Anyone NOT using an X or H pipe, just straight duals?

mojapo · Mar 16, 2012

Installing Dynomax Ultraflow exhaust shortly and need to decide H pipe or no H pipe and I'm leaning strongly toward NO H pipe (forget the X pipe - don't like the sound and I don't care if it has more HP. The H pipe sounds much better and has more torque). It's not about power but sound I'm looking for.

Just installed new stroker motor (in signature block) and without an H pipe it sounds just right - plenty of thumpy idle. The Ultraflows should enhance this; however, I'm concerned if I add an H pipe it will:

1- lose the nice lumpy idle I'm hearing and feeling (I like that);
2- change the tone to something I will not like (understand it is deeper sounding and from ALL the videos I've seen on UTube I'm not totally impressed with the sound);
3- it cost more to install an H pipe

Anyone out there not using the pipe for similar reasons?
_____________________________
'65 - Pony Interior; Classic Auto A/C; 363ci Stroker 535hp; Dart 4 Bolt main; forged internals with additional machining; Eagle forged steel crankshaft; Steel beam connecting rods; Mahle forged pistons 10.2 to 1 compression; Edelbrock Rollin Thunder Cam; CNC Ported Xtreme RPM Edelbrock heads; Edelbrock Air Gap manifold; Holly 770 Ultra Avenger; balanced & blueprinted. First run video -

Gearbanger 101 · Mar 16, 2012

Had a buddy that ran duals straight back. Not only did it sound awful, but I'm sure it left all kinds of torque and horsepower on the table.

That crossover is there for a reason man. Equalizing he exhaust pulses is key to proper scavenging, sound and exhaust flow.

A 2 1/2", mandrel bent Off-Road H-pipe can be had for about $150. I can't even get an exhaust shop to build me one for that price.

ttopstang · Mar 16, 2012

I agree, I heard one with straight duals and it sounded like an old chevy beater truck with glass packs.
H-pipes are cheap and easy to install.

87-t-top-gt · Mar 17, 2012

Any car I've EVER heard with straight pipes has sounded like straight crap. There's two camaros and a few various other beaters around here with straight pipes and I quiver every time I hear that garbage

f8tlfiveo · Mar 17, 2012

H pipe ftw

C6AE · Mar 17, 2012

I like my X pipe. It has cats and passes the eye test and the sound test with Dynomax Ultraflows swapped on at inspection time...

I had an off road H pipe on at one time too, but I (and the rest of my family) thought it was annoyingly loud.

VibrantRedGT · Mar 17, 2012

Your not going to lose the lumpy idle with that cam. I've run 5 different exhaust systems. The best sounding one with the 347 was MAC 1-3/4" Ceramic Longtubes, 3" Prochamber and 3" Cat Back. The H Pipes sound totally different then X pipes. Straight back sounds not so good. I'll do the Prochamber on my next vehicle too, love that noise.

toxzzic1 · Mar 17, 2012

I had straight pipes on a 82 fox. Sounded like a old truck coming down the road. I hated it !!! I Curently running BBK longtubes, H-pipe and flowmasters. I am looking at switching to a full Bassani setup.

Noobz347 · Mar 17, 2012

Looks like it's all been covered. I have nothing else to add other than to mention again, that you WILL take a performance hit without the cross over.

Sharad · Mar 17, 2012

H-pipes definitely sound better.

However [flame suit on] have you noticed that high dollar race cars don't use H or X pipes? Even cars like Pro Stock cars where people will spend a fortune to gain 1hp. Big power high end racecars don't use em, so when I sent my '89 to the fab shop to have the exhaust fabricated from front to back ($$$$$$$$$$$) I just told him to build 2" headers with v-bands on the merge collectors and straight 3.5" tubes running back to the 4" mufflers. Should work and sound like open exhaust, which is what I was going for. The car only has mufflers because they are required in True Street. I don't care how loud it is. It's a 427" Stroker with a cog driven F1R. There's no way to make it quiet without choking it off. Also, by not using a cross over, the car will be easier to service. Loosen the v-band, unbolt the hanger, and each side comes off in seconds. I like that.

I'll post pics when it's done. (it's in the fab shop as we speak)

Noobz347 · Mar 17, 2012

Sharad said:
H-pipes definitely sound better.

However [flame suit on] have you noticed that high dollar race cars don't use H or X pipes? Even cars like Pro Stock cars where people will spend a fortune to gain 1hp. Big power high end racecars don't use em, so when I sent my '89 to the fab shop to have the exhaust fabricated from front to back ($$$$$$$$$$$) I just told him to build 2" headers with v-bands on the merge collectors and straight 3.5" tubes running back to the 4" mufflers. Should work and sound like open exhaust, which is what I was going for. The car only has mufflers because they are required in True Street. I don't care how loud it is. It's a 427" Stroker with a cog driven F1R. There's no way to make it quiet without choking it off. Also, by not using a cross over, the car will be easier to service. Loosen the v-band, unbolt the hanger, and each side comes off in seconds. I like that.

