Need Help regarding X pipe's

**vette0009** · 10-20-2009, 02:16 AM

Hi, Say I have a 03 Z06 corvette and I am doing the exhaust and was
planning on going with a 1 7/8" pair of headers chuck the cats and H pype and run her straight on to my B&B Bullets and then out the back
Question: Why do I need an X pype I mean chevrolet did not put one on when they built the car Right ? They ran an H pype,
I mean if you ran a & in your garden hose your not going to get more pressure, you'll get less so What am I missing here ?
Are X pypes just a way to Boost manufactures Bottom line $$$$$$
Or are they truely an essential part of today's modern exhaust systems.

As a side note: can someone tell me where to find info regarding Cat Simulators ?

Hey InAdvance, Thanks for all you guys help these past few month's
LS1.Com is Top Tier In my Book

Bon

**Siciliano15** · 10-20-2009, 06:14 AM

Originally Posted by vette0009

Hi, Say I have a 03 Z06 corvette and I am doing the exhaust and was
planning on going with a 1 7/8" pair of headers chuck the cats and H pype and run her straight on to my B&B Bullets and then out the back
Question: Why do I need an X pype I mean chevrolet did not put one on when they built the car Right ? They ran an H pype,
I mean if you ran a & in your garden hose your not going to get more pressure, you'll get less so What am I missing here ?
Are X pypes just a way to Boost manufactures Bottom line $$$$$$
Or are they truely an essential part of today's modern exhaust systems.

As a side note: can someone tell me where to find info regarding Cat Simulators ?

Hey InAdvance, Thanks for all you guys help these past few month's
LS1.Com is Top Tier In my Book

Bon

x-pipes give a smoother transition and help scavenge the exhaust gasses out of the engine. h-pipes are probably the worst design for high rpm power because they create a turbulance at the H that doesnt exist on a car with no merge at all or on cars with x-pipes and y-pipes.

**vette0009** · 10-20-2009, 09:08 AM

Thanks for your response

I am seeking to Educate myself better before I buy a set of longtubes and mid pipe system

So far I'm leaning toward american racing 1 7/8 but I may still go with Lg motorsports 1 3/4" though I'd rather have the 1 7/8 which they do not make
Bon

**c5z28** · 10-20-2009, 09:11 AM

yup x pipe scavenges better and evens exhaust pressure. o2 sensors suck get the car tuned w/o the rear sensors.

**0verkill** · 10-20-2009, 09:39 AM

take a look at texas-speeds set up for your car
http://texas-speed.com/shop/item.asp...d=689&catid=45
and get it tuned after so you dont need the 02 sim's they suck any way

**Siciliano15** · 10-20-2009, 05:39 PM

Originally Posted by vette0009

Thanks for your response

I am seeking to Educate myself better before I buy a set of longtubes and mid pipe system

So far I'm leaning toward american racing 1 7/8 but I may still go with Lg motorsports 1 3/4" though I'd rather have the 1 7/8 which they do not make
Bon

u only need 1 7/8" if u r gonna be doing heavy mods like race heads/cam. 1 3/4" is fine for boltons cars and mild stuff like ls6 heads/cam.

**vette0009** · 10-20-2009, 07:32 PM

Originally Posted by Siciliano15

u only need 1 7/8" if u r gonna be doing heavy mods like race heads/cam. 1 3/4" is fine for boltons cars and mild stuff like ls6 heads/cam.

Yeah I just got the car paid off last month

So now I am beginning the mod process
I plan on doing tf heads cam, headers, and going 11:1 compression my varaRam arrives on thursday, I put on a set of B&B Bullets on Sunday and now I'm researching headers,
So far I like the American racing 1 7/8's off road set up but I need an air fitting for smog thus I may have to buy the catted versions which I'm not crazy about because I plan to run without cats and was considering passing up the whole X-pipe Snafu.
future plans also include losing 200lbs off the chassis,
I am Hoping to be in the 2900lb range

Hey Thanks for your response !
All the Best and Leave the Rest
So. Cal Bon

**0verkill** · 10-20-2009, 09:36 PM

Originally Posted by Siciliano15

u only need 1 7/8" if u r gonna be doing heavy mods like race heads/cam. 1 3/4" is fine for boltons cars and mild stuff like ls6 heads/cam.

not try the 1 7/8 can help out a stock motor as well

**rbob93** · 10-21-2009, 05:07 AM

Interesting read here

http://www.superchevy.com/technical/...xh/index1.html

**shady milkman** · 10-21-2009, 05:16 AM

Originally Posted by 01 T/A

not try the 1 7/8 can help out a stock motor as well

ehhh to large of exhaust will hurt exhaust velocity and scavenging..you wouldn't see near the gains you would on a stock 346 as with 1 3/4s

**shady milkman** · 10-21-2009, 05:18 AM

Originally Posted by vette0009

Yeah I just got the car paid off last month

So now I am beginning the mod process
I plan on doing tf heads cam, headers, and going 11:1 compression my varaRam arrives on thursday, I put on a set of B&B Bullets on Sunday and now I'm researching headers,
So far I like the American racing 1 7/8's off road set up but I need an air fitting for smog thus I may have to buy the catted versions which I'm not crazy about because I plan to run without cats and was considering passing up the whole X-pipe Snafu.
future plans also include losing 200lbs off the chassis,
I am Hoping to be in the 2900lb range

Hey Thanks for your response !
All the Best and Leave the Rest
So. Cal Bon

i still think 1 7/8s are pushing it for a 346 with head and cam ..depending on your cam specs etc..if you are going FI or bigger cubes in the 400+ maybe even a 383 then bigger headers are a must.

