Well my Jeep seems to have world worst luck with exhaust, I had a thrush turbo with a turndown after the muffler on it for a few monthes that I welded up myself, the jeep threw it off 3 times and I lost it in the woods (no joke, couldn't even find it), before I decided to go with a flowmaster and have it installed by a real mechanic with a real tailpipe.

Well let me tell you, a cob job the likes of which had never been seen with that exhaust install, I thought it was fishy him only charging 50 bucks. There were no welds, all clamps, he mounted the tailpipe too far back so the axle hit its when the suspension compresses, he took both the heat shields off and now the exhaust being mounted so close to the gas tank is melting a hole through the plastic gas tank cover. And also he put a spacer on it to compensate for the shorter muffler, well I dont know what kind of steel he used, but 2 monthes later it already rusted through and I have an exhaust leak. And to add to all of this two of my exhaust hangers were so rusty they snapped the other day making my muffler and cat hang up on the crossmember and rattle like crazy.

Considering the whole thing at this point is just such a huge mess im going to take the entire thing off, manifold and all. Im thinking a stainless steel rugged ridge header, high flow cat and a new tailpipe, and ill re-use the Flowmaster 40 I have on it now and ill fab up some heavier duty exhaust hangers and see if I cant put a few more on for good measure. Im doing all the labor myself, last time I trust a mechanic with my Jeep.

Anyone have any tips on parts they have used that work well with relation to exhausts or is there some sort of a kit deal I can get for an OK price? Im not trying to be super cheap but I cant spend more than 5-600 dollars on the project, so just wondering what you guys think is a good deal and holds up and works well. I dont really care about stainless parts so much, im thik im going to coat everything in high heat paint before it goes in.

Bump, thinking of tearing everything down by next week, what do people think of the 409 Rugged Ridge Header? Thats the only thing im pretty set on so far.

just start fresh with a whole new flowmaster system.

do you have a 2000? if so its no good you need to have two spots for your o2's

and no the aftermarket does not make a header for 2000 or 2001. and you cant use 1999 cuz it doent have the o2's

yeah that true what year is the jeep? anything newer then 1999 no headers but if its older than 2000 then find the manifold from an 2000 or 01 to put on your jeep as well as the whole new system

My APN Header is still in the box...


Everyone around here seams to like it a LOT, as do i!

It was only $150 shipped to my door and it seems to be VERY well made.

I suggest checking it out before making your final decision on this, it you haven't done so already.


This link is for the "older" version, but they have yours too!!!

http://www.ineedparts.com/auto-parts...-manifold.html

Well I have an 01, there are no options for aftermarket exhaust manifolds for them at all? If not I guess i'll just have to settle on the manifold back being re-done for now.

nope because you already have the best manifold you can get. i believe in 2000 they started making the manifolds bigger to counter act the smaller exhaust porting on the newer castings of the cylinder heads.

Is this the one you're looking for?

http://www.ineedparts.com/index.php?...66&AUTOPN_ID=6


I really don't know if it would be better than the one you have though...

it wont be performance wise it wont do anything to improve it.

Well i guess its not a big deal then, i've just heard nothing but horror stories about Mopar manifolds on 4.0's but if they are decent I can keep it. I guess thats raises my budget for the rest of the system.

Yeah thats a stock replacement, there isnt anything wrng with mine, just looking for something better while im going to be working on it.

sorry to burst your bubble but there nothing better than the stock one on yours.

the only thing i think you can do is a high flow cat and muffler.

your exhaust system was prob to rusted to weld...thats why he clamped it.