One of the most common modifications to diesel trucks is the installation of an aftermarket exhaust system. With aftermarket fueling modifications, the turbocharger will spin faster and create more boost, which means more exhaust gas will need to be expelled. With our modified ’95 Dodge Ram 2500, known as Project Triple Threat, we were pushing a whopping 42 psi out of our modified HX35 turbocharger, as opposed to the 19 psi of boost we saw when it was stock. To free up our engine’s breathing, we installed a complete 4-inch exhaust system from Diamond Eye Performance.
| a Plus Exhaust Install truck Rear Axle
The Diamond Eye system features mandrel-bent pipes that are the same diameter throughout the bend, and its kit can be assembled in just a couple of hours. In case we hit any snags, we took our exhaust system and truck to the folks at D&D Muffler in Palmdale, California, and had them perform the install. Not only were they very fast and efficient, but they also welded up the entire system and took care to route the exhaust so it cleared the spare tire by a good margin. While the exhaust system can be installed with clamps in a driveway, to us it was worth the $100 we had to spend to get it welded up, although prices may vary.
| Our stock 3-inch exhaust was fine for our stock truck, but once we had larger injectors, a modified injection pump, and were spinning our turbo harder, it was time for an upgrade.
In the end, we got better looks, a cooler sound, and the knowledge that all that extra boost the engine is making will now be flowing freely out of our larger exhaust.
| Big diesel trucks aren’t all that strapped for space underneath, so there was plenty of room to work. Most of the stock system was removed with the help of a Sawzall. With the truck on a lift, it went rather quickly.
