The guy where I got my Magnaflows said if I changed my Stock H-Pipe my car would deteched it and my Engine light would come on, is this true and have you guys run into any problems changing to High Flow Cats?
x-pipes
- Thread starter 99cobrablack
- Start date
No mil problem with the magnaflow catted x-pipe.
Iv heard alot about cats failing prematurely on some of the catted x-pipes. I belevie I will probably run an off-road x, no emissions and the car is driven less than 3500 miles a year.
Toplesss - Dude, can you post some full size pics of your car? I would like to see how low it is....
You need to make the decision for the front pipe for sure before choosing the catback. You also need to decide on cats or not. If you want cats, the MagnaFlow X w/cats makes more HP than most off-road H pipes (I've seen more than 18 rwhp on stock GT's using this pipe!!), plus it's a true X crossover and it's stainless steel. Bassani's X comes in pieces now, makes roughly 10 rwhp, and it uses a "chambered" X crossover. It's notorious for tripping the low efficiency cats MIL too where as MagnaFlow's dual brick cat doesn't. MagnaFlow's pipe will be about 3-4 db quieter than a Bassani, plus sound a little smoother. They're both stainless steel, but the MagnaFlow X is about $90-100 less money. If you want an off-road pipe, MagnaFlow's pipe is very good, but a Dr. Gas is a little better performing due to it's X being about two feet closer to the engine for better torque, and it makes it even smoother sounding. Some say it's kind of raspy sounding, but not when used with a straight-through muffler. The MagnaFlow pipe is fully assembled and stainless steel, so it has that going for it. All Dr. Gas products are just aluminized tubing and come in 5 pieces that need to be welded together. I personally prefer the Dr. Gas even though it's more trouble initially, but most like the MagnaFlow for simplicity. Both will require a set of MIL eliminators to keep the check engine light off (Pony Express for $30). All other X pipes are also chambered designs other than these two and they're not going to have equal performance or sound.
For the catback, I'd only use a MagnaFlow, Borla, or Bassani 03 Cobra kit. MagnaFlow's kit is the least expensive and shows slightly higher gains, but it's a little harder for the initial install. Both Borla and Bassani's catbacks install much easier, but they cost a lot more and come up a few points short in HP numbers. It's really not enough to worry about though. For tips, they all have their unique look. MagnaFlow's are simple 3.5" angle cut polished stainless with their logo at the end. Bassani's are 4" angle cut, but it's rotated to follow the bumper lines. It too has their logo on top. It also has a removable insert that tones it down a little you may or may not want to use. Borla's tips are the most unique because they're a 4" outer tip, angle cut and rotated like Bassani's, but it also has an inner 2.5" pipe cut at the same angle. Some people really like this look, but others hate it. That's all up to you. But for money, you're looking at anywhere from about $375 to over $600 for these, and they all are very equal in sound and quality. One's slightly louder than the next, but the overall sound is very close to each other. I usually tell peope to base ot more on what they like looking at, or what they can afford, instead of the extra 1-2 HP from this one or that one. What you don't want to do though, both from a sound and a performance stand-point, is to use a chambered muffler behind any X pipe. Some may like the decelleration sounds, but it drives me crazy because it sounds like there's nuts and bolts laying inside the mufflers rattling around. They also hurt performance because the X is already creating enough back pressure for the engine to keep a nice torque curve, so it doesn't need (or want) a muffler that's slowing down exit flow. If you use the X w/cats, it's not nearly as bad sounding, but you're still not doing anything for performance. If you go with any kind of H pipe though, a chambered muffler is preferred so they'll create some back pressure to help the H crossover stay affective. The H still pretty much stops scavaging in the upper RPM range anyway, but at least chambered mufflers let it work for a little while. With straight-through mufflers behind an off-road H, it really hurts bottom end scavaging from lack of back pressure, plus it sounds like a redneck's pickup truck. Borlas behind an off-road H don't sound too bad, but a Bassani or MagnaFlow behind one is almost embarrasing. None make the gains of a true X and straight-throughs though, so I seldom would recommend something like that.
Good luck on your choices.
