exhaust help???

[91green5.0]

My 91 GT has stock headers an off road H and flowmaster catback and I really like the sound of it but I was thinking of going with an X pipe. Im sure there are a lot of threads on here about it but i didnt see much. Is there a real difference in power or sound. I also was wondering if anyone could help me with headers my last 5.0 had mac shorties on it and i like them but was wondering if equal length would be a better choice. Thanks for any help.

 

[Foxfan88]

the x pipe will have a slightly different sound. not so much of a rumble like an H, more of a raspy sort of sound. but its not really all that much different honestly.

as for the headers, on a mildly modified engine, the difference b/w equals and unequal is pretty much nothing. except the equals take up more room. i had a set of cheapy flowtech equals ( old set) and they were routed different than most brands, and it stuck out so far it got my clutch cable too hot and screwed the cable all up.

the difference from H to X isnt much IMO. if you want a difference in sound try some different mufflers.

 

[Sicarius428]

As far as exhaust for a street car, the power difference between any of those is very little. What will effect you more is how much air you can get into the motor. The stock headers are ok up to 280-300ish hp. The only real gain is to go with long tubes as opposed to equal and non equal lenght shorties. You already got rid of the cats so that would be the first thing that would limit your flow... especially the old style ones. It sounds like you are going to be redoing everything but the catback. If you are looking for the most power, consider long tubes. As far as x vs h there really isn't a difference on a 300ish hp car. Mostly for sound... The H will give you that old school muscle car sound and the x will give you the nascar sound. FYI, exhaust has to be one of the worse power per dollar improvements.
Kevin

 

[NKau]

On a stock motored car, there really won't be a power difference between the two. There are gains to be had choosing an x-pipe over an h-pipe in higher HP applications though.

That being said, the x-pipe definitely has a raspier more exotic sound, v.s. the deep rumble of an h-pipe. I have had both, and like both.

 

[bloopbloob]

you won't see much difference from anything if you're still fairly stock otherwise. i have long tubes with an o/r x-pipe, and it actually quietened the exhaust down quite a bit, and i couldn't feel any real power difference after the swap.... now i sometimes think i should have gone with an h-pipe because i miss the deeper note....

 

[91green5.0]

Thanks for all the help guys. I like the sound of my H pipe so i dont imagine that I will change it. I had the unequals before and they were just fine. I didnt notice a real power difference but i only drove it about 200 miles before i put them on, ceramic coated macs got them barely used for 100 bucks they still looked new so i couldnt pass it up. For what ill do with this thing im sure i wont need long tubes i just want a little bit. I already have an interesting air intake i havent seen it used my stock airbox but theres a tube that goes to underneith the fog light and i havent seen that but only on the LX.