American made up-pipes?

[BrewTown]

New to me '00 Excursion, needs up-pipes. I am willing to pay a bit more for made in America, just not really sure who's making them nowadays.

Otherwise the injectors 230/100, turbo 1st gen KC38R, Hydra with new tunes, etc... from my '01 will be going on, along with many other supporting things.

 

[ncollins64]

Contact irate diesel or riffraff diesel.

 

[BrewTown]

Ouch! My 6.0 ones fabricated in Cali were less than Clay's, but, like I said, willing to pay for American and Quality. I'll have to contact them to see time frame as they're out of stock.

I don't see Irate having them, unless you were secretly saying go T-4. I'd go KC300X 66/73 .84 if I wasn't staying with my current KC38R 1.0. It's only got about 15k miles on it and the injectors.

 

[Addicted4]

Just buy up pipes, nothing more than just tubing. Or sell the 38r and go t4

 

[BrewTown]

Just buy up pipes, nothing more than just tubing. Or sell the 38r and go t4

I see where you are coming from, however, point is as little money as possible flowing to communist china... And I see 0 reason to go T-4 for this rig with how KC is killing it with the drop ins... It won't be seeing multiple different turbos, changing sizes all the time. That's really where the T-4 shines.

I'm also assuming you know, I have a KC38R, not the "old school" 38R

 

[DEEZUZ]

Diesel innovations.

I've had my 38r and up pipes for 8 years. No issues

 

[Addicted4]

Just buy cheap ones it’s just exhaust tubing. Several cheap eBay kits I’ve installed have been running 50k miles no issues and fitment is fine. Even comes with ****** pedestal and ebpv ****** housing. Just my $.02 but if you were to spend the cash I would buy t4 up pipes and make the switch if your planning on keeping it for a long time.

 

[Addicted4]

Di is no longer

 

[Addicted4]

Even made in America kits use China steel and bellows just welded in America . And I disagree with you on the t4, it’s not for switching turbos all the time. It is a more robust setup, cheaper to rebuild, more common, easier to upgrade. Kc38r or 38r same diff

 

[BrewTown]

Even made in America kits use China steel and bellows just welded in America . And I disagree with you on the t4, it’s not for switching turbos all the time. It is a more robust setup, cheaper to rebuild, more common, easier to upgrade. Kc38r or 38r same diff

Clay says his is American materials also.
T-4 is unnecessary for what I want, and cost wise, I could easily buy another KC and be money ahead. And those can be rebuilt too.
KC38R and the old-school 38R are not the same. KC outperformed it by a good margin.

 

[lincolnlocker]

Diesel innovations.

I've had my 38r and up pipes for 8 years. No issues

DI isnt around anymore.

live life full throttle

 

[lariat 7.3]

I have a set of international bellowed up pipes in stainless. Located in FL. Pm me if interested

 

[cjfarm111]

RiffRaff for USA! Great products built by great Americans!

 

[BrewTown]

I have a set of international bellowed up pipes in stainless. Located in FL. Pm me if interested

Thanks, I already picked some up. I was time limited, and Riffraff was out or stock and wasn't sure when more would come in. I ended up getting a set from Full Force. I did not try my local International dealer. Not sure why I didn't think of that...

 

[lariat 7.3]

They ain’t cheap lol

 

[tomlin]

I would go the Riff Raff route for the up pipes. Cant go wrong with them in my book. I would like to see some unbiased data on the KC38R being a better turbo. At some point, you are limited by the overall design restrictions of the factory turbo mounting set up. Garrett spend millions designing the GTP38R and addressing the factory deficiencies. I cannot believe their was much left to improve upon. First, we went through the magic compressor wheel phase where we gain 'X" amount of HP by changing the compressor wheel. Then we had a rash of failed turbos from balance issues. Now we go backwards, build a journal bearing turbo, name it a similar name and supposedly its a better design?

 

[cjfarm111]

I’m my opinion the kc300 series turbos are superior to the 38R. As for the ball bearing I see no advantage to it whatsoever. All smoke and mirrors. A 360 journal bearing will last just as long and take just as much abuse. The 38R was a good turbo in its day but better designs have come along. Simple

 

[Addicted4]

I have no experience with the kc turbos but I will tell you that the 38r has been around a lot longer, has more miles than kc. And abuse the 38r is hard to beat. Are there better options for drop in, probably but the 38r is tried and true.

The 38r came out in the 7.3 hay day when big injectors and not the best tuning. Tuning as a whole has gotten better so I guarantee the 38r seen big long pulse widths, high egts, dog **** ran out of.

 

[cjfarm111]

Oh I agree 100%. I’m saying there are better options out there now and a 360 journal bearing is just as good as the 38r. I ran one for awhile with no complaints.

 

[BrewTown]

I've never had a 38r, but I do have the 1st gen KC38R. Back when it came out I remember 38R guys swapping to KC and making more power. I'd bet those threads are searchable.

I believe journal bearing turbos are actually more robust. That 38r has a great reputation though for laughing at abuse.

I don't think anyone is saying the 38R is bad, they are just saying turbo tech has progressed. The tech in the wheels, like the SXe line is much better.
Good thing we can all have choice and opinions!