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Side pipe crossover

BLACK MOON

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 21, 2003
Messages
654
Location
KNOXVILLE, TN
Corvette
15 Shark Grey 3LZ Z06
Has anyone ever installed a crossover or balancer pipe between the sidepipes? I know it sounds strange but in a dual exhaust setup the crossover works well and offers power and torque increases. Any thoughts????? Thanks.
 
Sidepipe Crossover

I have a 1965/327/350 with factory sidepipes, no crossover and runs great, makes plenty of noise. What else would one need.
:beer
 
I have wondered the same thing.
A while back in magazine they did an article on inexspencive mods to a car to find all the hidden horse power and one of the things they did was cut out the original cross over pipe (had a tiny hole in the pipes) and open it up to the full diameter of the cross over pipe and they found an extra 2 hp or so just by doing that.

Allthought I would never add the cross over pipe what does it do
 
Using a crossover has always increased power and torque. I think it would sound better as well. I was just wondering if anyone here had tried.
 
Agree, I have installed many crossovers, but with my side pipe headers it would have to 90 down, then run the full width of the car.?
Did improve my side exhaust situation though. Am now running
a full 3" / 3.5" set up with spiral baffles.
Here is the link.
http://www.spiralturbobaffles.com/customers.html
 
A crossover pipe will balance the exhaust pulses between the cylinders. Scavenging and torque will increase slightly, exhaust tone will mellow slightly (less "raspy").
 
Isn't there already a passge through the intake for exhaust cross-over? Not sure if this would serve the same function as a downstream cross-over but I have heard people mention the exhaust tone changes when this passage is blocked or restricted.


brian
 
Crossover Pipe

Brian,
My car has original exhause (2 1/2" manifold) and there is a heat riser valve on the right exhause header (passenger side). If this valve dosen't open you will lose power. If you have a power loss you can wire it open for testing. There is no location for a crossover pipe, you would have to have one custom made.

I see your car is a 1963, for around $10 bucks you can get a copy of the original assembly book or for a few dollars more you can get a original maintance book for a 63. You will see that the exhaust has no location for a crossover.
 
I don't need an assembly manual. I know the cars didn't come with one. I was asking if anyone had experimented with one trying to gain more power and mellow the tone a bit. It's proven that crossovers and x pipes cause good increases in power. Connecting the two sidepipes under the engine would be an easy fabrication but will it help. The heat crossover in the intake is for heat and has nothing to do with the exhaust.
Thanks everyone
 
The intake manifold heat crossover is designed strictly to heat the carb/choke for faster engine warm-ups (and eventual carb destruction, but thats a topic for another day). The chamber is too small too be of any benefit in pulse balancing. Exhaust cross-over pipes are most efficient down stream from the collectors, upstream from the mufflers and about 75% dia. of the main pipes.
 
Hey Black Moon;
I haven't used a cross over with my side pipes but I'm sure it would be benificial. It's been proven to improve scavaging. I wouldn't hesitate to add one to mine if I was so inclined.
 
Yes, I tried it two years ago on a '66 with a fairly stock 327 engine. The pipe was routed just behind and under the bellhousing.

Sorry, but I couldn't tell any difference in power or sound. I later removed it to avoid adding heat to the transmission oil.
 
Got a sidepipe car as well.....never thought about adding a crossover....what really improved the situation was to rebuilt the distributor to specs and add a breakerless ignition. Sounds crazy...but that woke up a lot of dead horses...

I would really recommend doing this first.
 
I wondered about the same thing too. Not so much for the 2 HP gain, but because it is supposed to cut out the reverberation. 'raspy sound'

Something that I was thinking about doing... (don't laugh now. Well, you can if you want.)

1.) Install side pipes from JC Whitney. (They look like header sidepipes, but have only one inlet, 2")

2.) Immediately before the exhaust enters the sidepipes, install a 'Y' cutout on each side. (It is a 'Y' shaped fitting with a valve that allows you to direct the exhaust flow.)

3.) Connect the 2 'Y' connectors together into one large pipe. (3"?) Have this 1 3" pipe run all the way to the rear of the car and thru some ultra quiet mufflers.

What would this crazy thing do you ask?

1. I have the looks and sounds of sidepipes.

2. By slightly adjusting the exhaust valve on the 'Y' connector, I can balance out the sidepipes.

3. By opening up the exhaust valve all the way, my exhaust is channeled all the way to the back thru the mufflers. (Perfect for when you are driving thru the neighborhood late at night or early in the morning.)

What do ya'll think? (no, I'm not a redneck)
 
I've already made a ton of improvements. I just wanted to even out the sound and possibly improve the performance. I picked up a Holley 'Street Avenger' carb this morning. It is supposed to be a great, non complicated carb with electric choke and moderate performance gaing. I'm currently running an Edelbrock which runs fine but seem pretty docile. Anyone want a year old Edelbrock/ Carter Model 9605 625 cfm with manual choke for $125?????
 
Something that I was thinking about doing... (don't laugh now. Well, you can if you want.)
2.) Immediately before the exhaust enters the sidepipes, install a 'Y' cutout on each side. (It is a 'Y' shaped fitting with a valve that allows you to direct the exhaust flow.)
3. By opening up the exhaust valve all the way, my exhaust is channeled all the way to the back thru the mufflers. (Perfect for when you are driving thru the neighborhood late at night or early in the morning.)
What do ya'll think? (no, I'm not a redneck)


I saw something similar done on a 65 BB coupe at a car show this summer. He ran oem BB manifolds & downpipes, split them with a pair of these: www.quicktimeperformance.com/qtec.htm, ran a set of 2.5" "GNM" side pipes from:
www.sweet-thunder.com/ses_65-67_vette.htm, and full 2.5" oem stock exhaust system w/ quite mufflers out the back. He used turn-downs under the rear valance, rather than through it to visually minimize the tailpipes. He transformed his lionhearted 502 into a kitten at the flick of a switch from his seat. Sounded and looked great.
 
You know, I actually feel pretty good, when I see that others have the same ideas. (and it works!)

That electric cutout is sweet! Pretty pricey, but it looks like exceptional quality. I saved the link for furthur study...

-Vic
 
What a slick idea! Who comes up with these things? It's the natural extension of cut-outs which have been around forever but who'da'thunk of making an electric version?

QTECDiagram.gif
 
Boy this post sure got off on a tangent. Those electric cutouts are slick, expensive but slick.
 

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