This Hemi-powered Ram has received half a catalog's worth of aftermarket goodies, including two different exhaust systems, a cold air kit, a throttle-body spacer, headers, and a programmer. Each modification shaved off unwanted seconds, from a lumbering 10.27 eighth -mile time down to the low 9's, translating to high 14-second quarter-mile passes. So when Editor Bolig asked if we'd be interested in installing QTP's electric exhaust cutouts on the Ram, we thought, Every little bit could help.
Performance exhaust is tricky. Finding a system that provides sufficient flow is the key to giving your powerplant enough freedom while maintaining some semblance of a street machine. Were it not so, we'd all run uncorked headers everywhere on our Mopar iron. Since we wanted this truck to remain 50-state legal, we needed to find an exhaust system that would pass the strictest smog testing while still allowing our 5.7L Hemi ample breathing room. Bassani's side-exit exhaust was a true dual after-cat system that flowed freely and muted the tone just slightly so that our passengers were not deafened.
QTP's electric cutouts (QTEC) would allow us uncorked exhaust on demand with the flip of a switch. But we had to find a way to install them on the already tight Bassani system. The QTEC system is setup to be installed easily on most exhaust systems with few alterations save for some minor trimming of the existing exhaust pipe. Since the exhaust was so convoluted underneath the Ram with mandrel-bent curves and contours, along with O2 sensor bungs and the factory catalytic converters, we needed some serious fabrication innovations to engineer a way to fit the QTEC onto our Bassani pipes. Once all the cutting, welding, and grinding was taken care of, the easy part of wiring the servo-operated electric cutouts would take little time.
Originally, we ordered the...
Originally, we ordered the QTEC kit for a dual exhaust. This gave us two identical lengths of 211/42-inch pipe with angle-cut side dumps with thick flanges attached. Since our existing system was so tightly packed under the Ram, we decided to vertically plasma-cut both lengths in half. This would allow us to weld the cutouts to the existing pipe rather than replacing it. Of course, this immediately voided our factory QTP product warranty.
Upon closer inspection, we...
Upon closer inspection, we noticed that only an index-finger-size relief was made in the pipe for the cutouts. Wanting to maximize our total flow with the flanges wide open, we took our trusty plasma cutter out again and opened up the pipe. A conical grinding stone on a hand grinder smoothed the edges with ease, ensuring that we got as close as we could to having open headers.
With our first piece opened...
With our first piece opened and ready for installation, we measured it against the portion of pipe that we were going to modify. The existing portion of pipe was marked and mocked up with the cutout that...
...needed to have its ends...
...needed to have its ends trimmed to fit the flared ends of the Bassani pipe. We used a black marker and masking tape to measure where we needed to cut.
With both cutouts mocked up...
With both cutouts mocked up and marked for cutting, the existing side-exit Bassani exhaust system aft of the catalytic converters was taken out. Since we enjoyed the luxury of a car lift, the process was easy. For those not so lucky, don't attempt to fabricate while the system is still attached to the vehicle. Once out, we could measure a second time before we took our cutting torch to the metal. Remember: measure twice, cut once.
We cut each length of pipe,...
We cut each length of pipe, leaving more than enough room to flow out of our newly opened cutouts. Lightly zapping spot welds at the corners, we were able to attach our new cutout sleeves over the opened pipe. Using large C-clamps, we closed the gaps and layed a solid bead. We went slowly to guarantee zero exhaust leaks. We wanted freer flowing exhaust, but only out of the right holes.
At the bends, we made sure...
At the bends, we made sure to double our welds, as exhaust rattle and road debris bouncing up and colliding with the exhaust is notorious for causing unwanted leaks.
With both lengths modified...
With both lengths modified with QTP cutouts, it's easy to see why we chose to go this direction rather than attempt to butt-weld the intact QTEC pipe with the existing plumbing. Particular angles were cut to form-fit the mandrel-bent piping and to not interfere with the pipes' slide-together flanges.
Overlapping the sleeves over...
Overlapping the sleeves over the existing pipe ensured greater exhaust leak better than trying to piecemeal the system together. Your system probably won't be this hard to modify.