X vs H vs neither?

[tarafied1]

Well I have been driving the car a lot in the last two years. I have most of the major stuff done. I've been tinkering with the little stuff now. I had the exhaust done earlier this year, the guy came in when the shop was closed to do the work so we wouldn't get interupted. I had originally asked for an H pipe but he ran out of time that day so I said I'd come back later. I've been scouring the web for Dyno or Drag ET data that shows the benefits of an H or an X over straight pipes. Of Course many forums have opinions that wildly vary as you might expect. The few links I have found to data are usually from a someone promoting there system so I don't know if they are biased. In many of the cases where I found head to head comparisons the X and H had so close of results you could say there was really no difference. I haven't found where any testing was done comparing and X or H to straight pipes. I know the theory of scavenging but if it's worth 2 HP is it worth the expense? I don't drag race and have never had the car on a chassis dyno so I have to go by seat of the pants feel. Cost varies from $40 for a Jegs universal H kit to close to $200 for Dr Gas X pipes. The there is labor to weld it in. So anybody have real world experience?

[silverblueBP]

From all my conversations, reading and personal exp. the X is best at high rpms and the H is better at low to mid range. I seriously doubt that it's more than a few ponies either way. I think the biggest diff is the sound. The H is a nice low rumble and the X is a much higher pitch.

Jeremy and I both have the same basic exhaust and mufflers with mine having the X pipe and Jeremy having an H crossover. It's a very diff sound between the two.

I went with the X cause it made it easier for me to fab up the side exits and I was trying to scrounge every little HP out of my 289.

[Opentracker]

Same here. It's the sound. We put an X pipe on my wifes 61 Ranchero ( 302 .. 4-speed .. 9" ) after having straight pipes. The sound was way different, not any noticable change in pep.

I did it to our GO 65 coup, same thing. Higher pitch and no noticable power gain. I like the sound a lot. We put X pipes on anything we work on.

$200 is way too much. I make my own now but when we had the work done at the shop, he charged $40 to make one from bent pipe. It's not hard to do at all.

[tarafied1]

Thanks guys, that's kinda what I was thinking. I love the sound of the 289 in your track vids. Maybe it would be worth it for the sound alone. I was thinking about the $40 Jegs Universal H kit cuz I could do it myself and weld it up. The only car I ever had with an H pipe was my 85 GT, I put on a Mac off-road true dual system cuz the original was a Y into one cat and back to duals. It did have a low rumbly sound but I tossed the cat at the same time and it wasn't true duals to start with so wasn't sure how much was just the H pipe. Plus I think the diameter was bigger than stock too. Anyway, Thanks.

[silverblueBP]

I need to get some WFO flybys on video, don't have that yet!

[blue65coupe]

I had an H welded in when the guy did my exhaust.  I didn't have a kit, I just took it to him with headers and a set of cutouts.  I went with standard turbo mufflers (have the cutouts for the loud stuff) and my cost was $325.  With a completed exhaust system you should be able to get an H installed for around $50...at most...using his pipe.  A good muffler guy can cut/weld in a piece in less than an hour. 

[70_Fastback]

...Jeremy and I both have the same basic exhaust and mufflers with mine having the X pipe and Jeremy having an H crossover. It's a very diff sound between the two....

Yep.  Mine has a deeper tone to it.

[daveSanborn]

I love the sound of the 289 in your track vids. Maybe it would be worth it for the sound alone.

Craig,

I'm not sure, but I don't believe that an X or H pipe will make your 428 sound like Mark's 289.

Personally, I'd go with a split joint H pipe.  Having a split at the middle of the H allows one side of the exhaust to be removed.  I'm not sure how you could accomplish this easily with an X pipe.


Which reminds me.... the exact same thing happened to me when at the exhaust shop.  I left the guy alone for 20 minutes and when I returned he was done and forgot to cut/weld in an H pipe on my '66.  I told him not to worry about it and we'd get it later.  Here it is almost 2 years later and I keep forgetting about it.  Thanks for the reminder!

[tarafied1]

Craig,

I'm not sure, but I don't believe that an X or H pipe will make your 428 sound like Mark's 289.

Personally, I'd go with a split joint H pipe.  Having a split at the middle of the H allows one side of the exhaust to be removed.  I'm not sure how you could accomplish this easily with an X pipe.


Which reminds me.... the exact same thing happened to me when at the exhaust shop.  I left the guy alone for 20 minutes and when I returned he was done and forgot to cut/weld in an H pipe on my '66.  I told him not to worry about it and we'd get it later.  Here it is almost 2 years later and I keep forgetting about it.  Thanks for the reminder!

I'm pretty sure my 42NINE won't sound like Mark's 289 but I had to say his sounds good cuz it sure does!
I agree with the split H, I plan to ultimately change to a 5 speed or higher stall converter om the C6 so being able get the exhaust off is important.

[Midlife]

What is a split joint H-pipe and how is it different from the standard H-pipe?  Any pictures?

I never heard of this before.

