Why Upgrade?

[shatto]

They say you gotta have Mandrel Bent exhaust pipes for best performance. OK.
The pipes should get larger at each stage; cat-back, muffler back. OK.

While changing the oil, I went back and photographed my exhaust. I keep wondering what I would replace to get better MPG.


No 'krinkle bend' here.


This bend is smooth.


Here too.


'Crossover' looks good.


Pretty clean for 80,000 miles.


WTF! The only one in the entire pipe.

Anyway, is there an economical exhaust modification to up the MPG?

[Negra]

Nope!
Nearly 4 years into this platform everything has failed to
increase MPG based on exhaust mod's.

Until the ECM firmware is successfully cracked your best MPG mod will be controlling your right foot.
Mufflers on this platform are for sound,how good do you want to sound ?
How much are you willing to pay for that "sound"?

[shatto]

Thank you. I've concluded from driving and what I already know, just what you said.
I've been testing the Pulstar sparkplugs and, although there is a bit of performence improvement; things like smoothness and a bit more pop in the pick-up, there has been no change whatever in MPG.

Muffler? Darn the exhaust is quiet. And I love it.
I've had 500,000 miles of Flowmaster on the Dakota. A lifetime worth of "sound."

[tundrunk]

you guys are absolutely right. There's no performance or mpg to gain from changing the exhaust pipe itself. It has been well engineered and making the diameter bigger hurts more than it helps. however I did get a proven performance gain from changing my muffler, shaved off about 8lbs! I doubt any real hp gains. I'm no fan of loud either, mine has a smooth subtle sound that's easy to live with.