I'm sick of my Mufflex Y-pipe and dealing with it, and I just want to go true duals. For now, just 3" true duals dumping before the axle, eventually going over the axle.

Adding an X or H pipe would definately add a lot to the cost/complexity of doing true duals, especially with clearing my Spohn torque arm (though I think it can be done). But is it really worth it?? I mean, if they are only worth a 5HP gain over just straight true duals, that's not worth the cost/complexity to me.

My plan it to bolt a cutout to each Hooker LT (since cutouts come w/ the 3 bolt flanges to do that), then just straight 3" piping back to a couple of bullet mufflers and downturned pipes. I could sell my current setup for more than what it would cost to do that, and would be a very easy setup.

Should I honestly worry about doing an X or H pipe? A couple LS1 guys in my car club are running neither w/ true duals and are making great power (one w/ a blower, the other is a nitrous car).

Opinions, especially with some real world info to back it up, would be appreciated.

 

there was an article i found from car-craft magazine, they did a comparison of

xpipe
hpipe
open header

heres the chart

h-pipe is much easier, and costs almost nothing (its just one straight piece).......but x-pipe has better scavenging effect.

 

Summit sells an 3" H-pipe for around $40. Comes with 4 pieces. 2 T's and 2 middle crossover pipes. One crossoever pipe is straight the other has a slight "V" to clear some driveshafts. You have a choice which to use.

Jeff D.

 

Hey Jo, it IS possible to have a set of true duals w/ a spohn torque arm set up... Though it does take a lil' "engineering".. Click this link for a pic.

me me me

FWIW, I have a set of true duals on my car and they sound really sweet. Plus I picked up a ton of useful torque down low w/ them

 

Nice work Shawn!

 

I would skip the cut outs and get a x pipe. I went to lunch (as a passenger) one day in a vette with true duals - and again the very next day with a x pipe installed. Sound was MUCH better HP -same. torque MUCH better

 

Dual cutouts after the collectors will bang all the time, I had that setup before I went true duals and it sucked.

A friend of mine and I both have true duals, except he has an h-pipe, and I have an x-pipe.

His is louder and more raunchy, the loudness may be due to the fact that he has heads with the CC306 and I do not.

Mine isn't as loud, but still retarded loud; and a lot smoother sounding. Sounds more like my friends Z06 with long tubes, off-road x-pipe, and Borla exhaust than it does a F-Body.

 

I've seen that Car Craft chart, and it doesn't really prove much, and if going by that, is definately not convincing to go with a crossover pipe.

The more I've looked, the more I've seen that a crossover pipe really isn't worth a whole lot. I haven't actually seen much to convince me otherwise.

So now we are down to sound. Here is what my car currently sounds like:
Cutout Closed
Cutout Open

Basically, if it sounds similar to that, I'd be happy. I wouldn't mind a little louder w/ the cutout open.

 

I got a crappy pic in my sig of an h-pipe setup that exits out the side in front of the rear tires. Looks like a pretty cheap way to go.

Jeff D

 

Dont know what it's worth on an F body, but on my 1990 Fullsize Chevy with a 383 Stroker in it, I picked up 7 hp and 11 lbs torque just by adding an X to my true duals. It also took all the rasp out of the exhaust and made the tone MUCH better. I'd say its worth it.

 

I have a couple pics of my x pipe duals in my sig off the car.

 

Listen to the man...I have em too, and love em. There is no better flowing system than 3" duals(except maybe 4", but you don't have 4" collectors and 2 inch primaries, so no real point in that ) And there is no better sounding system. I have Lane's 3" duals with an X-pipe and Flo Pro twister mufflers off of Hooker coated long tubes, and all the LS1 guys drool over it...Gotta love that...

 

an X-pipe will cause a scavenging effect on the exhaust gasses , increasing power over standalone true duals.

of course open headers is always going to be the most power, but if youre going to take the time to run true duals, its best to run an Xpipe.