Performance X pipe vs. H pipe questions
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 223
Likes: 6
Performance X pipe vs. H pipe questions
Hello, I tried searching for this but could not come up much.
I'm trying to find out what the differences would be between an aftermarket X pipe vs. an H pipe. For my purposes I'm probably going to have long tube headers, possibly a catback, but lets say if everything else in the car is the same, what would the difference be between these?
Does one type generally produce different power results? (fatter curve, more peak power?)
What about the sound, any distinct differences between the two audibly?
Thank you for sharing your knowledge, even if the knowledge is just a link to where this has already been gone over
I'm trying to find out what the differences would be between an aftermarket X pipe vs. an H pipe. For my purposes I'm probably going to have long tube headers, possibly a catback, but lets say if everything else in the car is the same, what would the difference be between these?
Does one type generally produce different power results? (fatter curve, more peak power?)
What about the sound, any distinct differences between the two audibly?
Thank you for sharing your knowledge, even if the knowledge is just a link to where this has already been gone over
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 7,604
Likes: 8
From: Belleville Il
Bottom line the stock H pipe does virtually nothing for sound or exhaust flow balance!! While it appears to have a full 2 1/2" cross pipe there is only a tiny 1/2" hole in the side of the main exhaust pipe! That's why you get the deceleration crackle and pop. an X pipe has a closer and much larger opening for better flow balance and smoother sound balance. While there is SOME power/torque gain there is nothing worth talking about! just a few hp and pound ft of torque.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 6,979
Likes: 31
From: Wichita KS
Bottom line the stock H pipe does virtually nothing for sound or exhaust flow balance!! While it appears to have a full 2 1/2" cross pipe there is only a tiny 1/2" hole in the side of the main exhaust pipe! That's why you get the deceleration crackle and pop. an X pipe has a closer and much larger opening for better flow balance and smoother sound balance. While there is SOME power/torque gain there is nothing worth talking about! just a few hp and pound ft of torque.
This is why i had a custom 3" h-pipe imstalled so now at least I know its doing something
Pro
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 571
Likes: 1
From: Virginia Beach VA...originally Burtonsville, MD
Put my X-pipe on today. My B&B bullets sound a little smoother with less gargle but its not completely gone which is fine b/c I like the sound. No huge SOP differences. As stated before the gains are negligible vs. an H-pipe but with headers you'll get a little more out of the X-pipe and its an overall more efficient design. Good Luck
Jim
Jim
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Pro
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 652
Likes: 5
From: Tampa Florida
I put an x-pipe on my vert last year. It took away from the throaty sound of my Borla exhaust and gave it more of a race car sound....just a tad. At first I didn't like it, I liked setting off car alarms whenever I drove by, but it DID give the car more hp. I get a lot of compliments on the sound of my car, and I love chirpping a 2nd gear 
...just my .02 cents.
...just my .02 cents.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 223
Likes: 6
I've also got some kind of rattle on the stock system, not sure if it's in the headers or H pipe, but when the car was under warranty they replaced the O2 sensors at least 5 times in my car not because the sensors went bad, but because after a few hundred miles and many start-ups they would start to rattle on start-up and low RPM take-offs in daily driving (6 speed). So I'm hoping to get rid of that annoying chatter / rattle too.
Sounds like the X is the better performance choice, would still like to hear some sound clip differences if there's any out there.
Sounds like the X is the better performance choice, would still like to hear some sound clip differences if there's any out there.
Pro
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 705
Likes: 0
From: Queens NY
