I've also got the Pypes 2.5 SS w/X pipe and Magna Flow cats & Hooker long tube SS headers. Sounds and runs great.
Yet another exhaust question-straight or X pipe
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As a general rule of thumb: a divided exhaust system (ie, no crossover) is your engine's baseline output. Adding an H-pipe will give you a slight increase in bottom-end output, approximately up to the torque peak; above that, there will be little difference. Adding an X-pipe will give you the same low-end gain as the H-pipe, but this gain will continue higher in the rev range until approximately the horsepower peak.
On my car, I went with an X-pipe. The cost increase was very small, and I felt it was worth it. The sound, however, is very different than my co-worker's El Camino (we are running the same bottom end and the same camshaft). He has no crossover and has Flowmaster mufflers, and his car sounds like a typical, traditional blatty musclecar. My Pypes Race Pros and the X-pipe sound more... exotic, for lack of a better word. When I'm on the throttle, it sounds like my engine is revving higher than his.
$.02
On my car, I went with an X-pipe. The cost increase was very small, and I felt it was worth it. The sound, however, is very different than my co-worker's El Camino (we are running the same bottom end and the same camshaft). He has no crossover and has Flowmaster mufflers, and his car sounds like a typical, traditional blatty musclecar. My Pypes Race Pros and the X-pipe sound more... exotic, for lack of a better word. When I'm on the throttle, it sounds like my engine is revving higher than his.
$.02
My Monte has an H-pipe mainly because that is all that will fit, I think my 4/7 swap cam changes the tone a little also.
I have 2 chamber 4-1/2" Flowmaster Top Ten Race mufflers
I have 2 chamber 4-1/2" Flowmaster Top Ten Race mufflers
I got it right,
X vs. H
Although X- and H-pipes perform extremely well for a minimal investment in time and money, both offer unique properties that make one more suitable than the other depending on the application. “The two biggest differences between an X- and an H-pipe are sound and power. Generally, the X-pipe will deliver a more high-pitched exhaust note, making a car sound more exotic, whereas an H-pipe gives a deeper tone with more of a traditional hot rod sound,” says George Rumore of Stainless Works.
http://www.superchevy.com/how-to/ex...y-horsepower-but-which-is-best-for-your-ride/
I had an H pipe for many years, but when I redid my exhaust I went to a Xpipe. What sealed it for me was during a visit to Texas Motor Speedway, the cars had X pipes. I'm not certain what marginal gains there is, but figured that they've spent alot of money testing, so there has to be something there.
Oh. Well every real world example I have ever found plus the video that Qdub posted and KwikCutty's example shows the X pipe creating a more mellow, deeper tone than straight pipes or H pipes.
My 83 with a 400 in it had an X pipe before I straight piped it. The X pipe calmed the idle down quite a bit and made the exhaust sound deeper.
OK, after racking my brain on this, rereading post, listing to the video clips, reading the articles & seeing that almost all of you guys are for the X pipe. One thing that I've also been thinking about is will the X pipe add extra work if I gotta pull the transmission down the road to replace the clutch.
From being used to older hot rodding mods the straight pipes are what I'm used to with instalation & sound. The only perk I could see is having each bank being seperate for being able to tell which side might have an issue but an X would be simular to stock single cat/dual tail pipes or single set up. The final think would be being a cheapskate looking at a $26 differance then as I posted earlier replacing what Summit supplies with something different. I know I'm running out of time before I'm paying more regardless. I hate being stubborn.
Now you're the only one who seemed to go in the opposite direction by going X to straight. Was it an issue of just kipping it simple?
From being used to older hot rodding mods the straight pipes are what I'm used to with instalation & sound. The only perk I could see is having each bank being seperate for being able to tell which side might have an issue but an X would be simular to stock single cat/dual tail pipes or single set up. The final think would be being a cheapskate looking at a $26 differance then as I posted earlier replacing what Summit supplies with something different. I know I'm running out of time before I'm paying more regardless. I hate being stubborn.
I think that would make the few function brain cells riot.Wanna get silly? Let's make some 180* headers...
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