Initial estimates are in the tens of thousands of dollars in damages, thankfully, however, no injuries to the home’s occupants or their pets were reported.

Tech Talk with Jeep Talk

TOPIC/QUESTION: Jeep Exhaust System Upgrades

Many people drive a Jeep specifically for that rugged, outdoor, go-anywhere attitude the vehicle is known for. But when you’re out scrambling up a trail, hitting a new line on the rocks, or crawling over a ledge, you need all of your Jeep’s power in the low RPM range. Bouncing your engine off the rev limiter, and red-lining the engine in those upper RPM ranges isn’t going to do anyone any good. It’s unnecessary wear and tear on your engine, and it’s going to lead to nothing more than tire spin, and in situations where you need traction, this is the last thing you want. So you need as much of your Jeep’s power to be able to be delivered in the lower RPM range, where the most common wheeling happens. Now if all you do with your Jeep is mud-bogging, then forget everything I just said. However, if you wheel in the rocks and on trails, and are still using the restrictive factory exhaust, you are definitely not getting everything you can performance and capability-wise, out of your Jeep. This is the difference between powering over your obstacle or finding something to attach your winch to. Today’s aftermarket exhaust upgrades like cat-back exhaust systems, headers, and performance mufflers are great ways to add power, torque, and yes… even fuel efficiency while lowering emissions and changing the vehicle’s sound – if you choose. And it’s that choice I’m going to help you with today. Choosing the right exhaust can be tricky. With so many options and so many websites giving us instant gratification, changing the performance and sound of your Jeep has never been more attractive, or easier. But it’s also really easy to screw things up. Cut corners, skimp on this or that, or worse…get the wrong advice and you’re going to end up doing more harm than good. Ok, where do we start? This is another point where we have to be honest with ourselves. Do we want it loud or not?  It used to be synonymous, loud exhaust meant better performance. And the louder it was the more powerful the engine. In many cases that’s true. But how many hot rod Jeeps have you seen? Typically you don’t want all your performance gains to be in the upper RPM range unless you’re building a strictly track or sand dune rig. I suppose mud boggin would also be an application for high rpm wheeling, but let’s face it. Most of us are hitting the trails, heading up to the mountain or our local offroad park to put our daily driver in 4-Low, and not blasting through five feet of Mississippi clay as fast as we can before getting stuck. There is a rule of thumb when it comes to exhaust mods, and that is the bigger diameter, the higher up the RPM range the power band moves. For instance, going from a 2” exhaust to a 3” exhaust will sound incredible, but it will move all the power your Jeep has to a higher RPM range, where it won’t do you any good unless you find yourself in a drag race all a sudden.

Most aftermarket exhaust manufacturers have put extensive engineering and R&D into the flow, sound, heat dissipation, efficiency, and most importantly, the performance of their systems. Most exhaust companies will offer some sort of selection filtering so you can determine which kits are louder than others, and which ones offer the most performance increases. And yes, I said “kits.” You don’t necessarily want to piece together an exhaust system. You won’t get ANY of the gains until the system is done as a whole anyways, and doing it piece by piece is going to be much more expensive in the long run. The most common exhaust upgrade is the Cat-Back or in some cases “Axle-Back” exhaust system. This is the part we are primarily going to focus on today. This is the entire exhaust system from where it exits the catalytic converters on back. These kits usually include all the intermediary pipe, connectors, hangers, the actual muffler(s) themselves, and tailpipe(s) or tips.

Ok, so who’s the best? What kind of gains can you expect to see? Who’s the cheapest? What do you want to stay away from? And where are the deals? These are the most frequently asked questions and the answers will get you pointed in the right direction. Ok, let’s start with what we don’t want. We don’t want an exhaust system that doesn’t give us any gains, so an OE (original equipment) replacement and anything from the junkyard are out. That is unless your current system has more holes in it than a block of swiss cheese and you have 20 bucks to your name, in which case, do what you gotta do to get that system back to good condition. What we definitely don’t want is rust either. If you live where they salt the roads you don’t want something that’s going to corrode or rust, so you will, without question, want to stay away from the cheaper aluminized steel versions, and definitely stay away from plain steel systems.

