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H vs X Pipe ?

We knew years ago, the h pipe just sounded better. We just called them "balance pipe."
 
Sorry I'm not trying to get all **** retentive BUT-

Where the H-pipe or X pipe is installed can make a slight difference too, where the temperature starts to drop off so the cold air has a scavenger effect, draws dead air out of the adjoining pipes, not all should be installed in the same location, ever engine every use every size, is slightly different...

BUT;
It's a Nominal differences in HP might be 5hp max at 7000 rpm, on the mass produced Out of the Box kits stuff, advantage with a X-pipe vs a H-pipe, if it will even fit your specific car & if you have the right sized header tube & tube length, tube/collector length/diameter & then the correct diameter exhaust tubing too, whether it's mandrel bent or normal OE type constricted bent exhaust tubing, whether it's out the back of the car or whether it's dumped at the rear axle, what type/style/size flow rates of muffler your using etc. etc. etc.
Allot more of other variables that aren't talked about, that can make a difference if you search for every available HP/TQ#'s...
It's not cut & dry one or the other...

IMO some people just go cheap on exhaust & headers when it finishing the project,
all store bought out of the box mass produced headers aren't created equal either...
the size of the tubing & especially the lengths of the tubing & types of collectors
can & will make a big difference in available HP/TQ, when &/or where you make the specific peak horse power or peak torque too...

Seems like people spend $5k to well over $10k {or much more} on an engine & throw a $150-$250 header & a $300-$500 exhaust system, when it could be allot more, especially for the proper type of system, when money is well spent & if you research how the air moves/flows & what type/styles of collector & lengths of primary tubes &/or collectors are best for your specific needs, can & will make far more effect than any H-pipe or an X-pipe, ever will...

The length of the H-pipe or the X-pipe too, between the exhaust pipes make a savaging difference too, it's not one thing works everywhere or ones better than another,
there's far more variables than just X or H pipe, what is best ?...

sorry I went off a little there...

I hope some of that makes sense,
if you going for every hp/tq #'s available, it makes a drastic difference...
It's not a place to be a cheapskate, too many people are just that when it comes to exhaust & especially headers, people bitch about $700 for header, Hell I've had $3500 headers on some of my dedicated racecars grant you they are/were 6 & 7 second cars, I even spend $500+ probably buying the proper style & length collectors {Flowmaster 4-2-1 Scavengers for the street} & misc. mandrel bent tubing/parts to build my own custom headers too, than maybe another 40+ hrs to build them, it's money/time well spent too...
What goes in must come out...
It's just a big *** air compressor pump & the air flow is critical...
Please just do your research/due diligence...

Not one size type fits all needs....

There's some great books on the subject I'd suggest if your worried about every last HP & TQ #'s read up, because it's allot more than what is being covered here...
 
Last edited:
khryslerkid said:
Yep, dredging up an old thread and an old question.
Click to expand...


What i'm more curious about is how it effects sound.... My car has straight duals with no X or H.. my original loud mufflers made it sound like a old mans 78 chevy pickup with straight pipes (super raspy when getting on it... sounded great at idle) i ended up putting on big cheap summit mufflers to kill some of that sound. I miss the loud ones though :) Wondering if a X or H pipe would help with the raspy.. read some people saying a H/X makes the raspiness worse and others that it helps... Also.. would turn downs at the end help? mine are straight out with a 45* cut
 
Budnicks said:
Sorry I'm not trying to get all **** retentive BUT-

Where the H-pipe or X pipe is installed can make a slight difference too, where the temperature starts to drop off so the cold air has a scavenger effect, draws dead air out of the adjoining pipes, not all should be installed in the same location, ever engine every use every size, is slightly different...

BUT;
It's a Nominal differences in HP might be 5hp max at 7000 rpm, on the mass produced Out of the Box kits stuff, advantage with a X-pipe vs a H-pipe, if it will even fit your specific car & if you have the right sized header tube & tube length, tube/collector length/diameter & then the correct diameter exhaust tubing too, whether it's mandrel bent or normal OE type constricted bent exhaust tubing, whether it's out the back of the car or whether it's dumped at the rear axle, what type/style/size flow rates of muffler your using etc. etc. etc.
Allot more of other variables that aren't talked about, that can make a difference if you search for every available HP/TQ#'s...
It's not cut & dry one or the other...

IMO some people just go cheap on exhaust & headers when it finishing the project,
all store bought out of the box mass produced headers aren't created equal either...
the size of the tubing & especially the lengths of the tubing & types of collectors
can & will make a big difference in available HP/TQ, when &/or where you make the specific peak horse power or peak torque too...

Seems like people spend $5k to well over $10k {or much more} on an engine & throw a $150-$250 header & a $300-$500 exhaust system, when it could be allot more, especially for the proper type of system, when money is well spent & if you research how the air moves/flows & what type/styles of collector & lengths of primary tubes &/or collectors are best for your specific needs, can & will make far more effect than any H-pipe or an X-pipe, ever will...

The length of the H-pipe or the X-pipe too, between the exhaust pipes make a savaging difference too, it's not one thing works everywhere or ones better than another,
there's far more variables than just X or H pipe, what is best ?...

sorry I went off a little there...

I hope some of that makes sense,
if you going for every hp/tq #'s available, it makes a drastic difference...
It's not a place to be a cheapskate, too many people are just that when it comes to exhaust & especially headers, people bitch about $700 for header, Hell I've had $3500 headers on some of my dedicated racecars grant you they are/were 6 & 7 second cars, I even spend $500+ probably buying the proper style & length collectors {Flowmaster 4-2-1 Scavengers for the street} & misc. mandrel bent tubing/parts to build my own custom headers too, than maybe another 40+ hrs to build them, it's money/time well spent too...
What goes in must come out...
It's just a big *** air compressor pump & the air flow is critical...
Please just do your research/due diligence...

