Author Topic: Balance tubes X vs H?  (Read 5907 times)

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fe66comet

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Balance tubes X vs H?
« on: January 21, 2013, 09:28:45 AM »
What you guys think? I would say the H would give you more low end power and the x would raise that a bit but I cannot find any info out there that says when it happens?
« Last Edit: January 21, 2013, 09:34:01 AM by fe66comet »

My427stang

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Re: Balance tubes X vs H?
« Reply #1 on: January 21, 2013, 10:37:32 AM »
I haven't found any difference other than sound between the two.

Both make low end feel a little cleaner.  I'd use whatever fits your application easier
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Ross
Bullock's Power Service, LLC
- 70 Fastback Mustang, 489 cid FE, Victor, SEFI, Erson SFT cam, TKO-600 5 speed, 4.11 9 inch.
- 71 F100 shortbed 4x4, 461 cid FE, headers, Victor Pro-flo EFI, Comp Custom HFT cam, 3.50 9 inch

fe66comet

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Re: Balance tubes X vs H?
« Reply #2 on: January 21, 2013, 10:44:50 AM »
I could go either way with a comet, plenty of room under there if I make provisions for it.

Joe M

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Re: Balance tubes X vs H?
« Reply #3 on: January 22, 2013, 08:37:26 PM »
I used to run a 2.5" pipes with a balance tube and some kind of turbo mufflers and turn downs.  I switched to a 3" X pipe and 3" Hooker Max Flo mufflers and the difference was amazing.  I was worried the Max Flos might be too loud because they are 3" straight through but the X pipe seems to act as a kind of muffler and it's quieter at idle than the turbo mufflers.  Lot of work getting that 3" X pipe up between the frame ties!
 

fe66comet

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Re: Balance tubes X vs H?
« Reply #4 on: January 23, 2013, 10:30:18 AM »
I am installing a 14 point cage with a tunnel and floor supports to stiffen things up. According to the manufacturer nothing hangs down. I will have to do something with the lame trans rails those are limp at best.

bluef100fe

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Re: Balance tubes X vs H?
« Reply #5 on: January 23, 2013, 12:34:37 PM »
Although I've never ran an h-pipe have run a  dual three inch system with no crossover and now im running a 3 inch system with an cheap summit racing x-pipe kit with hooker maxflows and at the very back I have a pair of 3 inch dynomax race bullets. I am very happy with this setup and will never go back.... the X pipe really mellows out the sound/noise.... the part I like the most is how wicked my truck sounds when you have the skinny pedal on the floor board. Happy motoring...


<a href="https://servimg.com/view/14375057/64" target="_blank" ><img  src="https://i58.servimg.com/u/f58/14/37/50/57/img_2013.jpg" border="0" alt="Image hosted by servimg.com" /></a>

Cody Ladowski
1976 F-100 stepside
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1.56 sixty ft.
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fe66comet

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Re: Balance tubes X vs H?
« Reply #6 on: January 23, 2013, 01:02:40 PM »
I want to run flow master 50s after my dumps and to the bumper from there is all. If the x pipe tunes it down that's a good thing as open dumps will be loud with 2" primaries and 3.5 collectors on the headers.

machoneman

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Re: Balance tubes X vs H?
« Reply #7 on: January 23, 2013, 01:58:06 PM »
I've followed Dr. Gas (a.k.a. Pro Motorsports Engineering) for about 2 decades now. Dr. Gas orginated the use of X-pipes in NASCAR at least when (IIRC, the late 80's) it was the Bobby Allison team that showed up one day with a weird-sounding exhaust pitch. Some other teams quickly followed suit when the car ran extremely well.

http://freqmod.drgas.com/

I've always used H-pipes simply because they are cheap and easy to install. I do wonder though if X-pipes actually increase hp in a fully mufflered car. Old 5.0 Mustang tests (not FE!) barely showed any X-pipe increase in rwhp and even that could have been attributed to leaning out a rich gas mixture or testing variables. No doubt that modern Pro Stock header collector designs and X-pipes on fully open exhaust race cars do work.....but then again, they aren't mufflered!

Dr. Gas has a new frequency modulation muffler btw although I've heard no reports.

Correction! It was 1995 and Sterling Marlin's car

http://www.linkedin.com/company/dr.-gas-exhaust

 
« Last Edit: January 23, 2013, 04:41:29 PM by machoneman »
Bob Maag

fe66comet

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Re: Balance tubes X vs H?
« Reply #8 on: January 23, 2013, 03:39:09 PM »
Maybe Jay could test the two on one of his dyno runs I would be very interested if it affects torque curve ?

jayb

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Re: Balance tubes X vs H?
« Reply #9 on: January 23, 2013, 07:10:44 PM »
I think the physical limitations of the dyno might prevent that. I actually have a 3" X pipe that I bought for dyno testing, but there was not enough room behind the dyno to hook it up and still make the connection to the dyno exhaust system.  The setup in my dyno is really designed to take two header outlets directly into the dyno exhaust, without much in between.  Too bad, too, because it would be a very informative test.
Jay Brown
- 1969 Mach 1, Drag Week 2005 Winner NA/BB, 511" FE (10.60s @ 129); Drag Week 2007 Runner-Up PA/BB, 490" Supercharged FE (9.35 @ 151)
- 1964 Ford Galaxie, Drag Week 2009 Winner Modified NA (9.50s @ 143), 585" SOHC
- 1969 Shelby Clone, Drag Week 2015 Winner Modified NA (Average 8.98 @ 149), 585" SOHC

   

fe66comet

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Re: Balance tubes X vs H?
« Reply #10 on: January 23, 2013, 08:19:41 PM »
Oh well no negative input I would guess makes a strong positive.

sixty9cobra

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Re: Balance tubes X vs H?
« Reply #11 on: January 24, 2013, 12:07:42 AM »
Hot Rod or Car Craft had an article yrs ago. I think they said the X pipe was equivalent to running open headers or something like that. I showed it to an older muscle head  coworker and he was impressed by the results.

I found one similar
http://www.carcraft.com/techarticles/exhaust_system_installation/
« Last Edit: January 24, 2013, 12:09:13 AM by sixty9cobra »

My427stang

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Re: Balance tubes X vs H?
« Reply #12 on: January 24, 2013, 06:15:36 AM »
If you want an X-pipe, I say go for it.

However, most gains will be made with a properly sized, mandrel bent exhaust with good modern mufflers.

The X vs H has been a topic for a long time, usually any test that shows a runaway from one or the other had additional changes that weren't accounted for.

The X does sound cool if you like the sound, and if you want one, do it now so you don't have to wonder, but it won't be magical compared to an H with the same good exhaust.

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Ross
Bullock's Power Service, LLC
- 70 Fastback Mustang, 489 cid FE, Victor, SEFI, Erson SFT cam, TKO-600 5 speed, 4.11 9 inch.
- 71 F100 shortbed 4x4, 461 cid FE, headers, Victor Pro-flo EFI, Comp Custom HFT cam, 3.50 9 inch