Adding an aftermarket exhaust system to a performance vehicle is a standard upgrade for diesel enthusiasts. These high-performance systems offer smooth bends, polished tubes and tip(s), and a larger diameter for better flow. The 3-inch MBRP Pro Series 304 stainless-steel kit (PN s6500304) we recently installed on our 3.0L diesel Jeep Grand Cherokee comes in three sections, whereas the factory exhaust was only a single piece and had a diameter of 2.75 inches. This meant if we wanted to remove the factory exhaust, the whole suspension needed to come out. Since the new MBRP kit bolts together, future removal will be easy.
The MBRP system looks way better compared to stock because of the rolled stainless-steel tip. The new sound coming from the MBRP pipe offers a slight growl compared to the factory exhaust with muffler. The MBRP kit eliminates the muffler, making it lighter, but will not appease those looking for a loud truck because the turbo, catalytic converter, and diesel particulate filter (DPF) muffle the noise significantly before it gets to the second half of the exhaust. Unfortunately, with the Jeep's factory calibration we didn't see any power gains with the new MBRP system installed.
 Our '08 Jeep Grand Cherokee...  Our '08 Jeep Grand Cherokee 3.0L diesel received a new drop-in air filter from S&B since its last dyno, so we ran it again to get a baseline number. Our power level hadn't changed, and the Jeep delivered 176 hp and 331 lb-ft of torque to the wheels. |  The stock exhaust was extremely...  The stock exhaust was extremely awkward and long. From where it unbolted at the diesel particulate filter (DPF), it ran all the way to the end as one continuous piece. |  Even with our Jeep's suspension...  Even with our Jeep's suspension extended as far as it would go, we still could not feed the factory exhaust out between the suspension and the body. |
 Our next plan was to unbolt...  Our next plan was to unbolt the driveshaft and see if that would give us enough wiggle room. Notice the white stripe marking the driveshaft's position (arrow). It was important to install it the same way it was removed in order to not disturb the balance. We also made sure to add blue Loctite to the bolts before they were torqued. |  Even with the driveshaft out...  Even with the driveshaft out of the way, the exhaust would not clear. We were happy to discover our transfer case doesn't have a slip-yoke. |  The white stripe on the exhaust...  The white stripe on the exhaust (arrow) was added before the cut, so in case this exhaust is used again in the future, it will be easier to align the tubes when welding them back together. |