I will be working on my FB exhaust line - right now I do have headers but no cross connection on the exhaust line - so what would you recommend and why? I would also be interested in seeing some installations pictures to see the clearnce in the transmission area - Thanks!

 

The X pipe helps get the exhaust out more efficiently because the H pipe requires the exhaust gas to make a 90 degree turn. However, some guys like the sound of the H pipe over the X pipe. So, I guess it is a tradeoff. If I had it to do all over again I would go with the X pipe.

 

I used the H pipe on the coupe, but it was really cause I got a deal for the entire line including muffler and sound attenuator brand new for $100 off craigslist ... I kind of leaned toward the X pipe, just wanted to hear some opinions ... would love to see some installation pictures too! I am just wondering wether or not I will need x pipe extensions for clearance

 

Things I have heard about H & X pipes:

H Pipe: Easier installation
Cheaper
Louder
More torque

X Pipe: Harder installation
Expensive
Quieter than H
More horsepower
Like Soaring said, it is pretty much a toss up. I went with an H pipe purely because it was an easier install and was cheap and I am in favor of torque over horsepower. You definitley want to go with one or the other because straight through pipes are out.


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http://www.summitracing.com/streetan...68DF18DFD76%7DSummits explanation

it seems to me that them's that wanna sell you one will rave about them. for most of us with stock or mild engines there's probably better bang for your buck to be had elsewhere.

Glen, IMO the H does not force the gases to make a 90deg turn...they just follow the path of least resistance. an H will balance the sound and is better than nothing. maybe an X is better again but i'm not convinved of value for money. an h can be added to an existing twin system. Harder to do to a X (pipe bends)

 

The purpose of an 'h' pipe or an 'x' pipe is to equalize the exhaust pulses through the system. If you have tri-y headers you do not need either. If you look at both pipes you will see that the 'x' design may be better at scavaging the gases from the other side than a 'h' pipe is soley due to the angles of the pipe.
A header should be designed so that a single long tube will be large enough to be filled with 1 exhaust pulse. But large enough to NOT be filled by the exhaust pulse. This gas being forced down the tube will create a vacum and a stronger pressure differential in the adjacent pipe thereby causing the exhaust to exit faster and evacuate the cylinder better. Remember...for every cubic inch of exhaust left in the cylinder you decrease you cid by the same number of inches.

 

Well you just answered a lingering question i've had about my longtube hedman headers. My Edelbrock heads have significantly larger exhaust ports then the headers opening. Can't be good.

 

smothers thats why you get headers that match your exhuast ports like http://www.fordpowertrain.com/FPAindex/headers1.htm

 

YepI knew the hedman headers were preventing me from getting full performance out of the edelbrock heads, I just didn't know how much. I also didn't have enough dough to upgrade headers at the time I bought the heads.

Thanks for the link andrew

 

Here is my understanding, so correct me if I am wrong. On one bank of the engine two cylinders fire almost simultaneously while no cylinders are firing on the other bank. Now, what this causes is a back up of exhaust gases in one pipe while the other pipe is empty. The H and X help this phenomen by allowing the gas from that one side to get distributed to both pipes.
Now, with the Tri-Y headers, how do they allow the gas to be distributed to both pipes? Not needing an H or X with Tri-Y's is something I had never heard of before now.