Does anybody have any real-world experience with X-Pipes and what kind of performance gains can you can expect from adding one? I have a nice 2 1/2 inch exhaust with stainless steel turbo mufflers and 1 5/8 headers. Car sounds great, just wondering how much of a change, if any, I will have if I install an X-Pipe. Are they "better" than an H-Pipe?

I recently changed my x-pipe to a H-pipe.The reason was that the X-pipe gave a schrill,higher pitched sound during acceleration. The H-pipe makes a deeper tone,which is what I wanted. As for performance,I can't tell any difference.

"As for performance,I can't tell any difference."

i think this is the case for most of us. cup cars use x-pipes but those guys are turning 7-9k continously, have open intakes and huge flowing heads. they can benefit from the scaveging effect. i don't see where most of us can benefit from the x-pipe (or even the H for that matter).

just my opinion.

I gained almost as much from my SR cam swap as I did from a true dual to x pipe. Now, that might not say much about the cam, but alot of the x pipes power came on down low, to my surprise as well. I don't have the dyno printout from that run, but it was significant (20 or so ft-lbs) until a certain point in the RPM range where the x and true dual made the same power.
Then I tossed the cam on and gained another 30-35hp, depending on if i ran the 1" spacer which I don't.

Matt

Motors that make a lot of power or are over 400 cubic inches seem to benefit from more exhaust. A 454 will die if restricted to a pair of 2 1/4" exhaust pipes while the same size on a good running 396 is hardly noticable. I know a lot of people that don't like the exhaust note from the "X" pipe. Kinda like 180 degree headers on a small block.

Sounds like there are some mixed feelings. Maybe I'll just leave it alone. Just kidding, I'll probably try the X at some point.

I installed an X on the Shebly Clone (351W motor). Had 1-5/8" Hedmans into 2-1/4" w/ X and Hooker Aero Chambers. Had a nice tuned sound, but not what I would consider a growl. My 408 motor has traditional headers and 2-1/2" duals w/ turbos. I like the deeper sound of the current set up better.

My take on this is that the x-pipes don't really do anything to the sound of a large cube motor at idle (427+ I'd think), you still get that thump, although I do think x-pipes reduce the sound level considerably. Once you step on the gas though, it sounds different. As far as the sound level goes, it went from waking up the house from starting the car in the garage to being able to start it up, leave and return without anyone hearing it.
I think they are more good than bad if you want performance, if you crave that muscle car sound, then you will have to look elsewhere unfortunatley.
I also hated the sound when we replaced my dynomax super turbo mufflers with 14" long by probably a few inches tall and not very wide spin techs, it sounded like a bastard nascar engine.

Matt

Whether its X or H, most cars will benefit from some kind of balance tube, helps scavenge the exhaust better. Mr.Bigley,the meticulous record keeper that he is, picked up less than a tenth between his H to X swap. The key is mandrel bent pipes and SOME kind of balance tube graemlins/thumbsup.gif

I've had both and can't tell any difference. It just seems to me that an X will flow better than an H. An X just seems a little smoother or aerodynamic if you will. Just my $.02.

Originally posted by Rapid Robert:
Whether its X or H, most cars will benefit from some kind of balance tube, helps scavenge the exhaust better. Mr.Bigley,the meticulous record keeper that he is, picked up less than a tenth between his H to X swap. The key is mandrel bent pipes and SOME kind of balance tube graemlins/thumbsup.gif Ed uses 4-2-1 collectors and these have the secondary junction in the collector. The addition of an x-pipe will have less effect with this setup than with a traditional 4-into-1 collector where the crossover becomes the secondary junction. A lot of serious header systems these days are tri-y independence setups because the exhaust system is too short to have a crossover.
X-pipes are like any other performance part, they work well when used properly.

At the risk of being simplistic....for me, it was the sound.The H-pipe gave me what I wanted to hear,the X-pipe did not.

I don't care for the X pipe sound either..sounds like an import on steroids,behind a friends smallblock anyways :D

I like the sounds, although it is different. Definitely a bit less staccato, and a bit higher note. X pipe has more impact on the 'pumping'
action of the engine. Sometimes it reminds me of a bike at a typical 3000-3100 cruise rpm.

In terms of flow I think the X pipe is WAY better because not only does it equalize the pressure between the tubes but one side can scavenge the other side. Both make the car quieter but I dont think either makes the car sound bad.

Has anyone here ran two x pipes on the same system? I wonder if the sound pitch would go higher or cancel out?

I just installed an Xpipe with dynomax mufflers and Flowmaster tailpipes.Its quiet at idle and highway speeds not what I expected.Sounds great at full throttle though. :D

My old exhaust consisted of Hooker Super Comp 1 3/4 headers, and 2.5 true mandrel duals with 3 chamber 2.5 Flowmaster mufflers.

I liked the sound, but wanted a crossover pipe.

I bought and installed a 3" into 2.5 Dr.Gas X-pipe setup. I bought that size because I wanted to reuse my old exhaust.

After the first time I started the car after the X-pipe, the Flowmaster mufflers never had a prayer. It sounded horrible, like there were bolts bouncing around in the exhaust it was so crackily. I pulled the Flows off and replaced them with Magnaflows and now I like it.

Just my little .02

I personally like the X pipe sound on my '67 GT0 with 462 4spd. I have a complete 3" exhaust with Xpipe, Dynomax Ultra Flo Weldeds and 1 3/4" Doug's Headers. Nice choppy idle sound with the Crower 304H cam, not real loud at freeway speeds, but noticeable and has a strong "braaaap" sound going through the gears.

i recently installed xpipes on my elky. i have dynomax 1 5/8" coated headers, 2 1/2" exhaust, flowmaster 3 chamber mufflers. i was mainly doing this to drop some decibel level at idle which it did. however, the xpipes gave me a tone at wot that i am not wild about. i guess i will leave it for now but based on JLP's comment above i will make a mental note to change to magnaflows at some point. however i dont have a crackily sound like he describes; its just higher pitched whine instead of the nice throaty tones that the flowmasters originally produced. as a side note, it might just be my imagination but i could swear my torque jumped a notch or two with those xpipes. does that make sense?

I have a 3" into 2-1/2" Dr. Gas X. When I had the Super Turbos the exhaust sounded fine. Now with Straightline Performance mufflers it's terrible, a lot like glasspacks :( . So it's more than just an X pipe or not but what else you have before and after it. Super turbos are going back on.