The aluminized stuff is slightly better, but it too will eventually rust out, just not nearly as fast as regular plain steel exhaust pipe will. Aluminized steel is just like regular steel, but it has been hot-dipped to have an aluminum-like coating. This is just like plating, that coating can and will rub off, degrade over time, and eventually expose the bare steel underneath giving way to rust. Be wary of painted or powder-coated kits too. They’re not very common, but still. After a season on the trails that paint will be long gone, and the rust will soon take its place. Stainless Steel is the best way to go as it will last the longest, but it will also typically be the more expensive option. But think about how much you’ll spend on cheaper replacement exhaust work over the lifespan of the Jeep compared to the stainless steel one. Especially if you live in the rust belt. Exhaust systems are definitely one area where you get what you pay for. Stay away from no-name brands unless you’re ok with being the guinea pig. The bigger, more well-known brands have the R&D, reputation, AND more sales to back up their claims and products. The no-name brands are doing their best to copy what the other guys are doing without putting in the research. So who are the top players here…?. Well, when it comes to both performance and sound everybody’s top pick for the JK & JKU’s are MBRP & Gibson. Ripp and Dynomax are quickly becoming a force in this field as well. Offering systems that last, perform well, and offer crazy rebate incentives all the time. Of course the tried and true stand tall as well and you can’t go wrong with a long-tested brand. Magnaflow, and Flowmaster both have been doing this longer than just about everyone else. And they’ve got the product lines and reputations to back it up.

Ok, so let’s boil it down a little further. If low rpm power is your pick, or you want to gain ground clearance, choose single pipe systems. For those who want it as loud as can be, or are looking for the deepest tone possible, look into dual pipe systems. 

Be warned though, some of these aftermarket systems won’t work with some lift components or bumpers, so it is extremely important to talk with the manufacturer to determine what’s best for your particular setup. Just because it says it will fit on your year and model of Jeep, doesn’t mean it will work with the mods you’ve already done to it. For instance, some “high clearance” systems won’t work with stock rear bumpers, and that’s just one thing to consider, there are many more concerns as well depending on where you are in your build. Many companies offer what they call a “rock crawler” series of mufflers, which are lower profile mufflers than stock ones, and offer higher clearance under the Jeep once installed due to their smaller size. Some high clearance systems like the “Pypes” system, (spelled with a “Y”) or both Magnaflow and Flowmaster’s Off Road systems, have an included downpipe that dumps the exhaust forward of the rear axle. Not great for the people inside the Jeep when it’s doorless and in stop-and-go traffic, but offers unbeatable clearance under the Jeep. Dynomax has a Quiet Crawler Series which claims to be barely above stock in its tone and loudness for those who don’t want a lot of volumes. Despite the lack of loudness, you still get a performance upgrade, so don’t let the name fool ya. Whether you’re going for the unmistakable sound that you get from a dual pipe system, or the high performance and added protection gained from a high clearance system, either way, your Jeep will be better off than it was when it was stock. Now I know what you’re thinking…. And no, you don’t necessarily need a welder to install most of these systems nowadays. YES, some DO require that, but there are so many driveway install options out there, that require just basic hand tools and an afternoon’s worth of work to get your Jeep sounding and performing incredibly. That’s right, you CAN do this yourself, it is relatively easy, trust me, I won’t steer you wrong. Most people can install a cat-back Jeep exhaust system in their driveway in a single day with no specialty tools. But if you DO need a shop to take care of the installation for you, then it will typically run you about $150-$250 in labor depending on the system and the shop doing the work. Call around, and get quotes before driving to a single shop. That way you can make sure you’re getting a good deal. And don’t go with a shop that won’t guarantee it’s work. Even a good exhaust shop can miss something, and you’ll want some protection down the road should something go wrong. By now you’re probably wondering just what sort of performance gains I am talking about here anyways. Well, the most REALISTIC gains from most cat-back systems with no other engine modifications like intake, header, chips or programmers, etc…. Are between 1 and 10 hp, and single-digit torque gains with the added benefit of an increase in the MPG of 1 to 3 if you’re lucky. The manufacturer’s claims will be substantially more than that, but remember, they’re trying to sell a product. So don’t expect a night and day difference with just a single modification. Typically you will get the most out of an exhaust system when the engine is breathing as best it can from bumper to bumper. This is going to mean performing all of the aforementioned modifications. Modifying the intake system to provide a higher volume of cold air to breathe in. Adding a  performance chip or programmer to unlock more power and torque. An aftermarket throttle body opens up the Jeep’s ability to take in more air.
And installing a set of aftermarket headers, giving you the biggest bang for your buck in exhaust performance upgrades.

Seriously though, if you want to see the biggest change in the performance of your Jeep’s engine, look into a set of aftermarket exhaust headers. Switching from an exhaust manifold to a set of headers can give you (in some cases) double-digit increases in HP and torque depending on what else has been done to the engine, timing, fuel delivery, and exhaust. Once you have the engine breathing IN and OUT as best it can, you can really gain the performance that was intended for your new cat-back exhaust system. And, you just may see numbers closer to what the manufacturer is claiming. Well, I hope this sheds some light on what to look for when picking out an aftermarket cat-back exhaust system for YOUR Jeep. One thing to remember above all else though…. Your results may vary.

Links Mentioned in this Episode

NEXEN Tires USA https://www.nexentireusa.com/

Trails 411- POWERING Your Adventure https://www.youtube.com/user/backcountrydriver

The 4×4 Radio Network http://4x4radionetwork.com/

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