Thread: X Vs. H Pipe

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Im redoing my exhaust on my 75 Corvette with a th400 and SBC 355. Im looking at installing a x or an h pipe. Which one to go with? Im looking at this one from summit.

H Pipe
Summit SUM-642025: Summit Balance Tube Kits - summitracing.com

X pipe
Summit SUM-642125: Summit Universal X-Pipe Kits - summitracing.com

Thanks in advance.

Would probably be the one that fits best

^^^ yes, what BTD says...

I've heard the x-pipe is more effective but often more difficult to fit.

-Chris

Here is my understanding. An H pipe helps balance out the exhaust pressures between two pipes in a dual exhaust sytem. An X pipe actually creates some scavenging effect that helps clean out the cylinders more effectively. As Skids mentioned, I have also heard that the X pipe can take up a little more room and be harder in some instances to fit under a car.

Bottom line, the X pipe should theoretically give a little more hp. My Kid ran one on his 03 Mach I and said he could really feel the difference over stock.

Don

i like uncorked headers

Over at the Chevelle and at the Mustang site, a few tested the differance in them (not dyno'd), and decided that you can't tell the differance in them, in perfomance or sound. What one does to one car, wasn't the same on another car.

Like BigTruckDriver said, it would be the one that fits best.

Pat

Originally Posted by Itoldyouso

Here is my understanding. An H pipe helps balance out the exhaust pressures between two pipes in a dual exhaust sytem. An X pipe actually creates some scavenging effect that helps clean out the cylinders more effectively. As Skids mentioned, I have also heard that the X pipe can take up a little more room and be harder in some instances to fit under a car.

Bottom line, the X pipe should theoretically give a little more hp. My Kid ran one on his 03 Mach I and said he could really feel the difference over stock.

Don

Don is correct. An X-pipe is superior to an H-pipe, but an H-pipe is a whole lot better than not having one.

huntsville ehh !! we probably have seen each other at some events if you make any ... hooters show - dairyqueen cruises - drake tech show - whitesburg church show - south parkway muffler shop cruise in .. and others i cant think of .. be looking for my little red pinto

On a 535HP engine I've done dyno tests with H, X and no balance tubes with mufflers.

An X will show about 3 HP and 12 Ft Lbs of torque over nothing and an H shows about the same HP but only about 4-5 Ft Lbs.

Tone (noise level) definitely changes but I doubt that 2 people in the entire universe will agree on any one sound being the absolute best.

If you have room run the X, if not run the H..you probably won't feel the difference, although you may convince yourself that you do.

On a side note I also tested Dyne Max Super Turbo mufflers against Flowmasters and the Super Turbos made slightly more power, but on the track the car ran an identical 3 run average with both sets of mufflers..go figgur

IMO the most important thing on a street driven car is to make sure the exhaust exits out the back and not UNDER the car. This will eliminate the resonance (rumble) and will make a big improvement in the sound.

My 32 roadster has a 350/350 with a 2 1/2" X-Pipe system and Magnaflows with tail pipes exiting the rear. Sound is much better than when it exited under the rear axle.

I made mine by just using two 90 degree bends and siamesed in the middle.

If you plan on ever "taking it apart" adding some V-Band clamps is a nice addition.

This is a TCI Model A chassis. The power brakes. the C4 trans, mufflers, drive shaft and set back SBFord engine are all looking for space, particularly when you are trying to keep the 2.250" piped exhaust out of sight. The H pipe works better in this case. One or the other - are needed

IC2, Thanks for the picture. The interesting thing to me is the use of rods welded on to the top of themufflers for the mount. I know you put extra effort into the U-shaped curve in the crossover but now I see how you attached the mufflers. I have a similar rectangular cross section (1"x3") for frame strength after I had to notch the main crossmember for my master cylinder and I attached the drive shaft U to it, but now I know that I can also use it for the mufflers if I can get some sort of bracket welded to the top of the mufflers. As a side question, I have always like the sound of the stock Mustang mufflers (late models) so I wonder how they would sound on a SBC 350? I anticipate problems with the wife if I use turbo mufflers or glass packs. What about the rumor that turbo mufflers are noisy at idle but swoosh at speed, I think Matt said that but I have not "heard" them. I am interested in the prospect that an H-pipe will quiet the tone a bit while helping HP a bit. Anyoddy ever tried stock Ford Mustang mufflers on a SBC 350?

Don Shillady
Retired Scientist/teen rodder

Originally Posted by Don Shillady

IC2, Thanks for the picture. The interesting thing to me is the use of rods welded on to the top of themufflers for the mount. I know you put extra effort into the U-shaped curve in the crossover but now I see how you attached the mufflers. I have a similar rectangular cross section (1"x3") for frame strength after I had to notch the main crossmember for my master cylinder and I attached the drive shaft U to it, but now I know that I can also use it for the mufflers if I can get some sort of bracket welded to the top of the mufflers. As a side question, I have always like the sound of the stock Mustang mufflers (late models) so I wonder how they would sound on a SBC 350? I anticipate problems with the wife if I use turbo mufflers or glass packs. What about the rumor that turbo mufflers are noisy at idle but swoosh at speed, I think Matt said that but I have not "heard" them. I am interested in the prospect that an H-pipe will quiet the tone a bit while helping HP a bit. Anyoddy ever tried stock Ford Mustang mufflers on a SBC 350?

Don Shillady
Retired Scientist/teen rodder

Don,
Assembling those big mufflers and an H pipe and all the assorted claptrap under an 'A' was a bit labor intensive, but hopefully will be a dividend in reasonable sound level and performance

Those mufflers on mine are Flowmaster 50 Delta 3 chamber series and are being used for just the same reason you are suggesting Mustang mufflers. Mustang mufflers to me sound anaemic (even as a former several time Mustang owner )
Flowmaster, Inc.

1Bad75Vette, Thanks for the research. Although the Summit catalog I have does not list that H-pipe kit, it is still available at that price and I ordered it. That saves me fabricating the H-branches, although IC2 did a beautiful job of fabricating his own!

Don Shillady
Retired Scientist/teen rodder

Originally Posted by Don Shillady

1Bad75Vette, Thanks for the research. Although the Summit catalog I have does not list that H-pipe kit, it is still available at that price and I ordered it. That saves me fabricating the H-branches, although IC2 did a beautiful job of fabricating his own!

Don Shillady
Retired Scientist/teen rodder

Don,
Don't destroy the Summit box these pieces come in - this is kind of a (very?) clunky setup that I too bought then swap "meeted" it