For the catback, I'd only use a MagnaFlow, Borla, or Bassani 03 Cobra kit. MagnaFlow's kit is the least expensive and shows slightly higher gains, but it's a little harder for the initial install. Both Borla and Bassani's catbacks install much easier, but they cost a lot more and come up a few points short in HP numbers. It's really not enough to worry about though. For tips, they all have their unique look. MagnaFlow's are simple 3.5" angle cut polished stainless with their logo at the end. Bassani's are 4" angle cut, but it's rotated to follow the bumper lines. It too has their logo on top. It also has a removable insert that tones it down a little you may or may not want to use. Borla's tips are the most unique because they're a 4" outer tip, angle cut and rotated like Bassani's, but it also has an inner 2.5" pipe cut at the same angle. Some people really like this look, but others hate it. That's all up to you. But for money, you're looking at anywhere from about $375 to over $600 for these, and they all are very equal in sound and quality. One's slightly louder than the next, but the overall sound is very close to each other. I usually tell peope to base ot more on what they like looking at, or what they can afford, instead of the extra 1-2 HP from this one or that one. What you don't want to do though, both from a sound and a performance stand-point, is to use a chambered muffler behind any X pipe. Some may like the decelleration sounds, but it drives me crazy because it sounds like there's nuts and bolts laying inside the mufflers rattling around. They also hurt performance because the X is already creating enough back pressure for the engine to keep a nice torque curve, so it doesn't need (or want) a muffler that's slowing down exit flow. If you use the X w/cats, it's not nearly as bad sounding, but you're still not doing anything for performance. If you go with any kind of H pipe though, a chambered muffler is preferred so they'll create some back pressure to help the H crossover stay affective. The H still pretty much stops scavaging in the upper RPM range anyway, but at least chambered mufflers let it work for a little while. With straight-through mufflers behind an off-road H, it really hurts bottom end scavaging from lack of back pressure, plus it sounds like a redneck's pickup truck. Borlas behind an off-road H don't sound too bad, but a Bassani or MagnaFlow behind one is almost embarrasing. None make the gains of a true X and straight-throughs though, so I seldom would recommend something like that.
Good luck on your choices.
"Ignorant" Ron speak with wisdom of one who is in know, Grasshopper.:read:
Ron,
Great info. Thank you.:beer:
Great info. Thank you.:beer:
I'm glad I can help when I can. If I'm ever not around, please feel free to e-mail or call me and ask me anything. It's what I'm here for. But I'll try to make a habit of checking this forum more often if it's desired.
Thanks alot Ron, great advice, it is greatly appreciated. Aaron
If Ron is reading this, I havent been on the board long enough to figure out the whole PM thing, but do you know if the Spin-Tech mufflers are considered chambered?? I think ive decided on a dr. gas off road x with 3 inch spin-techs. Everyone says they sound good behind an x-pipe, but they are all salesman. Thanks for your help already.
If you haven't done so already, you may want to listen to some of the sound clips on mustangexhaust.com. They have a couple of Spintech clips, though I don't think with the combo you are considering. Let's face it, nothing beats hearing the combo in person, but the site did help me eliminate from consideration a number of combinations that clearly didn't suit my tastes (e.g., too high pitched, crackly, raspy, etc.). You can get a good idea of the basic elements from the clips, but (sadly) not decibles.
So someone tell me if a Prochamber and Bassani catback will work.. :shrug:
Ive been to mustang exhuast and spent probably 40 hours listening to the different combo's. It is hard to tell, but out here there isnt a modded 4.6 mustang around,
First off I'll say, I think all those sound files you try to listen to are a waste of time and they can give you a totally false sense of what it'll sound like in person. I've also listened to several combos on the net, but they're usually not even close to the real deal. Also, too many times you're trying to compare a GT with XX stuff on it thinking that's what it's going to sound like on a Cobra, but the Cobra is always about an octave higher in tone with more metallic sounds coming out. I can only guess it's from the larger exhaust ports and extra valves, but Cobras never sound as smooth or deep as GT's. Also, the 99+ Cobras have their own sound characteristics over a 96-98 Cobra due to the different bends after the mufflers. The 99+ bends are basically dual 45* angles with a more gentle curve, where as live axle cars have close to a 90* bend and it's tighter. Again, this changes the sound. Horsepower levels also affect the sound. So unless you find someone with the exact parts you're thinking about, and they have the same basic car as you have, you're not really comparing apples to apples.
