Custom Made "x-pipe"

LGREM · 7th March 2003, 12:37

Did anyone here go to their local muffler shop and custom fabricate a x-pipe for their baby?

I have an appointment at one of those muffler shops this saturday, its only two straight thru pipes only, it could be around a few hundred dollars for everything?

I'll let everyone know next week what happened.

BostonRocket · 7th March 2003, 16:12

Awesome. Let us know how it goes. I think PhillyM5 did the same thing as you. The method you choose would guarentee a good fit for whichever aftermarket exhasut you have. I think the Supersprint x-pipe is $375 or something like that, so your method might be a bit cheaper.

Also, does anyone know what the exact benefit of the crossover is in an x or h pipe? I have heard it for noise and/or midrange power.

'Rocket

ernie · 7th March 2003, 18:47

rocket,

the actual benefits on an m5 i do not know. but as an interesting side note early viper rt-10s had each bank of cylinders going through a single side exit exhaust and it sounded like a school bus (or any other diesel truck for that matter). im wondering if an x-pipe will "improve" the m5's exhaust sound in any way....

Ernie

MAH · 7th March 2003, 19:43

The x-pipe did improve the stock sound of the OEM mufflers. It also improved my mileage as well as acceleration response(no flames please).

The x-pipe gives you a lower bass note along with the gurgle noise on deacceleration. Best $375 I have spent on the car.

BTW - it also removes net 22lbs from the car.

I would highly recommend this upgrade to be 1st on your list. I have had it on my car with the OEM mufflers for 18 months.

Mark

LGREM · 8th March 2003, 01:39

Okay i had time today and went for the installation, (as i type this message im getting exited to go back home and drive the car again just to let everyone know), here is what happened word for word, i went inside to the shop and asked the mechanic that i wanted to remove my resonator from the car, he insisted that if this was his car he would not touch it because it sounds great the way it is now with the Dinan exhaust, i said don't worry i already know how it sounds without it and to perform the work, i asked him how much money will it cost, he looked at the pipes for a few seconds and said

m I'll charge you $175.00 for everything, i immediately said go ahead and do it, two seconds later he said wait a second you have stainless steel pipes and if i was you I'd install stainless instead of regular steel that might rust down the road, i said to myself **** he's gonna charge me another $100.00 for the stainless, but he said I'll do it for the same price with stainless if you take care of me at the end (no not sexually he meant to give him a tip

, i said no problem my friend, just to let everyone know this guy is a really nice guy from Egypt with a heavy accent but really knows his stuff, first he disconnected the battery, then he used a saw zall to cut off the resonator using 4 blades, he kept on saying that stainless steel is harder than regular steel that's why he went thru so many blades, after he cut it off he measured the length of pipes needed, went to bend them on the bender in the first try they fitted like a glove, then he wire welded all around the pipes, he did a real professional job with the welding, when he was finished he lowered the car and told me to start it, at first i did not notice any difference but as soon as i pressed the gas the exhaust started singing the most beautiful song i ever heard.
this small mod is probably one of the best things i ever did to my car, i just cant balieve how good the car sounds, my friend who owns several vipers said it sounds like a lamborgini at idle and like a heavely moded corvett when you accelerate.
im so exited.
oh I almost forgot I gave the mechanic a $40.00 tip, all toghether it cost me $215.00 for everything.

Bigtime007 · 8th March 2003, 02:19

I just wonder if it will work as well as the ss pipe. I know a pipe is a pipe is a pipe. But is the diameter of the pipe you installed the same? I almost bought one today, but after reading this, I might just want to save myself $200.

phillym5 · 8th March 2003, 02:41

that is the same thing i did. i paid $200 and got the two straight pipes. it was before the x pipe came out. i had a 540 before the m5 and cut the resonator out on that two. i just figured it was mostly a silencer rather than a back pressure issue. anyway, im going to buy a used x pipe and install it just to really see if there is a differance between the two pipes or the x pipe. that should be next week. by the way, the guy went through four blades cutting my res. out too.

josh.

LGREM · 8th March 2003, 12:27

Quote:

Originally posted by Bigtime007
I just wonder if it will work as well as the ss pipe. I know a pipe is a pipe is a pipe. But is the diameter of the pipe you installed the same? I almost bought one today, but after reading this, I might just want to save myself $200.

the diameter is the same as the exhaust pipe that goes to the exhaust, dont forget it must be stainless steel.

LGREM · 8th March 2003, 12:30

after you remove the resonator you dont need your radio anymore, trust me on this one, all the guys with the x-pipe knows what im talking about.

Bart Carter · 8th March 2003, 16:27

Quote:

Originally posted by LGREM
Did anyone here go to their local muffler shop and custom fabricate a x-pipe for their baby?

... its only two straight thru pipes only

Before everyone runs down to the muffler shop, please read this:

Quote:

Originally posted by Bart Carter
An X-Pipe is simply having two exhaust pipe joining together and then splitting apart again to the mufflers.

It was originally developed for racing. Dr. Gas developed it to its fullest in NASCAR applications. These have the pipes exit into and out of the X at 90 degrees. Dr. Gas now offers X-pipes that you can use for fabrication with the optimum angles and shared areas already done for you.

The X-pipe was found to have three benefits: It smoothed out the pulses from bank to bank, it produced more torque and HP, it lowered the sound level.

Currently there is an X-pipe being offered to replace the resonators on the M5. I believe it is SuperSprint, but do a search. It should give you most of the benefits of an absolute design. (You really can't route the pipes correctly for an absolute design, with all the proper angles, cross section and routing)

...Most of the benefits come from the evening out of the sound and pressure pulses. They don't have to fight against each other. There is partly an available plenum chamber for the pulses to utilize.

A perfect set of headers, those which would have perfect timing for all pulses, would actually need to have primaries cross over from one bank to another. There were actually race headers built to do just that. That is why an X-Pipe tends more to the sound simular to this design header.

By the way, all headers are a compromise. Longer or smaller diameter primaries favor a lower RPM while shorter or larger diameter primaries favor a higher RPM. Again, the X-Pipe helps.

There is no performance down side to having an X-Pipe, only positive...

An X-pipe is not two straight pipes. It forms and "X" collector plenum. Two straight pipes will result in loss of HP, more noise and a more uneven pulse rhythm from the stock system.