Are X pipes typically the same?
Thread Starter
4th Gear
Joined: Feb 2020
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
From: Rhode Island
Are X pipes typically the same?
Hi everyone. I have a 98 automatic vette. It came with a maganaflow axle back and magnaflow x pipe. I put the SLP loud mouth from my old 01 on it but I’m not feeling the sound with the x pipe!
ive noticed like the magnaflow X pipe the two banks are forced right into eachother and into a little chamber and come out as two but it seems like the borla x pipe they really Just are two pipes that meet. As they keep going.
is that enough you think to change the sound between the two?
also are all x pipes generally the same length? I “dislike” the magnaflow X pipe enough to buy the simple $250 borla and slip one off and the other on but anymore than that it can stay. I don’t hate it it’s just not my favorite.
ive noticed like the magnaflow X pipe the two banks are forced right into eachother and into a little chamber and come out as two but it seems like the borla x pipe they really Just are two pipes that meet. As they keep going.
is that enough you think to change the sound between the two?
also are all x pipes generally the same length? I “dislike” the magnaflow X pipe enough to buy the simple $250 borla and slip one off and the other on but anymore than that it can stay. I don’t hate it it’s just not my favorite.
Thread Starter
4th Gear
Joined: Feb 2020
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
From: Rhode Island
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2018
Posts: 1,113
Likes: 144
From: Miami
Hi everyone. I have a 98 automatic vette. It came with a maganaflow axle back and magnaflow x pipe. I put the SLP loud mouth from my old 01 on it but I’m not feeling the sound with the x pipe!
ive noticed like the magnaflow X pipe the two banks are forced right into eachother and into a little chamber and come out as two but it seems like the borla x pipe they really Just are two pipes that meet. As they keep going.
is that enough you think to change the sound between the two?
also are all x pipes generally the same length? I “dislike” the magnaflow X pipe enough to buy the simple $250 borla and slip one off and the other on but anymore than that it can stay. I don’t hate it it’s just not my favorite.
ive noticed like the magnaflow X pipe the two banks are forced right into eachother and into a little chamber and come out as two but it seems like the borla x pipe they really Just are two pipes that meet. As they keep going.
is that enough you think to change the sound between the two?
also are all x pipes generally the same length? I “dislike” the magnaflow X pipe enough to buy the simple $250 borla and slip one off and the other on but anymore than that it can stay. I don’t hate it it’s just not my favorite.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 5,414
Likes: 3,957
From: Cincinnati, OH
IMO and from what I have gathered, the less angle the pipes have to each other when merging the better flowing X. The less bends/less severe bends in a exhaust the better flowing it is.
There IS a science to proper X pipes, but in a mass produced designs from the big companies this "ideal X pipe" design is not always done. Cross sectional area at the merge section, location of the crossover (X/H) also factors in for a PROPERLY designed system taking into account 1st/2nd/3rd harmonics.
For the C5 space is limited width wise in the tunnel as well as length front to back to place it. Kooks places the X up front, where majority of the companies place the X toward the back. Is one "better" than the other? I don't think anyone has tested it.
Long story short, for the sake of your needs simply getting a X pipe in the car...none of this really matters. I prefer the Corsa/Borla/Kooks x pipe design vs the "stamped steel" Magnaflow design.
There IS a science to proper X pipes, but in a mass produced designs from the big companies this "ideal X pipe" design is not always done. Cross sectional area at the merge section, location of the crossover (X/H) also factors in for a PROPERLY designed system taking into account 1st/2nd/3rd harmonics.
For the C5 space is limited width wise in the tunnel as well as length front to back to place it. Kooks places the X up front, where majority of the companies place the X toward the back. Is one "better" than the other? I don't think anyone has tested it.
Long story short, for the sake of your needs simply getting a X pipe in the car...none of this really matters. I prefer the Corsa/Borla/Kooks x pipe design vs the "stamped steel" Magnaflow design.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2018
Posts: 1,113
Likes: 144
From: Miami
That's also true about the less bends. Magnaflow X has more bends on the cross over, but it's just what I've heard. Regardless, I also like more the long X type that have almost no bend, for less restriction. But when you account exhaust scavenging harmonics like smitty said, this goes all out the window because the entire system is now responsible of the acoustic/harmonics of the exhaust scavenge. So we might never know unless you have a controlled parametric test. Smitty said it best, doesn't matter that much in the end.
Thread Starter
4th Gear
Joined: Feb 2020
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
From: Rhode Island
IMO and from what I have gathered, the less angle the pipes have to each other when merging the better flowing X. The less bends/less severe bends in a exhaust the better flowing it is.
There IS a science to proper X pipes, but in a mass produced designs from the big companies this "ideal X pipe" design is not always done. Cross sectional area at the merge section, location of the crossover (X/H) also factors in for a PROPERLY designed system taking into account 1st/2nd/3rd harmonics.