Not one size type fits all needs....

There's some great books on the subject I'd suggest if your worried about every last HP & TQ #'s read up, because it's allot more than what is being covered here...
Click to expand...
oops
 
icetech said:
What i'm more curious about is how it effects sound.... My car has straight duals with no X or H.. my original loud mufflers made it sound like a old mans 78 chevy pickup with straight pipes (super raspy when getting on it... sounded great at idle) i ended up putting on big cheap summit mufflers to kill some of that sound. I miss the loud ones though :) Wondering if a X or H pipe would help with the raspy.. read some people saying a H/X makes the raspiness worse and others that it helps... Also.. would turn downs at the end help? mine are straight out with a 45* cut
Click to expand...

It's all in the video :)
 
Watching. I don't have a good comparison to comment on. The '71 Charger has 3" H-Pipe TTI 3" full exhaust system, and the '69 Coronet has the 2.5" X-Pipe TTI 2.5" full exhaust.
Because they are different sizes on different engines, there is no direct comparison, but they both sound good. I think the mufflers have more to do with the sound than the crossover type? No way for me to know if either changes power, but the larger 3" would flow better. I chose the smaller 2.5" on the Coronet for more clearance and wider muffler selection as I changed out the turbo mufflers with Walker quiet flow ss mufflers. The Convertible is not a race car, and I'm not putting a roll bar in it even though it is quicker than 13.99.
 
You can listen to two cars in this we have X pipes on. The 462 Trans am is 2 1/2", 440 in our 69 charger. My 12 year old nephew loves making videos.
 
Curiousyellow71 said:
You can listen to two cars in this we have X pipes on. The 462 Trans am is 2 1/2", 440 in our 69 charger. My 12 year old nephew loves making videos.
Click to expand...

yeah both of those have the raspy, betting it really shows up when revved.. wondering if turn down at the end of mine would help....

This is with the old mufflers, 3" to the bumper.. when revving the raspiness was horrible
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Sorry to the OP for the hijack :)
 
icetech said:
yeah both of those have the raspy, betting it really shows up when revved.. wondering if turn down at the end of mine would help....
Click to expand...
The charger has 3" the trans am is 2 1/2. They both are decent going down the road. There is no drone. I don't really think the raspy note is as noticable other then idle.
The trans am has 3.23s and a 4 speed w 2 1/2 x pipe.. Here it is wound up. I don't have a video of the charger.
 
Last edited:
Curiousyellow71 said:
The charger has 3" the trans am is 2 1/2. They both are decent going down the road. There is no drone. I don't really think the raspy note is as noicable other then idle.
The trans am has 3.23s and a 4 speed w 2 1/2 x pipe.. Here it is wound up. I don't have a video of the charger.
Click to expand...

Thing sounds really good :)
 
icetech said:
Thing sounds really good :)
Click to expand...
The mufflers have a pretty long body. Walker dynomax on both cars. We had a 510 in the charger first w the exhaust and it had a little more raspy tone then the 440. Almost a shrill..if I were to describe it. It took a bit getting good used to..I really like it now. Both cars are fun to drive anywhere and pretty quiet at highway speed.
 
Stainless Flowmasters FlowFX , like $60 bucks at Summit
pretty much straight thru mufflers in all types/sizes

 
Last edited:
I wonder if length of the H-pipe makes a difference. I'd like to try one, but it would have to be four or five feet long. (Fenderwell headers)
I like the mufflers I've got for volume, but the tone is terrible with each side exiting in front of rear tires. Sounds like a boat.
 
33 IMP said:
I wonder if length of the H-pipe makes a difference. I'd like to try one, but it would have to be four or five feet long. (Fenderwell headers)
I like the mufflers I've got for volume, but the tone is terrible with each side exiting in front of rear tires. Sounds like a boat.
Click to expand...
I had not considered that. We are planning on puting side exit exhaust on the fenderwell headers on our 440 65 dart. I would think it would still balance the exhaust out. Maybe needs a bigger H pipe?
 
Curiousyellow71 said:
I had not considered that. We are planning on puting side exit exhaust on the fenderwell headers on our 440 65 dart. I would think it would still balance the exhaust out. Maybe needs a bigger H pipe?
Click to expand...
Mine doesn't have an H-pipe currently. I have long, quiet magnaflow straight-thru running along the rockers, and a 90° exit in front of the tires.
I don't have room under the car to route the exhaust under the frame rails to the inside, and put mufflers and tailpipes on it.
 
I tried 3.5" dual exhaust (muffler shop bends, not mandrel bends) with race bullet mufflers. Pretty much the sound of open headers below 3,000 RPM.
Put the 3" full TTI exhaust (mandrel bent), way quieter, and I don't think there was any performance drop off.
 
33 IMP said:
I wonder if length of the H-pipe makes a difference. I'd like to try one, but it would have to be four or five feet long. (Fenderwell headers)
I like the mufflers I've got for volume, but the tone is terrible with each side exiting in front of rear tires. Sounds like a boat.
Click to expand...
Funny you say that. My brother had fenderwell headers on his 66 dart with 24” body glass packs. One of my buddies at the track said it sounded like a pack of Harley’s racing. It sounded cool, but in an unusual way.
Travis..
 
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