[silverblueBP]

The crossover is in 2 pcs instead of one. It lets the pipes come off independently.

[johnpro]

I agree that the x-pipe has a higher pitch than the h-pipe.  What I didn't see mentioned, though, is that the h-pipe is higher pitched than no crossover at all.

My son's old '65 had almost the identical engine as SacBill's '68, with the exact same exhaust.   The only differences were that my son's had JBA shorties and Bill has K-code manifolds and Bill has an H-pipe and my son had no cross over.

The pitch was very noticeably lower on my son's '65.  We did a side by side comparison one day.

[tarafied1]

That's interesting, a H will be higher pitch than no crossover...

Mid, Split H pic below

[cmayna]

A split H,   very interesting.  Looks like one part of the cross member fits into the other?

[AzPete]

That split H is what I have seen from years back when systems were clamped, before all the systems were fully welded.

[6t6red]

I had one of those on my 85 GT.  I think Summit calls them,  off-road h-pipes.  It worked fine for me with Mac shorty headers and flowmaster exhaust.

[Fast68back]

I have a JBA H pipe and it comes as a split piece like that make it easier to install.

[cmayna]

That split H is what I have seen from years back when systems were clamped, before all the systems were fully welded.

Damnnnnn, How old are you anyways?

[AzPete]

Damnnnnn, How old are you anyways?

Ancient my son, ancient.....maybe 1 yr. more than you........

[gtscode]

From all my conversations, reading and personal exp. the X is best at high rpms and the H is better at low to mid range. I seriously doubt that it's more than a few ponies either way. I think the biggest diff is the sound. The H is a nice low rumble and the X is a much higher pitch.

That about sums it up from my perspective. I had an X but needed an H to clear the gear vendors overdrive.

I like the H sound better and performance wise I am just not pushing the car hard enough to care.

I have a 2.5" Magnaflow X-Pipe free for pick up but I will not ship.

[tarafied1]

since I am the OP I am gonna dereail this and ask how you like the gear venders OD? Worth the money? Did you install it your self?

[gtscode]

since I am the OP I am gonna dereail this and ask how you like the gear venders OD? Worth the money? Did you install it your self?

I did do the install myself and it was definitely not that bad.  I have it behind a 4 speed toploader so pretty bullet proof combination.

I did have to shorten my brand new drive shaft and also come up with a creative solution for the speedo adapter.

I haven't driven the car yet with the Gear Vendors activated to give a report but so far I love it.

Once I have a few miles on it I will give a full report.

[LSTCUP]

thought I would add a pic of a hand made X-pipe to this thread, the guy did a great job..

[guruatbol]

OK, I can comment on the H pipe and the X pipe and the gear vendors.

First the gear vendors.  I had them on an 88 F250 with a 7.3 diesel.  No turbo and 4:11 gears.  So it maxed the rpms at about 60 mph.  When the GV was activated I could get to 80 or so.  No problem.  One cool think was I had 2 reverse gears and 8 forward gears!  The only drawback in a 4x4 is that when in 4wd you have to have the GV turned off.  No issue in a Mustang.  Installation is easy.  You should change the fluid about once a year or so.  Mine was nasty and hadn't been done by the PO at all, so I did it and it was easy too.  It takes a GM light oil, not sure which one anymore, but GV in El Cajon has very good customer service.  I lived in Brawley about 2 hours East.

Now the 67 has an H pipe and Flowmasters.  The 65 has an X pipe and magnaflows.  The 67 has a deep rumble and the 65 is a bit higher pitch.  They are both nice, but I prefer the 67 where you can hear the clicking of the valves and just a deep rumble.   The muffler shop I use is a Mopar and GM guy.  He has his roadrunner and chevelle on his logo.  Anyway he told me the X pipe provides a bit more HP.  I really don't care about that anyway.  I think that the X pipe was easier for him to make.   Or he had it in stock.  I just wanted my exhaust done.  Oh, both cars have Tri-Ys ....  The 65 has ceramic coated Headers by Doug and the 67 has painted Headman Headers.

I don't see any real difference in performace in the X vs the H.  There is for sure a different sound!

Now on a big block?  I had a 460 in a F250 and it had straight pipes not X or H.  It sounded bad ars!  I would be inclined if I were you to just run straight pipes.  The reason is when you upgrade your trans you can add it.  That is when we did it on the 67.  Had straight pipe until then.

Mel

[PJ Moran]

I bought a MagnaFlow kit for my car.  It comes with an X pipe, but is expressly NOT for convertibles.  It won't fit above the crossover plate.

I cut the X out and had the muffler guy install it with straight pipes - no X or H.

It sounded awesome at idle and cruise, but when I got on it at all, it was too loud and had a poppy sound - like a pickup on glasspacks.  I hated it.

I went back to the muffler shop and asked him to add an H-pipe.  $30 and an hour later I was set.  The car sounds totally different.  It's a little quiter and much smoother.  Gone is the fart-like sound.  That short little piece of pipe transformed my exhaust system.

So, X's might have a slight HP advantage, but H's sound better than nothing at all.