x pipe, do you need to use one?
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 182
Likes: 0
From: bay area
05 c55, 08 600rr
x pipe, do you need to use one?
After seeing hooleyboys exhaust threads, I'm tinkering around with ideas.
I don't quite want to remove my secondary cats just yet so I was thinking, why not got straight from the cats to the muffler? Do I need to use and xpipe?
I won't even claim to know why an x pipe is needed... So all thoughts and comments welcomed. Thanks
I don't quite want to remove my secondary cats just yet so I was thinking, why not got straight from the cats to the muffler? Do I need to use and xpipe?
I won't even claim to know why an x pipe is needed... So all thoughts and comments welcomed. Thanks
Former Vendor of MBWorld
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 3,193
Likes: 3
From: Glendale Arizona
C55,SL55,C63
The xpipe if i'm right???, just helps mix the exhaust gases for a more even flow. Just get rid of the secondary cats you will love it (if you like a more throaty exotic sound) I did full exhaust as you know and most of the power gains came from just chopping out the secondary cats.
If you choose to delete them thats up to you, but you will have no need for an xpipe if you dont have true dual exhaust our c55's come with a ypipe that basically the secondary cats are a part of. Any exhaust shop will tell you they are useless unless you love trees or are a part of the green movement.
If you choose to delete them thats up to you, but you will have no need for an xpipe if you dont have true dual exhaust our c55's come with a ypipe that basically the secondary cats are a part of. Any exhaust shop will tell you they are useless unless you love trees or are a part of the green movement.
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 270
Likes: 0
From: Aliso Viejo, CA
2007 E550, 2011 BMW 335i
I just had an x-pipe put on my car, i will get a clip hopefully tomorrow or friday so you can hear. I have kept the secondary cat on, so you can hear a difference. I do really like the sound.
Former Vendor of MBWorld
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 3,193
Likes: 3
From: Glendale Arizona
C55,SL55,C63
How did they put an xpipe in this the secondary cats still intact as they connect to a ypipe? Did you go true dual and just move the secondary cats? The sound with out those cats is just amazing. I would need to see a picture to really understand what they did. There is power and a killer sound to be had by just removing the secondary cats. Dump those cats, If your going to have the show might as well have the go
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 270
Likes: 0
From: Aliso Viejo, CA
2007 E550, 2011 BMW 335i
as i understand i went true dual. I believe the cats are still there. I had this done at VRP, whatever their process is, that's what i had done. The sound is throaty, and im satisfied.
Former Vendor of MBWorld
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 3,193
Likes: 3
From: Glendale Arizona
C55,SL55,C63
look under your car and see. They would be somewhere under the trans. This is from my personal experience or mistakes. Never get exhaust work done at a tune shop, unless they have pipe benders and other equipment exhaust shops have. The reason I say this is... I ended up paying a labor rate or $95.00 an hour for 2 hours just to have my secondary cats removed. Most exhaust shops will do it for a flat rate per job. If a shop doesn't not have a mandrel pipe bender they end up cutting and welding lots of pipe together, There really is nothing wrong with doing it that way its just the it takes alot longer. An experienced exhaust shop may not even use a a tape measure that much. Thats just how good they are with knowing how much pipe is needed. The main reason is down time and labor rate. For example the $200+ i spend to just get my secondary cats removed. I could have went to an exhaust shop for about the same price and had a full custom pipe job done. (thats what I did after). I think anyone who pays over $400 for a duel 2.5 inch exhaust pipe job is getting taken, unless its stainless. Again from my personal experience dealing with a tune shop and a custom exhaust shop (Both for exhaust mods) its best and in most cases cost effective to go to an exhaust shop. I would bet If i had my tune shop do my custom dual exhaust it would have cost me $800 if not more... when an exhaust shop could go it in half the time and for half the price. Any way welcome to the exclusive C55 dual exhaust club!
Any way welcome to the exclusive C55 dual exhaust club!
