Shifteck resonator delete X-pipe

[TaraFirma]

I've been holding off deleting my resonators hoping for a reasonably priced option besides just cutting out the resonators and welding in a piece of stainless.
Shifteck now offers this very reasonably priced resonator delete X-pipe.
I should have bought one of these right when they were posted as the price has gone up $79 since it was first posted.
Anyway, ordered one up a couple days ago and it arrived this morning. I put it on this afternoon. Install was pretty straight forward and can be done in just over an hour in your garage with jack stands and a few simple tools. Instructions are included and are very well written and easy to understand.
First, get her up in the air. A lift is best, but can be done with 4 jack stands.

The heat shield needs to be cut off. I used a dremel with a small cutoff wheel.

Next, I cut the factory pipes just behind the weld after the resonators as per the instructions.

I cut the short necked down portion of the Shifteck pipe so it would mate directly with the factory front pipes as apposed to slipping inside of them. I cleaned up all cuts with a dremel.

Then I slid the rear pipes (resonator delete) into the pipe that was cut

Slid the front factory clamps over the new x-pipe and lifted it into place. Tightened all the clamps down and was done.

I reinstalled the heat shield with large 21/2 hose clamps. Instructions say this is optional, but I figured Ford installed it for a reason so I put it back on.

Completed install.

The sound is phenomenal!! Very glad I did this. Easily in the top 3 mods I've done. Would highly recommend.

 

[Tob]

Nice work. Keep an eye on the clamps as a vibratory environment with repetitive high heat cycling isn't what they were designed for and you may find they come loose.

 

[jvandy50]

Thanks for the pics, probably gonna do this someday this week and was confused on the cut after the weld where they stated 2-3”...because there’s not that much pipe there. I think this clears it up for me

 

[50 Deep]

Good pics and write up.

I understand you were waiting for another solution, but this is the exact same process you would follow if a local muffler shop was cutting out your factory resonator and welding in a pipe. The only real difference I see is you aren't welding.

Guess I am just struggling to see the benefit

 

[TaraFirma]

Good pics and write up.

I understand you were waiting for another solution, but this is the exact same process you would follow if a local muffler shop was cutting out your factory resonator and welding in a pipe. The only real difference I see is you aren't welding.

Guess I am just struggling to see the benefit

Major advantage to me, is that there was no welding required. The Factory X pipe was also replace with an allegedly better flowing piece that bolted right up using the stock clamps up front. This all can be reversed if needed without going back to a shop. Just 4 clamps (2 factory, 2 supplied with the resonator delete) and the stock X pipe is back in place.

 

[50 Deep]

Interested if you see any benefit come dyno time. It is nice that you can do it at home also

 

[galaxy]

Hey Tara Firma...in your 4th picture down, I’m not really following on what you did there and why you cut that front section off the new x-pipe? Can you detail that a little more? Thanks for the great write up! Ordering mine.

 

[jvandy50]

Hey Tara Firma...in your 4th picture down, I’m not really following on what you did there and why you cut that front section off the new x-pipe? Can you detail that a little more? Thanks for the great write up! Ordering mine.

in the directions, removing that tiny neck-down is optional. you’re just taking out more restriction and gaining a little more sound. obviously it’s gonna be small differences, but if you’ve already got the sawzall out...why not?

 

[galaxy]

So when you cut the reduced section off the front of the new x pipe, does it not still slide inside the existing front section (catted pipe)? Or does it just butt up against the pipe and stay there under the clamp?

Haven’t got up under mine yet. Instructions weren’t super clear on this one. Guess I’ll see when I get in there.

 

[jvandy50]

man i wish you wouldn’t have asked that, its bugging me that i can’t remember now! I wana say a little bit still slips in there still...i remember wanting to check my clamp bolts because of vibration, not because the the pipes simply butt up...

