x32792
Adventurer
17.5 vs 15.5 mpg is significant....Anxiously await your next milage with Banks header report...And thank you for being anal with your records keeping.
2004 TJ Rubicon - Cracked Exhaust Manifold
- Thread starter Rubicon
- Start date
17.5 vs 15.5 mpg is significant....Anxiously await your next milage with Banks header report...And thank you for being anal with your records keeping.
Rubicon
Observer
Just the whistle - never got any type of check engine light at all.... Honestly, the whistle ended up going away once the engine was fully warmed up, but what go me to go in was my wife wouldn't even ride in the Jeep at all due to the whistle! Drove her CRAZY - didn't bother me too much because 90% of the time, by the time I was at work, the engine was warm enough not to make any noise any more....
I have noticed a significant "seat of the pants" increase in power, and the engine/tranny (I have the Auto) won't downshift nearly as often while at speed on the Freeway/Interstate.
I have noticed a significant "seat of the pants" increase in power, and the engine/tranny (I have the Auto) won't downshift nearly as often while at speed on the Freeway/Interstate.
Jim K in PA
Adventurer
Thanks for the update. Any pics of the coated header before install? 
If the leak/whistle closed up enough to stop the flow once the manifold warmed up, then the mileage numbers should be pretty reliable for comparison. If an exhaust leak is significant enough, and the leak is before the primary O2 sensor(s), the computer will detect an artificial lean condition and fatten up the mixture. When you fix the leak, then the O2 sensor will see full exhaust flow, and stop fattening the mixture (closed loop mode obviously). The result will be a decrease in fuel usage (improved mileage).
Did you replace O2 sensors when you installed the header, or re-use the old sensors?
If the leak/whistle closed up enough to stop the flow once the manifold warmed up, then the mileage numbers should be pretty reliable for comparison. If an exhaust leak is significant enough, and the leak is before the primary O2 sensor(s), the computer will detect an artificial lean condition and fatten up the mixture. When you fix the leak, then the O2 sensor will see full exhaust flow, and stop fattening the mixture (closed loop mode obviously). The result will be a decrease in fuel usage (improved mileage).
Did you replace O2 sensors when you installed the header, or re-use the old sensors?
steventexas
Observer
I-6 Header choice
I chose the JBA ceramic exhaust header.
The header for better flow but the ceramic for reduced under hood heat.
Overall the Entire system from Air Raid intake, ceramic header, banks exhaust and custom cat back, all of which is tuned in with the Hypertech Flash Pak, is an enormous improvement.
Ample Power on the hi-way when loaded and improved milage by 1.8 mpg on average.
Most significant to me is the reduced heat under hood. It's just not hot anymore!
Crawling around in the 100+ ambient temps and 140+ sand was a barn burner. Not anymore.
The Flash pak, while were on the subject, is worth the money.
Perofrmance93 on the hi-way runs like the proverbial scalded dog. Tow setting in the sand keeps the higher rpm shifting pattern and noticeable low end torque.
I chose the JBA ceramic exhaust header.
The header for better flow but the ceramic for reduced under hood heat.
Overall the Entire system from Air Raid intake, ceramic header, banks exhaust and custom cat back, all of which is tuned in with the Hypertech Flash Pak, is an enormous improvement.
Ample Power on the hi-way when loaded and improved milage by 1.8 mpg on average.
Most significant to me is the reduced heat under hood. It's just not hot anymore!
Crawling around in the 100+ ambient temps and 140+ sand was a barn burner. Not anymore.
The Flash pak, while were on the subject, is worth the money.
Perofrmance93 on the hi-way runs like the proverbial scalded dog. Tow setting in the sand keeps the higher rpm shifting pattern and noticeable low end torque.
Rubicon
Observer
Thanks for the update. Any pics of the coated header before install?
If the leak/whistle closed up enough to stop the flow once the manifold warmed up, then the mileage numbers should be pretty reliable for comparison. If an exhaust leak is significant enough, and the leak is before the primary O2 sensor(s), the computer will detect an artificial lean condition and fatten up the mixture. When you fix the leak, then the O2 sensor will see full exhaust flow, and stop fattening the mixture (closed loop mode obviously). The result will be a decrease in fuel usage (improved mileage).
Did you replace O2 sensors when you installed the header, or re-use the old sensors?
Jim, great post - mileage and power are definitely both "up". My wife even noticed that the Jeep "feels more powerful" from the passenger's seat. Definitely notice that the transmission doesn't have to downshift nearly as often while running on the highway/freeways.
Unfortunately, I was so excited to get the install underway that I forgot to take any pictures! I was planning on doing a before/after picture, but it didn't happen.... Basically, if you see the pictures on the Banks website, it comes "raw steel". After coating, it was a flat/satin black. Jet Hot did two coats on the outside of the header & one coat on the inside.
My dad had the same coating done on his 1963(ish) Series IIA Land Rover (both the header pipes and the initial section of exhaust pipe) - the first section of exhaust runs right under the foot-well on the Series IIA & you could literally boil water on the floor after a while! He actually had the soles on a pair of shoes start melting before he put in carpeting (and before the coating). After the coating, the floor is nice and cool!The shop where I had the work done inspected (I'm assuming visually) the O2 sensors & they appeared to be in good shape so I reused them. I wasn't getting any type of engine code/check engine light (before or after the install).... I trust the work of this shop - they do a lot of Jeep Speed builds for themselves, and also do a ton of R&D for various fabricators (engine parts, suspensions, etc)....
Jim K in PA
Adventurer
No worries. When the time comes, I will have the header coated by Jet Hot, as well as the front pipe. I will be deleting the pre-cats, and running a high flow main cat. I had some cast iron manifolds coated by Jet Hot about 10 years ago. They still look new today (on a 1967 Pontiac 428). I am not sure who's header I will use yet, but if the Cast Iron Jeep manifolds crack as commonly as they seem to, I might as well use a tube header.
BTW - I was getting P2096 and P2098 codes (check engine light on for the last few months). I would reset the codes and the CEL would stay off for a while. With the new sensors, no more code and much better power and drivability. If you had no codes before, your O2 sensors were probably fine.
Happy wheeling.
BTW - I was getting P2096 and P2098 codes (check engine light on for the last few months). I would reset the codes and the CEL would stay off for a while. With the new sensors, no more code and much better power and drivability. If you had no codes before, your O2 sensors were probably fine.
Happy wheeling.