Ram 2500/3500 Cummins Exhaust Manifold Guide: BD vs ATS

If your Ram 2500 or 3500 Cummins is a 2007 through 2012, a 2013 through 2018, or a 2019 through 2024, you need a different exhaust manifold for each one. That split matters more than the brand name on the box, so start with your truck's years before anything else. RideBuildList earns commissions from some retailer links.

This is a pick-one guide. You are choosing one manifold setup that fits your truck and your goals, not adding every part below to a cart. There are really only two decisions here: which years your truck falls into, and whether you want a manifold-only upgrade or a manifold paired with a new turbo in a single box.

What an exhaust manifold swap actually does

The factory cast iron manifold on the 6.7L Cummins is built to survive hundreds of thousands of miles, not to move exhaust gas efficiently. It is a bottleneck, and that bottleneck matters more once you have added a bigger turbo, more fuel, or a tune that is asking the engine to work harder than stock. Swapping to a better flowing manifold, cast or tubular depending on the brand, loosens that bottleneck.

None of the six manifolds in this guide publish a horsepower or torque number on their own. That is worth sitting with, because it tells you something true: a manifold by itself rarely moves a dyno number. It is the part that lets a turbo, tune, or fuel system you already installed actually deliver what it is capable of. If you see a listing somewhere claiming a specific horsepower gain from a manifold alone, that number is not coming from any of the manufacturers in this catalog, and you should ask where it came from.

Two kinds of parts, not one

• Turbo and manifold together. BD Power sells a package that bundles a performance turbo with a two piece manifold in one box, sized separately for 2007-2012, 2013-2018, and 2019-2024. Pick this if your stock turbo is also tired or undersized for where you want to take the truck, or if you would rather do one install instead of two.
• Manifold only. ATS Diesel Performance and BD Diesel both sell standalone manifolds for the Cummins. Pick this if your factory turbo is fine and the exhaust side is the only thing holding the engine back.

Both manifold-only parts above are rated by their sellers for the full 2007 through 2018 span, covering both the 2007-2012 and 2013-2018 rows. They are each listed once in the table so you are not clicking the same link twice. Either one is worth a look no matter which of those two generations you are working on.

Why the years split the way it does

You will notice some of these listings use odd cutoffs, like 2007.5 instead of a clean 2007. That is not a typo. Ram and Cummins added diesel particulate filter equipment partway through the 2007 model year, which changed enough on the exhaust side that sellers split fitment right there. If your truck is an early or late 2007, check your build date against the specific listing before you buy, not just the model year on the title.

The newest trucks here, 2019 through 2024, come with two versions of the 6.7L Cummins on the books: Standard Output and High Output. The BD Power package and the ATS manifold for that generation are both listed to fit either version, according to the catalog, so you do not need to hunt for an HO specific or SO specific part. If you are not sure which one your truck has, that is an easy thing to check against your build sheet or by calling your dealer with your VIN.

What the install actually looks like

This is not a driveway job for most people. The catalog lists this as a harder install across the board, roughly four to eight hours, and realistically a shop job unless you already do your own exhaust work. Budget for that labor cost on top of the part price, and budget for a tune afterward too. A manifold that changes exhaust flow can change what your ECU is seeing, and a shop that installs the part should be able to tell you whether your current tune needs a revisit.

What to ask before you buy

• Does the listing's year range actually cover your truck, including the half year cutoffs some of these use?
• Are you buying the turbo and manifold package because you need a new turbo, or because it was easier to find than a standalone manifold? Those are different reasons to spend very different amounts of money.
• Has your truck's turbo already been replaced or upgraded? If so, a manifold-only part may be the only piece you actually need.
• Does your shop have Cummins manifold experience specifically? This part sits in a tight, hot spot on the engine, and a shop that has done the job before will move faster and catch a cracked bolt or a stuck stud before it becomes a bigger repair.

One more thing, and it is not a small one

Modifying the exhaust side of a diesel engine can run into emissions rules depending on your state and how the truck is used, and that is a legal question, not a mechanical one. Nothing in this guide is legal advice. Check your state's rules and, if you are not sure where you stand, talk to an attorney or your state's emissions authority before you buy, not after. The manufacturers listed here make their own claims about street legality and emissions compliance, and those claims are theirs, not RideBuildList's.

The short version: match your truck's exact years first, decide if you need a turbo or just a manifold second, and build the labor and a post-install tune into your budget from the start. Get those three things right and the brand name on the box matters a lot less.