Catted H-Pipe - Only BBK?

[JustA5.0]

Ordering exhaust soon, going all stainless from headers back. Looking at H-Pipe to consider options between that and X. I can only find BBK with Cats and they are aluminized steel at that. Anyone know if other companies are still making Hs for the Foxbody in stainless (links please)? Seems the 93338 from Magnaflow is no longer produced.

Side tracking here: Anyone install a Magnaflow #37338 (SS 4-cat X-Pipe) on here? Were you able to get it to clear the trans crossmember (easily, just barely?) and how was final fitment? From what I've read, X-Pipes can be a PITA to install on the Foxbody. I'm thinking a 4-cat setup is gonna be even harder.

P.S. Off-road pipes are not an option, thanks

 

[wythors]

Bassani catted X-pipes fit perfectly.

 

[JustA5.0]

Ok +1 for Bassani
I'm considering their 50933 in stainless.

 

[Rick 91GT]

Pypes actually makes a decent 304L shorty header that fits great, they have a 409 stainless X pipe with removable cats that fits good as well. I was skeptical about them but I have bought and sold a few sets with no issues, the headers were very impressive....polished mirror finish, great welds and they even grind open the welds on the inside of the flange.

 

[wythors]

Locally, I have heard of multiple failures of Pypes cats.

 

[Ozz]

I've got a BBK catted H-pipe on mine. It's not stainless but it fit well and garners no complaints from me.

 

[JustA5.0]

Pypes actually makes a decent 304L shorty header that fits great, they have a 409 stainless X pipe with removable cats that fits good as well. I was skeptical about them but I have bought and sold a few sets with no issues, the headers were very impressive....polished mirror finish, great welds and they even grind open the welds on the inside of the flange.

Is 304 higher or lower quality steel then 409?

 

[Rick 91GT]

304L is a higher quality stainless it has more nickel content and can be mirror polished, non magnetic. The 409 has a brownish tint, will corrode over time although much more resistent then steel and can be heat treated. A magnet will stick to 409....

I have a 409 system on my diesel truck, it still looks like it did when I installed it 5 years ago. Ive used a non scratch brillo to clean it up....

 

[2000xp8]

Locally, I have heard of multiple failures of Pypes cats.

While i'm bassani's biggest fan, it happens with them too. Good news is some kits come with straight pipes to replace the cats if you choose.
Same with all the aftermarket companies, none are as good as the factory cats.

The bassani pipe takes fitment out of the equation because it comes in several pieces that allow for adjustment in many ways.

As far as destructable, the bassani stuff is tuff, i had an original bassani 1 piece x (offoroad) back in the day, and the guy it was sold to still has it. Been through hell and back, i'd venture to say if you ran it over it would still be fine. Too bad that one was a nightmare to fit, thank god for shipping restrictions because now it's in a bunch of pieces.

 

[1990Coupe]

I have a BBK Catted X. Love it. Sounds great and I pass Jersey smog with no EGR with no issues.

 

[Beasty306GT]

go with bbk.. pypes is garbage

 

[chrisboss429]

Many moons ago I ran a bbk h then swithched to bassani x . Both had cats. The bbk went south fairly quickly and had fitment issues with the right o2 sensor hitting aod (ford sensor). 12 years later I'm still using the bassani. It still looks good, sounds good, but the cats are tired. I'm considering going magnaflow at this point but I must say I got my moneys worth on the bassani passing more than a decade of California smog with 2 fewer cats!

 

[Mustang5L5]

I need a new h-pipe myself. I'm running a stock 4-cat pipe with aftermarket headers and cat-back due to crappy fitting pipes I've had before.

Since I have flows, I want an H pipe, but the magna flow pipe I wanted is discontinued? Is BBK and bassani the only options?

 

[JustA5.0]

Since I have flows, I want an H pipe, but the magna flow pipe I wanted is discontinued? Is BBK and bassani the only options?

I can only find the Bassani with cats in an X, BTW...