It’ll be obvious once ya get under there though, and FWIW i’ve Checked my bolts twice and they weren’t one bit loose

 

[galaxy]

I’m thinking it has to slide in there some. I don’t care how flush it is, you can’t have two exhaust pipe sections just butting up against each other. No way that would seal, regardless of the clamp. I read that the x pipe is just slightly thinner material so that it would slide in. That has to apply to both ends.

....and there’s no way on earth I cut the narrow section off the x pipe straight enough to ever fit flat up against something, hahahahaha!

 

[galaxy]

Well I’ll be damned...it DOES just sit inside the front clamp. Even stock, the two pipe sections don’t slip together. The clamp just serves as a bridge and makes the seal. Even stock, there’s like a 1/8 - 1/4” gap between the pipe sections underneath the clamp. Oh well!

 

[ANGREY]

Ideally it's a minimum of a couple inches slip connection with a clamp. Even more ideal is that the upstream section always slips into the downstream section (i.e. it's the downstream female receiver that's flared to accept the upstream male portion). This prevents bucking of the connection. It's nitpicky but does create more friction/head losses with pipe connections if the connection "bucks" the flow and creates a turbulence point.

If the kit doesn't come flared and has the flexibility to cut to fit (on the OEM) this is easily solved at the muffler shop, as they can flare the insert section. The only problem is that they can flare the one female end, but then at the other end, you'll have the bucking issue, (not a huge deal, just not best practice). Only other solution would be to totally remove the rear section of the exhaust and flare those joints, which isn't really practical.

An even more ridiculous option would be to simply weld the joints, which isn't all that different from the OEM setup, because in the OEM setup, the only bolted/removable connection is after the flex sections at the front.

 

[galaxy]

So on this setup, you do have what you described at the rear of the new x pipe; the new x pipe (upstream) is male and the existing tailpipe section is female. I assume this doesn’t cause any “bucking” as you described?

For the front connection, it’s a wash. The new x pipe connnects and fits under the stock, existing clamp in the same manner and fit as the removed x pipe section did.

 

[ANGREY]

So on this setup, you do have what you described at the rear of the new x pipe; the new x pipe (upstream) is male and the existing tailpipe section is female. I assume this doesn’t cause any “bucking” as you described?

For the front connection, it’s a wash. The new x pipe connnects and fits under the stock, existing clamp in the same manner and fit as the removed x pipe section did.

In fairness, if the connection is a flare/slip, the differences will probably be negligible, it's just an OCD thing. When two pipes of different diameter completely are slipped, that's where the friction loss is more because the internal change in cross sectional diameter (vs. a flared connection where it returns back to the same ID)

In reality, none of this appreciably matters with exhaust flow and it's more just an OCD thing. The most important issue at hand is making sure there's enough slip overlap so that a clamp can effectively seal off any leaks. I also like to take a cutting wheel and slot the female flare (like a most exhaust manufacturers do) to allow the clamp to get more deflection out of the tabbed sections and seal better.

 

[galaxy]

Something I found interesting while doing this project...The catted pipe bolts to the headers, but there is not a single exhaust hanger or mount until you get all the way back to aft of the axle. Seems like not enough to me. But, after getting the clamps bolted back up from installing the new x pipe, it's flippin solid, I'll say that!

 

[galaxy]

So I hope I’m not speeding by saying this...

I’ve been chatting with Shifteck during my x-pipe install about a couple of things. Well, I sent him an email the other day and suggested they should make a cat delete pipe that bolts right up to the stock headders and attaches to their x-pipe reusing those stock front clamps. His reply was simply “in progress”.

Don’t know about you guys, but my homework has revealed installing long tubes on this thing is a royal pain of a job, and offers very little gains unless you’re going power adder or some other major engine mods. Ditching the cats and a good tune seems like an exceptional balance on an already great package, IMO. I’m down with this option. And I even live in a county with no smog inspection!!

 

[jvandy50]

wonder if it’ll differ much from the lethal cat delete. i do love the way headers make this car sound, but i do not want to do that install again. if i caught some at a deal i might talk myself into it.