Exhaust

[smit0911]

I am ready to drop in my refreshed 318 LA into my 1967 D200 2 wheel drive. The stock exhaust wraps around the front of the engine, drivers side to pass. side. Why was it done this way, and is it best to keep it routed this way? I would prefer dual exhaust. If I do not keep the stock system I will probably need different exhaust manifolds, correct. I would rather stay away from heavy modification of the truck. What do you guys recommend?

[dodgeboykim]

If you have center dump exhaust manifolds (you should if both truck) go ahead and get a dual exhaust system. If you want to go headers do some research.
You can do what ever you wish to with your system.

[smit0911]

Thanks for the input, the exhaust manifolds are center dump, but it appears the outlet seems to be directed towards the front of the truck rather than straight out. I will check closer, it may be a tropical illusion? Does anyone have an idea as to why Dodge chose to go around the front of the engine. I recall Ford doing the same thing on one of their engines-I always just chocked that up to one of "Fords better idea."

[Duh]

Sir

The era thinking was that if The Exhaust is routed away from The Oil Pan and The Bell Housing area
it would be easy for Benny The Mech-ah-nic to do his function with out any extra deeds and etc.

Do note that later unites do not have this routing because the Tech Engineering Lab deemed it not
needed ( Benny has a shop supervisor who reads The Tech Tips).

The "other added tech thinking" was that Hot Air Rises, so keep it away from The Oil Pan
( Trucks many times are driven real slow - the air flow under the truck is not very good at walking speeds ).

***************************************
The Center Dump Exhaust Manifolds are the same part number from 1967 until the end of The 1974 Production year
for any Dodge Van or Truck with a LA-318 or the LA-273 that was used in Vans.

The Right Side Center Dumping Exhaust Manifold is the same used in 1967 to the end of the 1974 Production
year of any La-318 in any B-Body, C-Body or E-Body's that used the LA-318.
**************************************



Rodger & Gabby
COS

[asf93555]

My ’71 W100 318 4x4 4 speed has this front routed pipe and I think it’s because of the PTO.

[dodgeboykim]

PTO has no bearing on the exhaust routing. That pipe configuration was standard for the trucks regardless of the model, PTO or not. Right up to the heavy Sweptline based trucks

[66patrick]

The starter is one reason. Dropping the driver's side exhaust to avoid the starter would've resulted in having that side sit down too low, relative to the trans crossmember. It was far easier and cheaper for the engineers designing the system to run the crossover in front of the block and around the passenger side. This helped keep the exhaust clearance from the ground up high.

Note that with the old "Y"-block Ford pickups of the late '50s, the exhaust came up OVER the front of the block, over the water pump, then down to merge with the passenger side exhaust. Could've been worse, guys!

[74dusterman]

I bought a set of block hugger headders from summit a few years ago to put on my small block in my Duster. They are center dump and fit very well. I can't remember the part number but they were the cheaper ones that were unpainted. You can get them with the thermal coating on them also if you want to spend the extra $$$. I just bought high temp exhaust paint and it seems to be holding up pretty good for the past 3 years.

[JPAdventurer]

I bought a set of block hugger headders from summit a few years ago to put on my small block in my Duster. They are center dump and fit very well. I can't remember the part number but they were the cheaper ones that were unpainted. You can get them with the thermal coating on them also if you want to spend the extra $$$. I just bought high temp exhaust paint and it seems to be holding up pretty good for the past 3 years.

I went with the same block huggers from summit aswell on my 71 W200. I heat coated the and high temp painted them with stuff from eastwood. They are great!
They don't hurt the looks like long tube headers. I went with them because I have a pto winch setup im gonna install. I bolted up the pto driveline and took it to the exhaust shop had them make a complete mandrel bent aluminized system. Its a dual 2 1/2" into a 39 in. Shuttle Worth Heavy Duty truck muffler and 3" single out the back. It sounds and idles smooth and not loud but when you open it up it roars! Very free flowing big single. I try getting some pics :thumbsup

[asf93555]

On my ’71 383 D100 I went with a similar set-up to JPAdventurer’s. Not the short headers, but C bodied exhaust manifolds with 2.5”s into a single 3” and the big 3” truck muffler. I did it myself with mandrel sections from Summit including a 2.5” duel into single 3” collector. Its quiet when cruising, sounds angry when you get into it but when running hard I can hear the mechanical sounds of the motor and not just a loud exhaust.

motor music – I like it