Diesel Exhaust

[FightinTXag]

I'm fairly new to diesels. I had a 6.5L TD in a k2500 a while back, but stock exhaust. I've only heard aftermarket exhausts on Cumminses and Powerstrokes and those motors are loud from the factory. I like the way the Banks sounded in DMaxDiva's sound clip and Kennedy has a video clip of a pickup reving with his exhaust and it too sounds great. It's hard to get a feel for how loud it is since you can adjust the volume. I like the throaty sound, but don't want any more diesel clatter at all. The ability to carry on a conversation outside my truck with it running impresses my friends with Cumminses, and I don't want my truck to be any louder at idle if possible. Does exhaust make the diesel clatter louder or does it just add the throaty rumble. I was told that I could hear the turbo whine in the 6.5L if I freed up the exhaust. Does the whine get louder in the Duramax with aftermarket exhaust? I can handle more exhaust and/or turbo noise when I stomp the loud pedal, but I really don't want any more diesel clatter while cruising or idling. Will the Banks and/or KD system perform this way? If not, are there any less restrictive exhaust systems that don't increase idling and cruising noise?

[matt-max]

i can't speak for the banks system but i have the kennedy 4" and can assure you that it does not increase the clatter at all. standing in front of the truck you cannot tell any difference. carrying on a conversation with the hood open or closed is not an issue. at the rear of the truck the noise is louder but very pleasant...the consistent comment is that it sounds like a big block gas motor. the whine while driving has increased very noticeably but this is from the k&n intake not the exhaust. it is not so loud as to be annoying, just enough to know that it is there. there is an increased rumble inside the cab at idle and all engine and road speeds with the exhaust on. i rode in afriends stock exhaust dmax recently and was tempted to go back to stock exhaust because of how awesomely quiet it was. that said, the noise my truck makes is very good noise. it has a definite presence to it. there is no denying that it sounds healthy and powerful but not obnoxious like 'those other brands.' i can still hear a ford or dodge or 6.5 over my truck while stopped or leaving traffic. i don't know how they can stand it...their poor little ears must be ringing!

[matt-max]

i should also mention that under heavy throttle, the kennedy exhaust has an aggressive bark or rap to it that can be judged as either obnoxious or beautiful depending upon your state of mind.

[DMAXDiva]

Hi TXAg:

After switching from a straight-pipe (oh my aching ears!) to the Banks system, I was flat amazed at how quiet the truck was at idle...pretty darned close to stock. There is a definite big-block rumble on acceleration, and it just sounds plain awesome at full-throttle! (reminds me of an old truck I had with an LS6 454). I can't really hear any accentuation of the turbo whistle, but it certainly is NOT drowned out by the exhaust. No noticeable increase in engine noise either...I really think the 4 inch system (you can't go wrong with either JK or Banks) makes all the difference on these trucks...quiet at idle, purrs in the cab, growls on acceleration...I love it! :D

[FightinTXag]

Thanks yall, sounds like these systems are exactly what I want. Now I'll just have to figure out how to come up with the necessary funds...

Did the LS6 only come originally in Chevelle SS's? Or maybe the 1970 Chevelle SS LS6 was the only one that made the 450hp and detuned versions were available in trucks? What year model truck did you have that beast in?

I really wanted to uncork the 8100 under the hood of my '01 to hear what those 496 cubes would sound like, but I got rid of the truck due to gas and oil consumption and '02 incentives.

[DMAXDiva]

Hey TXAg:

Actually, I dropped a crate LS6 into an old '79 350 conversion-diesel GMC. The neat thing about the old c-diesels is the fact that they were equipped with a stout hydraulic braking setup. That LS6 was mated to a tweaked turbo 400 and 4:10's in the rear, and let me tell ya, that gal would scoot! I had some old one-ton driveshafts cut and welded into a free-flow exhaust system(heavy, but cheap and effective).

Best of all, I purposely left the diesel badging on the truck for the ultimate "sleeper" (only the really savvy would understand what the license plates "RATNAP" on that truck stood for). The windows were limo-tinted so no one could see me, and I put many a fella to shame in that old truck, especially when I opened that sliding rear window and gave them a coy little wave as I left them in the dust...Oh, the humiliation! ;)

I sure do miss that old truck...guess I'm reliving those days a little bit with this latest new "sleeper"... :D

[ 07-31-2002: Message edited by: DMAXDiva ]</p>