dundun98

My truck is all stock, I want a chip, box, and pipe. I have a lead on a Bullydog Triple with Crazy Larry for $450.00. Is this what I should get? I don't know what air box to get, maybe the S&B, same guy says he's got a Quadzilla box, but it needs an element. On to the exhaust, I've heard that 5 inch can actually hurt you under 400 horse. Is this true? And another thing, I ain't scared to straight pipe this thing, but I heard that if you don't run some kind of muffler it's hard on the turbo because it draws cool air back up the pipe at shut down or something. So should I straight pipe the 4, just get a good muffler for the 4, or go BD 5" with their muffler. I pull regularly, (6 to 8 ton on the deck) with the truck and want power and a lower EGT, I don't really care about fuel mileage. Please help me out. I only have the money to do this once per item right now, so "power troubleshooting" isn't really something I want to get into. Sure I dream of twins, double CP3's, nozzles, yadda, yadda, but for now I want the truck to simply tow better with a lower EGT... and be louder for my Wife to enjoy. She likes the sound of diesels. I hate to throw all this in one post, but it's time to start wrenching on this thing, and I've needed to get this off my chest for a while now.

snoyes

The Bully Dog has been OK, I had one, power off the line was OK, power when I built up some RPMs was even better. I now have the Smarty and find the power through the entire range is better, and I think someone in the Classifieds is selling one for around the $500. The nice thing with the Bully is it does come with gauges (digital, fairly small screen), though i find that the analog guages tend to provide me a better quick look and see then back to driving, while the digital requires more concentration to pick up all the information being presented (but I have both). For the exhaust, never heard of the issues you describe with straight pipe with the cold air being sucked back in. Most will tell you the most restictive part of the stock exhaust system is the muffler, and by simply changing the muffler for a higher flow (donaldson for instance), you will help to eliminate the restriction. FOr the 400 HP level you do not need the 5 inch, the stock, which is a 4 inch will do just fine. I found my 5 inch is just for cool looks and a deeper sound, but doesn't provide more HP or better fuel mileage. And when pulling a trailer straight piped, you will most likely find you get some drone when pulling. My suggestion is to keep it cheap, just get change the muffler or straight pipe (drone issues with the straight), and go with the Smarty and a set of analog gauges. But just my opinion, more will chime in for sure....

estrada5.9

I can tell you the four inch will be louder than the five but the five will be deeper under 500 horse five won't help egt's anymore than four. Have fun sounds like you got a good plan going

dundun98

Now I KNOW his Bullydog is over priced! He only has the loader with no monitor. Sounds like I'd like the 5" better hauling than the 4. I'll probably get that BD kit turbo back. What do you guys think on the air box?

OT-OF-Here

You need in excess of 500hp for 5" to benefit you. Maybe 3 to 4 years ago Jannety Racing (an East Coast performance shop) tested this extensively and posted the results on this forum or TDR. Below that 500hp threshold you will LOOSE HP by going to 5".

mpracehemi

For now in your case, I'd just pull the muffler and see how things go.....if you decide on 5'' (mine had 4'' stock with a magnaflow muffler, went to 5'' and dropped egt's by 100-200*) 5'' has better sound and I didn't notice any hp drop. Try ebay for better prices, I paid $420 shipped and it fit perfect, nice and thick/heavy gauge material-good quality. jmho

Also, if your interested in a bdpmt, I know one, same as S&B filter..........pm me.

01smoker

The loss of hp with 5" below 500hp is very minimal. You prolly wont even feel any difference. You will however hear the difference. 5" sounds much better, deeper, and louder. I have had 3 three trucks with 5" and thats the only way to have it IMO. I really enjoy the sound of these CTD's and it don't get much better than 5".

As for the Bully Dog or Smarty, there is no way a Bully Dog would ever touch my truck. I have heard to many stories of Bully Dogs crashing ecms. In fact, it happened to a buddy of mine just last week. He had to foot the bill for a whole new ecm. The Smarty will make more power, and you can now get the POD software so you can adjust power levels on the fly now.

dundun98

So are you running straight with the 5" and no muffler? The BD number is 1045955 for the 304 SS complete kit I want.

I'm not in bed with the Bullydog, it's just I feel I can never use the full potential of the Smarty options, it seems to be geared more towards the bomber guys. I need something that's idiot proof for me... 1, 2, or 3 and press enter, ya' know?

Jduck

What about Bullydog's 5" exhaust kit? Decent or Junk?

Evildiesel

I was listening to different exhaust notes on youtube, trying to see what I liked the best, Honestly I thought the BD had the best sound of them all. For now I am going the really cheap way with a muffler eliminator, since I just spent my christmas cash on guages, wheels, tires (and now longer control arms because of rub) and leaving the cat to see how it sounds. If you go with one, let me know what you think!

dundun98

Well I hope I like the BD 5" turbo back with their muffler, cause that's what I just bought! I'll let you know what I think of it. Glad to hear you like yours.

To jduck, that Bullydog seems terribly high to me considering it's only cat back, and is aluminized steel. I bought this BD system, new, turbo back made from 409 ss for $405.29 to my door. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...3AIT&viewitem=

UNDER-PRESSURE

I've got 1 of there 5" cat back systems on my 2003 & like it alot. Nice sound, no drone & great fit.

Tobin

Sorry to rain on your parade, but that is a aluminized system as well.

Tobin

dundun98

Yeah... I realized that AFTER I bought it and was looking at the bottom of the listing where a guy had asked him a question. DEFINITELY a misleading description. I still think it's a decent deal though. I'm not going to fight the guy over it.

dundun98

Hung that pipe today. What a joke. Took FOREVER. Unless you just literally throw the pile of pipe under the truck, there's no way a man can put one of these things on in an hour. Had to heat the over axle pipe with a rose bud and beat a huge dent in it to clear the Firestone bag bracket. Overall sound is good I guess. It's loud as heck if my foots in it, or while going through the gear box. Cruising unloaded seems fine. I'm sure once loaded with 6 or 8 ton on a trailer, it will drone like nobodys business. Anyhow, that's the review like I said I'd do once I got it on. I wanted it loud, and got it loud, so the project is a success.