LB7: Up pipes worth the money?

PAT

EASY DAY
Aug 21, 2011
1,100
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0
your back yard
I still run a Bd and stock manifold

Can't afford the new pipes lol

Lol for $1000+ I doubt I'll run different. I don't think it will make a thousand dollar difference. I'll drop EGT's with injectables for a fraction of the price.
Yay for built motors and stock bolt ons!
 

9mmkungfu

Member
Aug 29, 2011
158
0
16
Northern Virginia
Which one out of the six different combinations they offer?

Speaking of "ProFab" I ordered an LB7 downpipe and received one with an "Insyrator" logo (spelling could be off). It didn't fit and I had to send it back.
 

hondarider552

Getting faster
May 28, 2008
10,628
2
36
33
Arizona
IMHO...


Up pipes are worth the money, just the up pipes..


Not saying I do not like my PPE manifolds/up pipes, but I was expecting more, and IMO, their not all that cracked up to be. I blew out an up pipe bellow, and it was a good excuse to upgrade while I had everything apart, and getting screwed by ATS.


Definately not a eye opener, but did help idle EGT's, and WOT a little bit.

Its been proven stock manifolds get the job done, and I highly doubt stock manifolds will cause an issue like their said to.


Just my take on it ;)
 

Dirtymaxx03

Active member
Aug 4, 2009
3,110
1
38
IMHO...


Up pipes are worth the money, just the up pipes..


Not saying I do not like my PPE manifolds/up pipes, but I was expecting more, and IMO, their not all that cracked up to be. I blew out an up pipe bellow, and it was a good excuse to upgrade while I had everything apart, and getting screwed by ATS.


Definately not a eye opener, but did help idle EGT's, and WOT a little bit.

Its been proven stock manifolds get the job done, and I highly doubt stock manifolds will cause an issue like their said to.


Just my take on it ;)

pretty much sums up my take on it also
 

IOWA LLY

Yes, its really me
Feb 23, 2007
2,275
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Have aftermarket up-pipes proven to be more reliable/durable in hi drive pressure/high EGT situations?

I have seen several sets of blown apart stockers lately from trucks running small single turbos that run high drive pressure. It would be nice if the aftermarket ones hold up better.

I know when they were first introduced they didn't seem to be as reliable as stock up-pipes.
 

Dan@PPE

Diesel Enthusiast
Aug 8, 2006
2,570
0
36
So Cal.
IMHO...


Up pipes are worth the money, just the up pipes..


Not saying I do not like my PPE manifolds/up pipes, but I was expecting more, and IMO, their not all that cracked up to be. I blew out an up pipe bellow, and it was a good excuse to upgrade while I had everything apart, and getting screwed by ATS.


Definately not a eye opener, but did help idle EGT's, and WOT a little bit.

Its been proven stock manifolds get the job done, and I highly doubt stock manifolds will cause an issue like their said to.

Just my take on it ;)


I have to disagree with this. I have personal experience on multiple failures of the stock parts, Here is a pic.

I have replaced the stock uppipe a few times with new stock parts and this is what happens, even stretched the other side a few times and cracked a few manifolds.

They work fine for mild applications but over time they WILL NOT hold up.
 

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Dan@PPE

Diesel Enthusiast
Aug 8, 2006
2,570
0
36
So Cal.
Have aftermarket up-pipes proven to be more reliable/durable in hi drive pressure/high EGT situations?

I have seen several sets of blown apart stockers lately from trucks running small single turbos that run high drive pressure. It would be nice if the aftermarket ones hold up better.

I know when they were first introduced they didn't seem to be as reliable as stock up-pipes.

We have thoroughly tested our up pipes/manifolds in many applications (twin turbo, small single, large single, High egts and CRAZY high drive pressures) without one failure of them. There is no other company that offers a bellow that is of the quality of ours (Military aircraft grade). Our’s might be a little more expensive but "you get what you pay for".
 

IOWA LLY

Yes, its really me
Feb 23, 2007
2,275
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I have to disagree with this. I have personal experience on multiple failures of the stock parts, Here is a pic.

I have replaced the stock uppipe a few times with new stock parts and this is what happens, even stretched the other side a few times and cracked a few manifolds.