For the C5 space is limited width wise in the tunnel as well as length front to back to place it. Kooks places the X up front, where majority of the companies place the X toward the back. Is one "better" than the other? I don't think anyone has tested it.
Long story short, for the sake of your needs simply getting a X pipe in the car...none of this really matters. I prefer the Corsa/Borla/Kooks x pipe design vs the "stamped steel" Magnaflow design.
There IS a science to proper X pipes, but in a mass produced designs from the big companies this "ideal X pipe" design is not always done. Cross sectional area at the merge section, location of the crossover (X/H) also factors in for a PROPERLY designed system taking into account 1st/2nd/3rd harmonics.
For the C5 space is limited width wise in the tunnel as well as length front to back to place it. Kooks places the X up front, where majority of the companies place the X toward the back. Is one "better" than the other? I don't think anyone has tested it.
Long story short, for the sake of your needs simply getting a X pipe in the car...none of this really matters. I prefer the Corsa/Borla/Kooks x pipe design vs the "stamped steel" Magnaflow design.
my goal isn’t to get an X pipe in the car though. I already have the magnaflow in there. I don’t like it is what I’m getting at. No one seems to make a aftermarket H pipe so I’m wondering if the borla design is going to sound more like a H pipe than the magnaflow does.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 5,414
Likes: 3,957
From: Cincinnati, OH
my goal isn’t to get an X pipe in the car though. I already have the magnaflow in there. I don’t like it is what I’m getting at. No one seems to make a aftermarket H pipe so I’m wondering if the borla design is going to sound more like a H pipe than the magnaflow does.
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 5,414
Likes: 3,957
From: Cincinnati, OH
I'll add this too from my car:
Stock manifolds/cats/Hpipe and GHL catback
Stock manifolds/cats/ custom x pipe and GHL catback
A proper H pipe may not sound too bad. H pipes get a bad reputation on C5's due to the small drilled hole creating that weird "flutter" sound everyone hates.
Stock manifolds/cats/Hpipe and GHL catback
Stock manifolds/cats/ custom x pipe and GHL catback
A proper H pipe may not sound too bad. H pipes get a bad reputation on C5's due to the small drilled hole creating that weird "flutter" sound everyone hates.
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 3,768
Likes: 940
From: Orlando Florida
Goodness knows I ran quite a few sets of Heddman Headers in my youth, with straight 2&1/4 to 'turbo' mufflers and axle dumps. Sounded pretty fine on the Impala (65 SS 327) the Chevelle (68, 327 Powerslide) and the Nova (73, SS 350 hatchback!). The '73 C3 sounded fine with Hookers and 'turbo's, but with tips at the rear. No 'H's or 'X's on any of them -- of course, that was in the 70's and 80's...
Last edited by redzg; Jun 1, 2020 at 10:50 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 5,414
Likes: 3,957
From: Cincinnati, OH
Not everyone hates the H-pipe sound. I like the boat burble, running through the Corsa Indy cat back. Should I end up with long tubes at some point, I'll may have a proper H-pipe done, or I may stick with the stocker.
Goodness knows I ran quite a few sets of Heddman Headers in my youth, with straight 2&1/4 to 'turbo' mufflers and axle dumps. Sounded pretty fine on the Impala (65 SS 327) the Chevelle (68, 327 Powerslide) and the Nova (73, SS 350 hatchback!). The '73 C3 sounded fine with Hookers and 'turbo's, but with tips at the rear. No 'H's or 'X's on any of them -- of course, that was in the 70's and 80's...
Goodness knows I ran quite a few sets of Heddman Headers in my youth, with straight 2&1/4 to 'turbo' mufflers and axle dumps. Sounded pretty fine on the Impala (65 SS 327) the Chevelle (68, 327 Powerslide) and the Nova (73, SS 350 hatchback!). The '73 C3 sounded fine with Hookers and 'turbo's, but with tips at the rear. No 'H's or 'X's on any of them -- of course, that was in the 70's and 80's...
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 770
Likes: 285
From: Middleton, Id
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 5,414
Likes: 3,957
From: Cincinnati, OH
The small hole is what makes the stock H pipe sound like crap. I'm not aware of someone replacing the stock H pipe with a true diameter cross over pipe since everyone simply goes to an X pipe. A C5 with a proper H pipe may not sound too bad.
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 3,768
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From: Orlando Florida
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 3,275
Likes: 739
From: Miami FL
This is consistent with the information on this Post (summary below) from the Thread "H-Pipe vs X-PIPE". That thread contains interesting information, relevant to what's discussed here.
Last edited by GCG; Jun 5, 2020 at 12:01 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 5,414
Likes: 3,957
From: Cincinnati, OH
I'm skeptical about this "opening of the pipe" on later cars.
My 03Z I bought was a stock manifolds and midpipe without pre "pup cats" and has the smaller holes in the cross pipe... not like it matters now because it's long been removed from my car.
My 03Z I bought was a stock manifolds and midpipe without pre "pup cats" and has the smaller holes in the cross pipe... not like it matters now because it's long been removed from my car.