I'll post pics when it's done. (it's in the fab shop as we speak)

In effect... You DO have a cross over. Yours are at the collector?

Sharad · Mar 17, 2012

Noobz347 said:
In effect... You DO have a cross over. Yours are at the collector?

No, the left and right banks don't intersect at all. There is no crossover. It's basically the same as when you see racecars with "bullet" style mufflers connected directly to the headers. The difference is, my car is L O W so I needed to mount the mufflers in the factory location which necessitated the roughly 4-foot pipes between my headers and the mufflers.

Basically, just like this, but with a straight section of pipe between the headers and mufflers:

Gearbanger 101 · Mar 17, 2012

Sharad said:
However [flame suit on] have you noticed that high dollar race cars don't use H or X pipes? Even cars like Pro Stock cars where people will spend a fortune to gain 1hp. Big power high end racecars don't use em,

And have you also noticed that these cars are basically running open headers or at the most, race mufflers immediately after the collector...and no other exhaust components at all to speak of?

They don't have 10ft of exhaust pipe to run through to change and distort the sound waves like a street car.

Also keep in mind. These guys are running WOT at at high RPM for 1320ft at the track, burning about 4 gallons of fuel/minute. Not on and off the throttle worried about drivability, or having to meet EPA fuel and noise regulation in a daily driving situation.

Part throttle and low speed horsepower and torque will suffer, fuel economy will suffer and your ears will suffer.

Do it if you'd like and tell us how big of a mistake it was aftewards if you wish...but everyone in this thread is telling you that you will regret it.

79'293stang · Mar 17, 2012

My 79 had an exhaust without an H or X pipe with flowmasters. It sounded good but I was also running long tube headers and a good flowing set of heads and a very lumpy cam. Drone was really bad, which for 18 year old me was ok. Now that I am old having a quiet interior has become a bit more important to me. So would I run that setup again? The answer is no.

JungleJoe · Mar 18, 2012

FWIW....I ran 2 1/2 inch true duels on a old 93 i had with flows...it did NOT sound like a farm truck and all this other stuf everyone is saying.. sounded like a 5.0 with flowmasters. an H or X pipe is somewhat cheap now days, just giving my .02 worth

88LX5.Oh · Mar 18, 2012

I have Flowtech equal length long tubes with 3 inch collectors and 3 inch Summit brand mufflers. I went cheap with my car (I'm still in school so funds are low) and had the exhaust guy put straight pipes on it. Installing the pipes only cost me $60, I don't think it sounds like a farm truck, I'm actually happy with how my exhaust turned out. Click the link for my video.

Noobz347 · Mar 18, 2012

88LX5.Oh said:
I have Flowtech equal length long tubes with 3 inch collectors and 3 inch Summit brand mufflers. I went cheap with my car (I'm still in school so funds are low) and had the exhaust guy put straight pipes on it. Installing the pipes only cost me $60, I don't think it sounds like a farm truck, I'm actually happy with how my exhaust turned out. Click the link for my video.

Trudat... it definitely doesn't sound like an old farm truck. I think your pop-corn is done though.

88LX5.Oh · Mar 18, 2012

Noobz347 said:
Trudat... it definitely doesn't sound like an old farm truck. I think your pop-corn is done though.

I need to get some tail pipes on it and take a video of it outside. It echoing around in the shop isn't helping out with the popping lol. And who knows, it may pop even with tail pipe and not being inside. But, for $60 I'm not complaining

castine917 · Mar 19, 2012

If you don't want an H- pipe or X-pipe than you don't have to install one. It is as simple as that. Old muscle cars didn't have them. Heck even many new cars don't. They have been shown to change the exhaust flow and many people will install one on their street cars for the power and sound change.

Noobz347 · Mar 19, 2012

castine917 said:
If you don't want an H- pipe or X-pipe than you don't have to install one. It is as simple as that. Old muscle cars didn't have them. Heck even many new cars don't. They have been shown to change the exhaust flow and many people will install one on their street cars for the power and sound change.

That what the discussion is about.

There have actually been dyno comparisons between straight pipes, H, and X pipes over the years (quite a few). Part power and even WOT takes a performance hit on these cars without the exhaust scavenging benefit of the cross over.

All out race cars running 7000+ rpm? I'll grant you that there's probably not a whole lot of scavenging to be done at that point. lol We're talking about Stangs with OEM/bolton/modded though. Street driven. Not solid lifter, hair on fire, screamers.

So it's not as simple as, "screw it... do it anyway"... unless the performance aspect is the least concern.

Anyone NOT using an X or H pipe, just straight duals?

mojapo

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Gearbanger 101

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ttopstang

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87-t-top-gt

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f8tlfiveo

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VibrantRedGT

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toxzzic1

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Noobz347

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Sharad

ALWAYS choose the V over the P!!! Wait... what?

Noobz347

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Sharad

ALWAYS choose the V over the P!!! Wait... what?

Gearbanger 101

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79'293stang

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JungleJoe

I was like well chit..Im missing something

88LX5.Oh

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Anyone NOT using an X or H pipe, just straight duals?

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