They work fine for mild applications but over time they WILL NOT hold up.

Have you ever seen a stock manifold crack somewhere other then where it was drilled and tapped?

I have seen several blown up-pipes like that. Almost all of them come off of trucks with PPE turbo kits using a Garret "40" series turbo. I'm not blaming PPE at all, but I don't think the 40 series is large enough on the exhaust side to keep drive pressure in check.

How do the aftermarket up-pipes work in this application? Lets say 100 psi of drive and 1900-2000* EGT?
 

Dan@PPE

Diesel Enthusiast
Aug 8, 2006
2,570
0
36
So Cal.
Have you ever seen a stock manifold crack somewhere other then where it was drilled and tapped?

I have seen several blown up-pipes like that. Almost all of them come off of trucks with PPE turbo kits using a Garret "40" series turbo. I'm not blaming PPE at all, but I don't think the 40 series is large enough on the exhaust side to keep drive pressure in check.

How do the aftermarket up-pipes work in this application? Lets say 100 psi of drive and 1900-2000* EGT?

No I have not seen them fail (other than drilled and tapped).

The stock manifold is a reliable design (Not a high performance design) and work well for mild to med HP output.

If you are spending tens of thousands of dollars on a build would you keep the stock mani's and uppipes? I hope not. Most people spend that kind of money to build a RELAIBLE HI OUTPUT engine and want to MAXIMIZE each of the components they spent big money on.

Design+materials+flow+reliablity=PPE manifolds and uppipes!
 

dairymandev

New member
Jun 9, 2011
3
0
0
Pingree Idaho
When I cut apart an LB7 downpipe to try to build a larger one myself, I measured the cross section of the stocker. It was roughly 2"x4", which is 8sq". A 3" downpipe only has an area a bit larger than 7sq". Even with the stocker's restrictions, the only improvement would really be at the top bend after the turbo. I only run ~1500* in the 1/4 with a stocker, so it wasnt worth it to me to change it out.

A 3.5" downpipe would have an area of 9.6sq" and that would be a big improvement.

That leads me to the downpipe/frontpipe band connection. You could have a 4" downpipe, but it still has to squeeze thru that 3" restriction, doesnt it? So any benefits you might get from a larger downpipe are negated by the choke point at the front pipe. IF someone would make a 3.5" downpipe and include a new front pipe with a 3.5 or 4" connection, Id buy one. Problem is, it would be cost prohibitive, thats why nobody has done it.

Uppipes, though, are a definite improvement. Combine them with a set of manifolds and you reduce restriction to the turbo by quite a bit.


Gentlmen, We can not get ahead of our selves. I have an o3 lb7 dmax and when I bought the standard 3 inch down pipe I was also thinking how is this supposed to flow more? So we got to testing. I am an ag teacher at Snake River Highschool in Blackfoot Idaho. so I had some equipment and trucks at my disposal. We took two identicle trucks, mine and one of my students wich also was strait piped, and had a cold air intake. I had installed my 3" down pipe and he still has the stocker. We hooked a flow meter up in the exhaust line. I was amazed at the results. The stocker dp may looker bigger, but it does not flow as much as a simple 3 inch down pipe. Egts were also 50-75 degrees cooler with the 3" dp. We figured that the reason why is becuase the exhaust wants to expand, and it is allowed to right after it leaves the turbo on a stocker, but then has to recompress when it gets pinched to go around the dipstick and fire wall. this caused flow problems and turbulance as the exhaust is now trying to figure out where to go. on the strait flow dp it just expands down and out the pipe creating more flow, thus better turbo wind, and cooler egts. So, looking bigger does not always mean everything. In IMO it is well worth the money for a regular 3" down pipe.
 
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RickDLance

Active member
Feb 14, 2007
1,276
14
38
I can tell you also that my up pipes have dyno'd 15-25 hp on several stock lly's way back when I first designed them.

Design+materials+flow+reliability+experience = ProFab products!
 

KidwickedLMM

New member
Jun 12, 2011
70
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Gonna high jack a second. Is changing down pipes really hard on an LMM with the tranny dropped? I've had a MBRP dp for months and haven't changed it because I've heard it almost impossible? What's ur thoughts ?