As for SpinTech's, I'm not a fan at all. Even on GT's, they sound too much like a Kawasaki Ninja 900 or something. On IRS Cobras, they tend to sound more like a Ninja 600 at 16,000 RPM. It's hard to explain, but it's way too migh pitched and almost "buzzing" sounding for me, and they don't do a lot for gains. Especially with an off-road X. They don't have chambers or baffles like a Mac or FlowMaster mufflers, but they do have snail shaped coils that do trap and block flow all the same. There's a local shop that sells them to everyone that steps in their door, so I've heard a lot of them. I've also removed a lot of them in favor of mainly MagnaFlow catbacks, but also for Bassani or Borla as well. Bottom line is 99% of the time, you can't go wrong with one of these three if you're using any X pipe. It'll always work better this way than with any muffler with something in it bouncing, blocking, or trapping sound waves and exhaust flow. There's no comparison what so ever between materials and quality between those three and the rest either. Just look at them and that alone will probably make up your mind on what you'd rather have.
As for SpinTech's, I'm not a fan at all. Even on GT's, they sound too much like a Kawasaki Ninja 900 or something. On IRS Cobras, they tend to sound more like a Ninja 600 at 16,000 RPM. It's hard to explain, but it's way too migh pitched and almost "buzzing" sounding for me, and they don't do a lot for gains. Especially with an off-road X. They don't have chambers or baffles like a Mac or FlowMaster mufflers, but they do have snail shaped coils that do trap and block flow all the same. There's a local shop that sells them to everyone that steps in their door, so I've heard a lot of them. I've also removed a lot of them in favor of mainly MagnaFlow catbacks, but also for Bassani or Borla as well. Bottom line is 99% of the time, you can't go wrong with one of these three if you're using any X pipe. It'll always work better this way than with any muffler with something in it bouncing, blocking, or trapping sound waves and exhaust flow. There's no comparison what so ever between materials and quality between those three and the rest either. Just look at them and that alone will probably make up your mind on what you'd rather have.
"As for SpinTech's, I'm not a fan at all. Even on GT's, they sound too much like a Kawasaki Ninja 900 or something. On IRS Cobras, they tend to sound more like a Ninja 600 at 16,000 RPM. It's hard to explain, but it's way too migh pitched and almost "buzzing" sounding for me, and they don't do a lot for gains. Especially with an off-road X. They "
no results from spintech, I got just the spintech mufflers welded in 292 rwhp at the wheels with 4.10 gears same day another 99 cobra full bassani exhaust ,x pipe & intake mass air got 297 rwhp ,another 01 cobra with mac offroad h and complete exhaust got 293 rwhp.
I got good results
no results from spintech, I got just the spintech mufflers welded in 292 rwhp at the wheels with 4.10 gears same day another 99 cobra full bassani exhaust ,x pipe & intake mass air got 297 rwhp ,another 01 cobra with mac offroad h and complete exhaust got 293 rwhp.
I got good results
Unless you have before and after numbers, it's hard to know what they did for your car. If you like the way they sound, be happy with them. But they haven't ever shown much for HP gains on 4.6's.
If you want another comparison, how about an 01 Cobra, Anderson cold-air w/stock MAF, Steeda timing adjuster, Dr. Gas off-road X, and MagnaFlow catbac. It spun the drums to 314 rwhp with the timing at 14*, then 309 rwhp back at 10*. The right mix can have very good results.
If you want another comparison, how about an 01 Cobra, Anderson cold-air w/stock MAF, Steeda timing adjuster, Dr. Gas off-road X, and MagnaFlow catbac. It spun the drums to 314 rwhp with the timing at 14*, then 309 rwhp back at 10*. The right mix can have very good results.
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