gendronj

I was interested in how loud / how hard is it to install this set-up. I installed my SLP loudmouths this weekend and they are great!! However I guess I am still looking for a little bit more aggressive tone.

My next question is with the X Pipe do you need to program a tune? I am trying to figure out whether or not it is worth it to go the X Pipe and Tune route?

Thanks for you help guys!!!

38special

You should get your car tuned. Your car will gain 20-30 hp.

ILikeBond

To answer your question - I have both the Bassani X-pipe and SLPs installed. The sound is great. Deep and loud, but not totally obnoxious. I installed the SLPs first and was afraid adding the X-pipe would make it too loud, but it didn't. Note that I still have the stock cats on.

SLP installation is easy - you can do it yourself in a couple hours or quicker, with a set of ramps. To install just the X-pipe (i.e., keeping stock cats), you have to cut the stock pipes behind the cats. On the other side, the X-pipe just bolts on. Because I didn't have a lift, I elected to have a pro help with the cutting of the stock pipes and X-pipe installation.

There are some pictures of the work getting done on the second and third pages of this thread: Thread.

I'd also recommend a tune, generally, but it is not necessary for exhaust mods. You may want to disconnect your battery, however, to let the engine relearn the trim for the new exhaust, as there may be very small changes in terms of the air flowing through the engine.

Good luck.

MaverickMLFD371

so wait a minute, there's cutting involved with installing an X-Pipe???

ILikeBond

Only if you leave the stock cats. If you buy the x-pipe with the cats, you'd just replace the cats all the way to the first bracket (i.e. the rear axel side of the x-pipe), so no cutting. Just unscrewing bolts, etc.

CME

Or if you live in a state that doesn't have emissions tests you can buy an offroad x-pipe without cats and it will make it louder. How much louder I don't know. Pipes with Hi flow cats probably wouldn't make a huge difference in tone but should help performance. I just know I plan on adding headers and an off-road x-pipe (probably Hookers) and keep the stock mufflers. From what I hear the cats are the main restriction in the stock system. But more than likely I will go Hooker from one end to the other eventually. Just need the $$$.

davids2toys

I installed the Slp's last night, I have no x pipe or other mods YET. I seemed to have lost some power or torque, It pulled real strong before the swap out...also, I did NOT disconnect the battery. Anybody have any ideas?

sodaman

get the xpipe with competition cats, way loud, and awesome, no cutting required. good luck.
P.S. you also get offroad pipes with it, if you want to live real loud. Can always interchange them. Good luck

MaverickMLFD371

well i wanted to just bolt an X-pipe to the stock catalytic converters and I thought it was gonna be an easy job but if cutting is required then I'll have to pass on the X-Pipe, sorry I thought it was gonna be easy as a simple bolt on but when it comes to cutting something and not being able to put it back on when the time comes to sell the car, then Im not gonna do it, X-Pipe is out for me....

sodaman

well like I said if you get Bassani competition cats with xpipe/off road pipes/ you will get the sound you want and be legal. And you can always put back on stock parts later. Good luck

y22kc

Not ALL x-pipes require cutting. The ones that are considered "offroad" x-pipes do require cutting if you are keeping your cats. There are x-pipes, such as some of bassini's models, that bolt right up behind the cats, no cutting required.

davids2toys

Are the bassanni cats 50 state emission legal?

y22kc

They make one that is 50 state legal

MaverickMLFD371

yea Hooker and Bassani require cutting of the stock H-Pipe, so I am out with X-Pipe.......

ILikeBond

Respectfully, I think you're overthinking this. The x-pipe bolts to one side, so you're just making one cut in each pipe. Slide the h-pipe off, slide the x-pipe on the bolted end, then back on the cut end, and bolt it. If you want to swap the h-pipe back in at any point, all you need to do is clamp it back on. You wouldn't need to weld or anything. The clamps create as tight a seal as if it is straight pipe or welded, so no worries.

In the end, the only difference if you converted back to stock would be that there would be 2 additional clamps on the cat side of the h-pipe.

<!--QuoteBegin-y22kc
Not ALL x-pipes require cutting. The ones that are considered "offroad" x-pipes do require cutting if you are keeping your cats. There are x-pipes, such as some of bassini's models, that bolt right up behind the cats, no cutting required.[/quote]

This is incorrect. If you keep the stock cats, to switch out the h-pipe for anything, you must cut the pipes behind the cats. I know because I just took a long hard look at the whole exhaust system when my car was on a lift getting the bassani x-pipe installed (as well as some other stuff)

In the end, the stock exhaust is essentially in 3 parts: (1) engine-to-cats-to h-pipe; that is bolted to (2) tubes; which in turn are bolted to (3) mufflers.

For pictures, click on the link to the thread that I provided above.

MaverickMLFD371

i understand the whole situation, but Im thinking of the future and selling the car back to stock and selling the mods on ebay or something when it comes time to that, but here is a setup of the stock exhaust....

http://forums.bradbarnett.net/index.php?ac...e=post&id=25892