Easy Out

Adding a MagnaFlow After-Cat Exhaust System Will Provide Good Looks and a Boost in Power

In this day and age, getting the most power out of your late-model truck or SUV is both difficult and easy. Now that we have covered ourselves technically, we will give you the reasoning behind this convoluted theory. New vehicles are hard to work on but easy to upgrade. See? That was easy.

The components that make up the MagnaFlow system are made from stainless steel and are mandrel bent. They measure a healthy 3 inches across.

Stainless steel is also found in the attractive MagnaFlow tip. The tip measures 4 inches. 1 With the 5.4-liter-engine-

With the 5.4-liter-engine-equipped Ford Expedition strapped down onto the MagnaFlow dyno, baseline numbers are run.

New vehicles are so different than those we affectionately call vintage trucks, and the major differences lie with the chassis and drivetrain. Smog laws have made it tough on the aftermarket performance parts sellers, but the sellers figured out how these vehicles could actually work with their re-engineered smog-friendly products. With SEMAʼs help, they have been able to create and manufacture many great parts that continue to increase and improve upon the stock horsepower that comes from the factories.

One of those areas of improvement is the after-cat exhaust system such as this one from MagnaFlow. A number of aftermarket companies make such systems for a variety of cars and trucks, since the factory systems simply leave a lot to be desired in terms of performance and sound. The OEs had to make the government happy, so their stock mufflers were as efficient and cost-effective as possible to make and employ. In their efforts to make these components quiet and cheap, they were too restrictive, power output was negatively impacted and they sound horrible. Well, a stock exhaust doesnʼt have much of a resounding note to it. Also, the exhaust tips leave lots to be desired in most cases, and on most truck applications there are no snazzy tips at all—just a treated tailpipe hanging down from below the chassis. That doesnʼt exactly look like a performance statement, either.

The stock muffler is good if you want to sneak into the driveway late at night, but itʼs not so good if you want to reach your engineʼs full potential.

Itʼs time to remove the stock after-cat system from the Ford. On some connections, there are tabs that interlock. A screwdriver is used to lift the tabs free.

Lubricant is sprayed on all of the rubber hangers. This will get them slippery enough for the probe to be pulled free. If you donʼt do this, it is nearly impossible to get them loose, and the danger of damaging the rubber is high.

With the MagnaFlow system, however, you can be sure that you are getting both the best power that your engine is capable of and a high-quality stainless steel exhaust system that is not comparable to the stock-treated, mild-steel systems that come from the factory. In fact, MagnaFlow was awarded an ISO-9001 certificate from the International Organization for Standardization, and the ISO-9001 has 20 specific designs, materials and process requirements that a company must meet or exceed before it can be awarded such certification. This was no chore for MagnaFlow; it has been building exhaust components for more than 20 years, so it knows what itʼs doing and what should be done.

Proving there is a tool for every job, a pair of hanger pliers is used to force the mounting pin out. A screwdriver can also be used since there is a slot in the end of the rubber hanger.

While the lubricant is working its way into the rubber, the hardware is loosened.

The tailpipe section of the stock system is removed.

We were on hand to follow along as the MagnaFlow installation crew made short work of this Ford Expedition. We wanted to see what would be involved for this simple upgrade. And as we expected, they had the job done in no time, the results were easily recognizable and the Ford had achieved more power and a better sound (if you want to hear it, check out the MagnaFlow website—the site has sound recordings of MagnaFlow-equipped vehicles). Follow along as they did the job on this Ford, and see if such a system would not make sense on the truck you and your family drive to work, school and the automotive parts store.