What's with all the X-pipes I see?

rickwrench

rickwrench

Famous Member
I see a lot of X-pipes on I6 cars... why?
The exhaust is already balanced if you have a 123-456 header. If you have a 135-246 header, you're going for glug-glug anyway.
I don't get it.
A V 8 benefits due to the 2 adjacent cylinders/firing per bank, with the X-pipe unloading the double pulse. It's not a true balanced system, but have you ever seen a set of V 8 180 headers? Oof.
X-pipe looks like a lot of wasted welding on a six.
Is there something I'm missing?
Rick(wrench)
 
I feel you might have hit the nail on the head. I would like to see a back to back test.
 
so do mufflers and resonators.

it is refreshing to see not everybody is falling for the hype of so-called high performance parts that dont fit the particular application.
 
On the SCCA Mustang in my avatar, they scream like an indy car without mufflers, but they come closer to beating the decible meter than most open headers.

On a dirt car with a 350 V8 and smaller tubes they were quieter than the other arce cars with loback racing mufflers. It was kinda cool to hear the cars go by roaring and this car would go by with a different tone, lower,smoother and quieter than the rest. It was a definate advantage, being able to hear the other cars.

When I think of the drone, (The wavy sound) I think of a musical instrument out of tune and the sound it makes. This would definately help a V8 with the odd fireing sequence. I suppose it could help a six banger in a similar fashion. By tying both sides together it would balance it out better.

If everything was perfect I don't think there would be a need for it as far as sound is concerned but it is virtualy impossible to ballance everything perfectly.
 
Gary, the X pipe or crossover makes for a quieter note from the exhaust as you said.

Rick, using the Xpipe or crossover opens both mufflers to both headpipes.

I know Lexus brings the headpipes into a center pipe then to dual exhausts. If a major manufactuer does this there must be an advantage.

Need someone to check out a BMW or a Mercedes to see what systems they have??? I believe Jack Collins-mustangsix said the BMW used the X pipe in their exhaust.

Need some advise from other members on setups. William
 
Will":240uhqj5 said:
Rick, using the Xpipe or crossover opens both mufflers to both headpipes.
Click to expand...

Ok, that I could see. Since the pulses are evenly spaced, it wouldn't load up one pipe more than another. Thanks Will.
Splitting a single pipe into two (visible) pipes, ala Lexus, I'd lean toward the marketing department calling that one. :wink:
Rick(wrench)
 
I did the "H" pipe on my mustang. I had carried my car back to the muffler shop complaining about the drone factor. At certain rpms, the drone would rattle my ear drums and drive me crazy.

Anyway, they explained that the "H" or the "X" pipe would change the base tones by a couple of levels, thus getting rid of the ear rattling drone.

I went with the "H" pipe because it was cheaper and it worked just as they described.

I also noticed that the idle is a little bit deeper than it was originally.

Hope that helps you...Michael
 
mraley":16nj3cu4 said:
...the "H" or the "X" pipe would change the base tones by a couple of levels, thus getting rid of the ear rattling drone.
Click to expand...

Have a friend here locally that had the same problem and got the above quoted answer at a local shop. She went the X pipe route and she indicates that it dropped the drone down to an acceptable level. It's on my schedule of things to do after machine shop work.
 
Just playing around, I put in a cross-over pipe after my single-in/dual-out flow master and could hear the difference. The idle tone was a little deeper and cruising (the bronco has no top so hard to tell) it sounded acceptable. The tones were there if you wanted to rev the engine and the turbo shuts the exhaust note some, too.
I will probably go with a good cherry bomb (glasspack) and "y" it to duals with 2" pipes out back. I miss that old inline 6 buzz... anyways the flow master is too big sitting next to the transfercase, and I loose some of my ground clearance w/ the way I had to install it.

Kirk
 
Rick is correct there is no performance gain on an x or y pipe on an I-6. On V-8's there are different applications for different needs. In Nascar they used to (don't know if it has changed) run true duals for long races and an x for short tracks ( or maybe vice versa). On my Harleys a cross over or 1 large performance muffler improves street performance dramatically over true duals but is detrimental to drag racing. I-6's in a newer car generally will y together to get the system on 1 catalytic converter then dual back out after --mostly for appearance.
The droneing issue is very real though -the T-5 cured that, but an x pipe would have been far easier and cheaper-- but not near the fun to drive.
 
I'm toying with an X or H pipe on my system. Not for performance, just for sound. The drone at 2200 RPM just annoys me and an H-Pipe is cheaper to install when 2 resonators (123-456 dual headers). If I go that route, I'll try to at least get some decibel tests done before and after. I think dyno tests won't yeild any real results on difference.

Slade
 
No one mentioned the scavenging effect. The faster you pull the exhaust out, the faster you can put gas in!
I know with my Sporster, it was clearly noticable and documented that the cross pipe helped, due to the "scavenging effect".
I read a bunch of stuff on Harley pipes and they all seems to say the same. "drag pipes", that are so popular, lowers performance considerably… except when drag racing. They are the most popluar exhaust choice not for performance but for sound.
 
"...lowers performance considerably… except when drag racing."

How does the engine know if it's drag racing or not?
 
"...lowers performance considerably… except when drag racing."
How does the engine know if it's drag racing or not?
Click to expand...
real easy it never goes under 4000 rpm--therefore it doesn't need any low end tourgue.
After 4000 rpm they have no anti reversion issues and scavanging is unneccessary as the flow is so fast it becomes a non issue.
Harley engines need scavanging as they are probally the most unbalanced engine made--they are in essence a 2cylinder engine on a 1 cyl. crankshaft. an inline 6 is possibly the most balanced engine. balanced as related to power pulses. Harleys are affected by exhaust technology completely differently than an I6. Comparing a V-2's exhaust needs to an I-6's is more like apples to orangutangs than even apples to oranges much less apples to apples. I am getting 139 HP and 170 Lb ft. of torgue from a daily driver 95cu in v-2(dyno'd at the rear wheel). That's a .125 over 88" engine. Just the sidepipes on my falcon are longer than the entire exh system of my Harley.
 
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