**0verkill** · 10-21-2009, 07:51 AM

they are good on a ls car mabe not on a older motor like a gen 1 or 2 here is dyno
http://www.ls1tech.com/forums/genera...o-results.html

**Firebirdjones** · 10-21-2009, 08:52 AM

Originally Posted by 01 T/A

not try the 1 7/8 can help out a stock motor as well

This is true. There have been several dyno's where the 1 7/8 headers improved accross the board on a stock LS1. Not just from individuals on a message board but also several magazine tests.
These motors like the larger headers. Most go with 1 3/4 due to cost reasons, or just not knowing. But for best performance the 1 7/8 headers are the way to go.

**NavyTATwo** · 10-21-2009, 11:01 AM

I have 1 and 7/8 inch headers on my '06 GTO but I am planning a head and cam swap here soon.

If there was a loss of power at lower RPM's, I never felt it. Not sure if I am going that route with my Trans Am, the Goat is sucking up all of the mod money!

Scott

**shady milkman** · 10-21-2009, 11:26 AM

Originally Posted by 01 T/A

they are good on a ls car mabe not on a older motor like a gen 1 or 2 here is dyno
http://www.ls1tech.com/forums/genera...o-results.html

read the entire thread..the compared a brand new high quality designed 1 7/8s to the decade old pacesetters designed 1 3/4s on a fasted 346

and with only 5 rwhp and 3ft/lbs of gain i'll argue that with a newer designed high quality 1 3/4 header design..you will see no gain if not a higher output from the 1 3/4s. instead of the pacesetters ..do a QTP 1 3/4 and it would be a different story.
pacesetters

qtp

so its not a fair comparison to test two headers on opposite spectrum

**shady milkman** · 10-21-2009, 11:27 AM

Originally Posted by NavyTATwo

I have 1 and 7/8 inch headers on my '06 GTO but I am planning a head and cam swap here soon.

If there was a loss of power at lower RPM's, I never felt it. Not sure if I am going that route with my Trans Am, the Goat is sucking up all of the mod money!

Scott

not saying you wouldn't gain anything ..but did you have 1 3/4s on before the 1 7/8s ?

**shady milkman** · 10-21-2009, 11:31 AM

Originally Posted by Firebirdjones

This is true. There have been several dyno's where the 1 7/8 headers improved accross the board on a stock LS1. Not just from individuals on a message board but also several magazine tests.
These motors like the larger headers. Most go with 1 3/4 due to cost reasons, or just not knowing. But for best performance the 1 7/8 headers are the way to go.

you've seen 1 7/8s outperform 1 3/4s on a stock motor in mags etc ? i have personally never seen any article regarding this so you could be right.

but i will have to respectively disagree with you on this subject since i have heard countless times not to go 1 7/8s for a stock to even a higher built 346 ..N/A that is....i take headers like i do with most everything ..two much of a good thing can be bad....over cam'n, over header'n, and getting caught up in number games.

**Firebirdjones** · 10-21-2009, 02:54 PM

Originally Posted by shady milkman

you've seen 1 7/8s outperform 1 3/4s on a stock motor in mags etc ? i have personally never seen any article regarding this so you could be right.

but i will have to respectively disagree with you on this subject since i have heard countless times not to go 1 7/8s for a stock to even a higher built 346 ..N/A that is....i take headers like i do with most everything ..two much of a good thing can be bad....over cam'n, over header'n, and getting caught up in number games.

Ya, magazines tested this stuff years ago. It's not a new concept.

Although I agree the 1 7/8 headers were considered too big on first and second gen small blocks for anything other than extremely serious stuff,,,,that's just not the case with the LS engines. They are a completely different animal with their 15 degree heads etc.....and it's been shown even with a stock cam, heads, they want the bigger headers. Once heavier modifications are made to the engine the 1 7/8 headers will continue to outshine the 1 3/4 at an even larger margin.

You have heard countless times to go for 1 3/4's because people are still of the old thought process and haven't seen or heard otherwise. These engines are still in there infancy and new to alot of people.

Not a big deal, but if you are going for every bit you can find, for even a bolt on car,,,,the 1 7/8's are the ticket.

**Firebirdjones** · 10-21-2009, 03:00 PM

Originally Posted by shady milkman

read the entire thread..the compared a brand new high quality designed 1 7/8s to the decade old pacesetters designed 1 3/4s on a fasted 346

and with only 5 rwhp and 3ft/lbs of gain i'll argue that with a newer designed high quality 1 3/4 header design..you will see no gain if not a higher output from the 1 3/4s. instead of the pacesetters ..do a QTP 1 3/4 and it would be a different story.
pacesetters

qtp

so its not a fair comparison to test two headers on opposite spectrum

I'd say it's about as fair as you are going to get considering the 1 7/8 headers are only made by a couple of manufactures. Even using a newer brand 1 3/4 header of different quality,,,you are still talking 1 3/4 tube size. With everything else being equal to make the comparison as fair as possible and satisfy the naysayers,,,,the 1 7/8 header is still going to shine.

**vette0009** · 10-21-2009, 09:16 PM

All Very Good Response's

All have some Valid points

I am seriously considering 1 7/8" for the simple fact that I won't have to re-buy headers should I decide to drop in a larger displacement motor,

At the same time I've read that the LS series Motors like a little back pressure,

Though I have no personal experience to back that up.

Say does anyone know if american racing's headers are stepped or flaired ?
or are they 1 7/8 all the way through

Thanks !
Bon en So. Cal

I am going to read this article http://www.superchevy.com/technical/...xh/index1.html

That someone posted earlier