Trending Topics
MB World Stories
The Best of Mercedes & AMG
Manual Mercedes? 6 Times Sindelfingen Let Drivers Have All The Fun
Verdad Gallardo
Mercedes SLR McLaren 722 S Is Extremely Rare Example Modified by McLaren
Verdad Gallardo
8 Classic Boxy Mercedes Designs That Have Aged Like Fine Wine
Verdad Gallardo
Flawlessly Restored Mercedes 190E Evo II Heads to Auction
Verdad Gallardo
Electric Mercedes C-Class Unveiled: 11 Things You Need to Know
Verdad Gallardo
Mercedes EQS Gets A Major Update: Everything You Need to Know
Verdad Gallardo
5 Underrated Mercedes-Benz Models That Don't Get the Love They Deserve
Verdad Gallardo
Mercedes 300D Has Pushed Well Past 1 Million Miles and It Ain't Stopping
Verdad Gallardo
10 Most Reliable Mercedes-Benz Models You Can Buy Used
Verdad Gallardo
Former Vendor of MBWorld
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 1,935
Likes: 5
AMG
you don't "need" it if you don't care about power, but if you want to make more power, you have to have it in order to ensure proper scavenging effects, resonance cancellation & higher gas velocity (and improved sound quality). If you have one already keep it, if you don't add it, simple as that. In my opinion its a must, but some people choose not to utilize it.
With that said here is a dyno charge showing what an X-pipe does throughout the power band, It really helps fill out the majority of the power band and provides a much smoother curve:
With that said here is a dyno charge showing what an X-pipe does throughout the power band, It really helps fill out the majority of the power band and provides a much smoother curve:
Last edited by AMS Performance; Oct 19, 2011 at 09:08 PM.
Super Member
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 784
Likes: 1
From: Miami
Bicycle
you don't "need" it if you don't care about power, but if you want to make more power, you have to have it in order to ensure proper scavenging effects, resonance cancellation & higher gas velocity (and improved sound quality). If you have one already keep it, if you don't add it, simple as that. In my opinion its a must, but some people choose not to utilize it.
With that said here is a dyno charge showing what an X-pipe does throughout the power band, It really helps fill out the majority of the power band and provides a much smoother curve:
With that said here is a dyno charge showing what an X-pipe does throughout the power band, It really helps fill out the majority of the power band and provides a much smoother curve:
Yep, you're right it really does help. I can vouch for that when it comes to the Dyno, good results.
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 270
Likes: 0
From: Aliso Viejo, CA
2007 E550, 2011 BMW 335i
In regards to the x-pipe, i have finally recorded a video. Here it is....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jf_SJP5GSUU
I look forward to the feedback.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jf_SJP5GSUU
I look forward to the feedback.
Former Vendor of MBWorld
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 1,935
Likes: 5
AMG
You cannot really do an X-pipe on the C55 exhaust system in the normal sense of the term. Technically it has a Y-pipe setup but if you look at the entire exhaust system its really one massive elongated X-pipe. Therefore, the only real way to pickup more power on the C55 exhaust system is to increase the diameter thereby allowing for more flow. The "merge-pipe" is the bottleneck in the system and is the only real way to increase flow. You would have to get two Y-pipes and a larger 3.0"+ diameter piping (or to just convert to true duals and run X-pipe in middle).
With that said there are other means of increasing power from exhaust system obviously such as high flow headers & removing/upgraded cats, but no matter what that "merge-pipe" will still be the bottleneck in the system and will have to be addressed down the road (even after you do headers & cats) as it is the last piece in the puzzle.
The X-pipe is only for certain AMG systems which have a true dual exhaust system all the way through without a proper high flow crossover pipe (such as the W210 E55 AMG which is the ideal candidate for the X-pipe as I was the first to figure out many years ago when I started this whole X-pipe trend).
Here is the picture of the C55 system from the benz ETK to better illustrate exactly what I'm saying. Either upgrading Merge pipe or switching over to true dual w/ X are the two options, whichever one you want to pick is up to you.
With that said there are other means of increasing power from exhaust system obviously such as high flow headers & removing/upgraded cats, but no matter what that "merge-pipe" will still be the bottleneck in the system and will have to be addressed down the road (even after you do headers & cats) as it is the last piece in the puzzle.
The X-pipe is only for certain AMG systems which have a true dual exhaust system all the way through without a proper high flow crossover pipe (such as the W210 E55 AMG which is the ideal candidate for the X-pipe as I was the first to figure out many years ago when I started this whole X-pipe trend).
Here is the picture of the C55 system from the benz ETK to better illustrate exactly what I'm saying. Either upgrading Merge pipe or switching over to true dual w/ X are the two options, whichever one you want to pick is up to you.
Last edited by AMS Performance; Oct 19, 2011 at 09:08 PM.
