hubs97xj
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Fort Wayne, IN
Okay, so I'm going to pull the trigger on Project Cheapokee Performance Upgrades Part Duh, and I thought I'd ask for some input from the been there, done that crowd. I've got a 97 4.0, Rusty's CAI, TBS, stock TB, Dynomax Superturbo catback, bone stock otherwise.
I'm trying to do this on a budget, so a grand's worth of Banks/Borla/$ components just won't cut it with me. I've seen a lot of mentions of the APN header being a decent component, so I'm leaning toward that.
http://www.autopn.com/store/pc/viewprd.asp?idProduct=20009
In reading through the legion past discussions, and trying to search for the criteria listed, I came across these. No brand on the first, decent price, the Magnaflow is a bit saltier, but hey, I haven't found any cheap big name parts. Both purport to be high flow, bolt on, clamps, included, correct outlet diameter. The Dynomax CB has a 2.25" inlet, so the universals universals with 2.5" in/out require another piece of pipe, and 2 more mechanical connections. Me not want.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/JEEP-GRAND-or-CHEROKEE-HF-CATALYTIC-CONVERTER-1993-2002_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ33629QQihZ020QQitemZ300229240854QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Magnaflow-Catalytic-Converter-96-00-JEEP-CHEROKEE-23226_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1713Q2em153Q2el1262QQcategoryZ33629QQihZ024QQitemZ370053592434QQtcZphoto
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Magn...75827QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWD1V#ebayphotohosting
<edit: same part as second link, cheaper. Bolt on? Not sure, neither one seems to display the actual part>
Now, the down pipe (head pipe, header pipe?) from manifold/header, down and over to cat... well, it looks like a POS to me. However, searches for custom made, constant diameter pipe has yielded nothing but repeated returns for "Banks optional down pipe available", and crimp bent or OE pipes.
I'm looking for a stocked-by-autozone or buy online kind of thing, with nice mandrel bends, and no crushes. I'll be miles from the nearest exhaust shop, and have no access to a welder or bender, so I need stuff that either bolts right on with no fab work, or at the very least, I'll have to reuse the stock pipe and drive it to a shop. I'm typically leary of three things- shop labor, labor rates, and trying to negotiate custom parts. In the past, the labor's often come from meatheads, the rates have been too high for Mongo's workmanship, and/or they've tried to get me to pay more for a simple fab or install than a top of the line, name brand bolt on system would cost me. This is a small town, and my options are limited. Rambling on, does such a pipe exist (that will bolt up to the APN header and the cat), or is a custom pipe the only real option?
I'm also leaning toward the electric fan conversion, but am still trying to run down part numbers, and source another 97+ or comparable fan for cheap, such as Comanche91 did a write up on the other day. Anyone done this, or something similar, and have actual part numbers? I tried to find the same components (or those with identical specs), and I'm not confident enough with those results to order the parts and roll the dice. Again, as with the exhaust, this will be done far enough from a shop that a complete screw-up or need to do some welding/bending/fabbing will result in a major hassle.
As a result, I might put this one off until the exhaust is done, but the lure of doing everything, and only disassembling my DD one time is attractive. My and my buddy's schedules conflict somewhat, so being able to knock this out in a day or two is an important factor.
Lastly, assuming I haven't killed myself or gone broke fixing a mistake by this time, I'm looking to get a bored out TB. I had found a few links to shops offering them, but I can't find anything recent on them, and since this seems to be a popular upgrade, thought I'd see where you guys source yours, and see what my best (and cheapest) option was there.
Anyway, sorry for the book, thought I'd lay out all the relevant information, and save you from having to ask me a hundred questions before being able to answer the first one. Thanks, I appreciate your feedback.
hub
I'm trying to do this on a budget, so a grand's worth of Banks/Borla/$ components just won't cut it with me. I've seen a lot of mentions of the APN header being a decent component, so I'm leaning toward that.
http://www.autopn.com/store/pc/viewprd.asp?idProduct=20009
In reading through the legion past discussions, and trying to search for the criteria listed, I came across these. No brand on the first, decent price, the Magnaflow is a bit saltier, but hey, I haven't found any cheap big name parts. Both purport to be high flow, bolt on, clamps, included, correct outlet diameter. The Dynomax CB has a 2.25" inlet, so the universals universals with 2.5" in/out require another piece of pipe, and 2 more mechanical connections. Me not want.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/JEEP-GRAND-or-CHEROKEE-HF-CATALYTIC-CONVERTER-1993-2002_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ33629QQihZ020QQitemZ300229240854QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Magnaflow-Catalytic-Converter-96-00-JEEP-CHEROKEE-23226_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1713Q2em153Q2el1262QQcategoryZ33629QQihZ024QQitemZ370053592434QQtcZphoto
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Magn...75827QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWD1V#ebayphotohosting
<edit: same part as second link, cheaper. Bolt on? Not sure, neither one seems to display the actual part>
Now, the down pipe (head pipe, header pipe?) from manifold/header, down and over to cat... well, it looks like a POS to me. However, searches for custom made, constant diameter pipe has yielded nothing but repeated returns for "Banks optional down pipe available", and crimp bent or OE pipes.
I'm looking for a stocked-by-autozone or buy online kind of thing, with nice mandrel bends, and no crushes. I'll be miles from the nearest exhaust shop, and have no access to a welder or bender, so I need stuff that either bolts right on with no fab work, or at the very least, I'll have to reuse the stock pipe and drive it to a shop. I'm typically leary of three things- shop labor, labor rates, and trying to negotiate custom parts. In the past, the labor's often come from meatheads, the rates have been too high for Mongo's workmanship, and/or they've tried to get me to pay more for a simple fab or install than a top of the line, name brand bolt on system would cost me. This is a small town, and my options are limited. Rambling on, does such a pipe exist (that will bolt up to the APN header and the cat), or is a custom pipe the only real option?
I'm also leaning toward the electric fan conversion, but am still trying to run down part numbers, and source another 97+ or comparable fan for cheap, such as Comanche91 did a write up on the other day. Anyone done this, or something similar, and have actual part numbers? I tried to find the same components (or those with identical specs), and I'm not confident enough with those results to order the parts and roll the dice. Again, as with the exhaust, this will be done far enough from a shop that a complete screw-up or need to do some welding/bending/fabbing will result in a major hassle.
As a result, I might put this one off until the exhaust is done, but the lure of doing everything, and only disassembling my DD one time is attractive. My and my buddy's schedules conflict somewhat, so being able to knock this out in a day or two is an important factor.
Lastly, assuming I haven't killed myself or gone broke fixing a mistake by this time, I'm looking to get a bored out TB. I had found a few links to shops offering them, but I can't find anything recent on them, and since this seems to be a popular upgrade, thought I'd see where you guys source yours, and see what my best (and cheapest) option was there.
Anyway, sorry for the book, thought I'd lay out all the relevant information, and save you from having to ask me a hundred questions before being able to answer the first one. Thanks, I appreciate your feedback.
hub
Last edited:
The walker catback is like 95 bucks from summit racing, and the generic cat was like $100. 