Im going to be changing my 1988 Cougar's single exhaust to a dual, whenever I get atround to it, and i want to know if parts from a fox mustang (header, ler, pipes) will work on mine, cause no stores carry cougar parts. If i could id just go buy hedman headers and flowmaster lers fit for a mustang and use mustang dual pipes the rest of the way. If not i guess id have to bend my own. Also i keep readin about these X and H pipes...whats the difference between them, and why does having both pipes joined improve horsepower?
You can use a Mustang exhaust system somewhat easily....but with minor mods that any decent ler shop can handle.Lengthen the mid pipes a little,and the tail pipes a little.Headman,BBK,FRPP headers....they all will work well,and even better if you have a floor shifter.Around the tranny linkage on an AOD car,some minor clearancing may be necessary,but it doesn't take much.
As far as "H" vs. "X".I think it's personal choice.On car like these,with little to no mods,I honestly don't think you'd notice a power difference at all,and the sound is said to be a tiny bit raspier with an X-Pipe.I think if someone installed an "H" or "X" under your car and didn't tell you which one they installed and had you guess,it would be just that,a guess.I doubt you could tell the difference.lers for a Stang are fine as well.
There are great priced used headers and exhaust pieces on Ebay,the Corral forum,and other places.If you have the cash to buy all new parts,then of course,that's fine as well.
thanks man...i was able to find hedman headers for a cougar but nothing else, so ill use mustang parts. and i think ill sue an x pipe both because of the better sound and because logically it makes more sense having two pipes that come together nicely at 45 degree angles, then just 2 pipes with one welded straight across
Do you have a floor shifter?If so,about any Mustang shorty header will work great.Some use long tubes,but for a daily driver,and ease of removal,I like the unequal length shortys.You will probably have to slightly grind off some metal on the dip stick tube where it fastens to the header bolt.You'll know what I mean when you get to that point.It's pretty self explanatory.
no i got a column shift, and yeah i was gonna go with shorty headers...equal length ones are more for making your own custom exhaust im thinking...and ill probably get all my parts for a mustang cause the engine i put in will most likely be from a mustang. the last thing i got to ask is about the length...im looking at this flowmaster ler tailpipe kit, with polished slant tips, and im thinkign that since the mustang was shorter i dont want to buy a kit with these nice tips and have them come out like a foot from the back of the car, and have to eithier leave them hidden or weld in an ugly extention
With an auto, I would stay away with a X pipe.You must be seeing kits from jegs or summit. There are a few issues you should search for here, before you ask what will fit. Oxy sensors ? would come to mind.
Why would you not use and x-pipe on a automatic car?
Mine is a Pype's off road X-Pipe.I love it.It's a two piece design and has never given me any issues.
Mine is a two piece also. I drove a 04 cobra the other day with a catted x pipe. Does have a different sound with an x pipe then a H pipe. hard to describe the sound. More race car then Muscle car.
I really didn't care if I bought an "H" or an "X" pipe when I got the "X",.It just so happened I got a wicked awesome deal on a brand new one and couldn't pas it up.I've had it for some time now.Still looks great,no rust,and has fit excellent between two cars,and two sets of headers. Still has the dent where it saved my life (no joke.....literally).....but that's another story.
Do tell this story.
It would require a new thread as to not take away from this one. It was a very dramatic experience that lasted all of a few seconds.Lessons learned.
The equal length shorties will take up more room between the cylinder head and the inner fender of the car. This is due to the way the tubes bend and turn around each other to create the equal lengths. The unequal length shorties are more forgiving and in all honesty you do not loose much hp or torque between two on a motor that is 300 hp or less.
I found this summary on Ebay (I know, shoot me later) which gave a pretty good summary on what X-pipes do.
[COLOR="Blue"]X-Pipes are a leap forward in technology, over the H-Pipe. Due to the firing order, engines pulsate. X-Pipes smooth out this "pulsation" to allow for a smooth balance between cylinder banks. Translation: Less back pressure, less heat build up, and better exhaust scavenging (scavenging is the ability to allow burnt exhaust gasses to exit the combustion chamber faster and more thoroughly). The result is a significant increase in power and torque, as well as noise cancellation. What more could you ask for?
Your X-Pipes should be mandrel bent (keeps its shape throughout the bends with no flow reduction-no kinks), 16 gauge aluminized steel or stainless steel, with or without catalytic converters, and off or on-road use, depending on your requirements. X-Pipes with catalytic converters should be high flow.[/COLOR]
I had to add about 8" to the length in the cat back on my 83. I had a buddy that owned an exhaust shop do the work and then I had them HPC coated.
Darren
I kind of hid my x-pipe install but here's the link.
http://www.foxtbirdcougarforums.com/showthread.php?t=25361
It does require welding and cutting to get it right.
Before this system I purchased a h-pipe kit from summit and was very happy with it. You have to make the pipes before the ler a bit longer but this is not a big deal. Also one of the tail pipeshiznit the tank a bit and I had to trim the plastic under the tank to make it work out. the plastic under the tank was soon removed to save some weight and I'm not too sure what it is for anyway.
TED
I plan on installing cutouts eventually.I used to have them on my '76 Grand Prix back in high school.The car had a built 455 and would haul....for such a heavy car.I would probably wouldn't use them hardly ever,but they'd be there when I want to.
Tell us.......................in another thread.
I used Mustang 5.0 stock headers, Mark 7 H-pipe with cats from Advance Auto Parts (I forget the brand of the H-pipe), and a Mustang LX Flowmaster catback kit (I forget which series). I'm very happy with it.
Hmmm...well, I've had both on the same car/engine. The H-pipe was a stock Mustang 4-cat deal, the X-pipe is cat-less. There is a LOT more flow with the X-pipe now, obviously, but that's not a fair comparison. I do like the way the X-pipe fit; it's more compact, a bit smarter overall. Sound-wise, my car does not sound like a 5.0 anymore...in fact I can't say for sure what it sounds like. I have a 5.0 and equal-length shorties but you'd never know it to hear it. It's...different with the X-pipe. Kind of refreshing. My dad says he can hear me from at least a mile away, sometimes more LOL.
It's personal preference, but in my years of experience, it's a hell of a lot easier to hang an X-pipe. But if you want the 5.0 sound I think the H-pipe is a safer bet.
Thunderbirds and Cougars don't want to sound like a Mustang 5.0L. They want to sound better. LOL
The T-Bird sounds good.....to me....X or H pipe,the sound will still vary somewhat due to ler choice.
i had a h-pipe from flowtech and it sounded really nice with a set of 40 series flowmasters.this was on a 1985 thunderbird fila edition converted from cfi to sefi.it had stock mustang "headers".
The unknown brand X pipe I have won't fit due to interfering with the floor shifter linkage, the Hooker "H" pipe doesn't have a big issue... Had to trim the ear from the shifter cable bracket but has worked fine for 10 years...
When installing an H or X do you need to get a Mustang or Mark transmission bracket to hang the pipe from ?
I removed the hanger and cut the hanger _pegs" from the X-Pipe.Easier to install,and plenty sturdy.