 

[2000xp8]

I can only find the Bassani with cats in an X, BTW...

If what your saying is that you can't find a bassani "H" it probably doesn't exist, they have never been in the h pipe business.
Don't get caught up in the h or x pipe thing, just buy the best quality regardless.
Power is close enough to the same, and i don't care what anyone says, after a few days with one or the other you won't be able to remember what the opposite sounded like.
I know, i've had both.

 

[pypesexhaust]

Locally, I have heard of multiple failures of Pypes cats.

Interesting. Pypes products have a lifetime warranty and in checking warranty claims, there's one on file from the Seattle area in the past 2 years. You have any specifics you can forward to me? Names, contact information, application, ceramic or metallic, etc would be very helpful.

In fact, Nationally we have 6% warranty claims within the past 3 years on our cats and of those claims, most owners were running Long tube headers with ceramic cats and the motors were not tuned properly for the LT headers. They were full of raw fuel in each case. With Metallic cats, even if the tune is bad, they hold up dramatically better. We highly recommend metallic substrate cats for LT header and power adder applications. More money up front but in the long run, no hassles!

 

[pypesexhaust]

go with bbk.. pypes is garbage

He asked who else has stainless H-pipes for his application. Something Pypes doesn't even have. You got anything that is actually helpful to the topic starter?

 

[JustA5.0]

Another side question.
How much power loss do you think there'd be running an aftermarket high flow 4-cat X-Pipe (i.e. Magnaflow 37338, 93332 <--- yes that exhaust has been redesigned with 4 cats), versus a 2-cat aftermarket X-Pipe? Several HP or negligible?

I'm pretty much down to deciding between the 2-cat Bassani X and 4-cat magnaflow X's. The 4-cat is better for me in case I get pulled over, but don't want if it's going to be nearly as restrictive as the stocker midpipe.

 

[pypesexhaust]

Another side question.
How much power loss do you think there'd be running an aftermarket high flow 4-cat X-Pipe (i.e. Magnaflow 37338, 93332 <--- yes that exhaust has been redesigned with 4 cats), versus a 2-cat aftermarket X-Pipe? Several HP or negligible?

I'm pretty much down to deciding between the 2-cat Bassani X and 4-cat magnaflow X's. The 4-cat is better for me in case I get pulled over, but don't want if it's going to be nearly as restrictive as the stocker midpipe.

The MF 4 cat X-pipe looks to be all mandrel bent. Unless you have a huge motor this X would be fine for your car and you wouldn't loose more than a 3-6 Hp over an X with 2 cats. However, the car is going to be REAL quiet.

Do police actually do visual catalytic converter inspections in your area? In the USA only in California is this a real issue.

 

[JustA5.0]

The MF 4 cat X-pipe looks to be all mandrel bent. Unless you have a huge motor this X would be fine for your car and you wouldn't loose more than a 3-6 Hp over an X with 2 cats. However, the car is going to be REAL quiet.

Do police actually do visual catalytic converter inspections in your area? In the USA only in California is this a real issue.

Oh yes forgot about the mandrel bending, still 3-6 is 6-12 over an offroad. Something to consider, but my car is only ported E7s, mild cam, GT40 intake. Not going to upgrade beyond that until the motor goes, or very far in the future.

We do on our roadways, they are called Emissions Enforcement Officers. The tailpipe emissions testing is not California strict, but some of us have gotten the 'not supposed to remove factory catalyst system unless it's been damaged, then only with a factory equivalent' spiel. The rookie smog cops are more apt to follow the books, and not know Ford no longer produces the factory 4-cat for the foxbody or acknowledge that 2-cat systems do both jobs the 4-cat did. Winnable in court, just a risk taken you may have to appear to fight it.

Me personally, I've been pulled over 3 times by them, each time the smog cop has commented 'good to see you have the 4-cat factory pipe on there'. Even though the cats were punched out long before I bought the car, lol...