H-PIPE EXHAUST OR X-PIPE ??

[pontiacgp]

on our race car we put installed an H pipe and it changed the sound level and tone but did nothing to improve our lap times which are recorded with the use of a transponder...and after a good hit which damaged the exhaust we didn't bother to put another H pipe in and our times were not affected at all...if there were any gains in power it would have been noticed and all of the teams would be running an X or an H but none are in our division...the difference in the first 5 cars is a couple of tenths at the end of the race so we do everything we can to get an edge on the competition..

on an exhaust the flow is determined by the diameter of the pipe and it's length is not part of the equation...the X or the H does not increase the diameter of the exhaust and therefore has no effect..

 

[86_olds]

I have an "X" with cutouts. I was running headers out to some Thrush weldeds before the x. Sounded mean and clean. But after adding the X, I wont go back to straight pipe out to the mufflers. The X smoothed out the exhaust tone nicely..





Flipped the piping around so the exhaust would flow right out the opening when the cutout kit opens....













The H pipe does make the exhaust note a lil deeper sounding to me. Take a look at some vids on youtube. Be sure to note what kind of motor the car has and mods done. That plays a role in how the mufflers will sound also. I looked for Thrush welded on a SBC 350. Worked out sweet. I found a setup very simular to my motor and loved the sound clip. Mine sounds just like the vid upload. Hope this helps bruh..
Elco Warren 8)

how much was ur exhaust system warren it looks expensive

 

[laman1982]

so 3" pipe from header to end is the way to go right ?

 

[patmckinneyracing]

No 3 inch is not always the way to go. You can have too large of an exhaust for your application and backpressure is important when it comes to performance. Most small blocks you can run 2.5 without too many issues and 2.25 is pretty standard these days.

 

[84sbcregal23deg]

Pat, I'm sorry, but I do not trust your information anymore, besides by dis-proved I meant significant gains that 84regalsbc23 said, sorry for the confusion as I re-read my post it doesn't make since, so let me re-type. As far as significant? No... are there gains? yes but for the cost of the pipe/labor/welding, to me at least it just isn't worth it for power you won't feel at all and if you do it's very minimal.. it's all in the sound you want to make!!!

It really depends on the engine, but its not going to hurt to use one. either one is not expensive to do, and yes on a very mild car, you probably won't gain a ton of power. however, a good breathing setup will absolutely benefit from either an X or H system. and as for the exhaust pulses smashing into each other with an X, thatd be a pretty tough one to explain, as they're pulses, not a steady flow. id love to know how you're having multiple cylinders firing at the same time!

 

[Bumpin1ohmSS]

how much was ur exhaust system warren it looks expensive

Not too bad on the wallet. I got the X for $160 and summit had the Thrush Welded's for $35 a piece. The install was $150. The only expensive part are the Doug's headers...To the og poster..3" may be way too much for your setup. Backpressure is needed for performance. My setup is at 2.5 and might be a lil big for my crate 350..But it sounds mean X or H..You go with what YOU like. I listened to H setups and X setups. Went with the x.....Not because this was more hp or that was more whatever. I just liked the sound I got from the x....

Elco Warren 8)

 

[patmckinneyracing]

No the cylinders are not firing all together. That's why I said the length of pipe is the determining factor in that situation. Lets say one half of the dual exhaust has more bends with longer total length and the other half has less bends and shorter total length. There is more of a chance of the pulses colliding due to the two distance being different, change in velocity of the pulses, or any of a number of factors. Most X-pipe exhausts don't have these bends but its just a theory. BumpinOhmSS doesn't have two pipes that are different, they appear symmetrical in the pics.

 

[shotgun]

Not knowing the specs on the engine how can anyone make size recommendations?

If you are under 500hp stay with 2 1/2inch.

You need back pressure, come on people!!!

3" will move the torque up the power band which is where the back pressure myth comes from.

Where are the mythbuster guys?

 

[Blake442]

The X-pipe makes no sense to me since the exhaust pulses are interfering with each other at a central point, which would cause the exhaust to lose velocity out the exhaust pipe. This may vary depending on the distance that each pulse is having to travel in each pipe and whether they are missing each other or colliding at the X-pipe. Watch a video of figure 8 racing and cars missing and colliding and you'll get the idea. With the H-pipe, the pressure is only being equalized without either pipe interfering with each others exhaust pulses.

What a terrible metaphor. You clearly have no idea how they work.

Here is one of dozens of magazine articles that show that not only do X-pipes make more power than H-pipes on the chassis dyno, but they also make more power than open headers, without all the noise.

I was looking for one I had read with an Olds, but found this one with the exact same results...
http://www.carcraft.com/techarticles/exhaust_system_installation/index.html

 

[Blue86Monte]

Bump to blake442, great post. People do some research before posting what you "think" you know!!!