DrexRS

Okay so I have a 1988 Trans Am and me and some friends are going to be making an X pipe for it. But they question I have is there any way to get an X pipe in it and get it to pass smog? My car only has one cat by the way.

Orr89RocZ

iTrader: (20)

I think this will work. (Edit: Being in California this may not pass since car was not an original dual cat car and didnt have duals)

Run the dual cat y pipe that some of the g92/n10 option cars had. Then where it Y's into a single exhaust...cut that off and run the pipes down under the passenger seat. This is the factory location for the single cat cars. Put the x-pipe there and run the duals down the driveshaft tunnel and over the axle and out the back into some short case length mufflers like a bullet type.

With a mild motor, 2 or 2.5" duals can be used...or 2.25" if you can find that size. Should be easy to route. I got dual 3" on mine and it fits easily, even tho I made it hang lower than I wanted.

DrexRS

The thing is my exhaust now has holes in it so I'm going to need one for it to pass smog. But I dont want to buy two of em. I want one that will be smog legal and can be loud with two tips what do you recomend?

Base91

iTrader: (1)

Do you mean you want to stick with a single cat? In which case you don't need an X pipe. Just split the pipe after the axle and put on two mufflers. Or just add a non-functional one if you want the look.

DrexRS

What I was thinking of doing till I get a good exhaust is cutting it from the cat back. Would it sound really loud?

Base91

iTrader: (1)

It would sound very loud if you cut the pipe off just after the cat. And you would probably get stopped and ticketed in short order. It may be better to remove the stock muffler and try something less quiet. Or just leave it off and see how that works for you.

Orr89RocZ

iTrader: (20)

why would you need to buy 2 exhausts for passing smog? If you have single cat and want 2 mufflers (I dont know why you would) then you'd have to split the over-the-axle pipe and attached 2 mufflers.

Else you will have "dual" exit tips with a crossflow muffler like hooker aerochamber, spintech, flowmaster 80 series, magnaflow has one, etc. its a single in, dual exit out muffler that mounts sideways in stock location like stock muffler. Hence the crossflow name.

Base91

iTrader: (1)

OP what do you want? The twin pipe look? Bolt on another tail pipe. Just the loud noise? Bolt on a small muffler or leave it off (ticket). If it's after the cat it probably wouldn't make any difference to smog anyway.

DrexRS

What I want is it to be loud, and to have true dual exhaust. I realized that right now I'm actually not really worried about smog since I have a whole year to put the cat on and another exhaust. So what can I do to have dual exhaust in it. Would this work http://www.summitracing.com/parts/PYE-XVF10/

//<86TA>\\

iTrader: (14)

no. look under the car and the stock routing. thats why it wont work.
if you want duals, you pretty much ahve to follow the stock routing, which means you have to make it all yourself, or you will loose most of you ground clearance.

if the exhaust does not follow the factory routing, using factory or factory replacement smog legal cats, you wont pass visual smog, especially in CA

seriously, forget the x-pipe, its not going to gain you but anything headaches and a lighter wallet. use a aftermarket 3" exhaust, a good replacement high flow smog legal cat, and a race muffler in the stock location, borla, spintech, dynatech, ect. it will be loud and you will have a chance at passing smog

DrexRS

Why do I have to follow the stock routing? I'm pretty sure I can make the pipes to get this to fit. It might scrap a bit in speed bumps but all my buddies are running the same setup.

DrexRS

I have everything stock on the car but what pipes can I get to connect to the x pipe. I have all the tools to bend em I'm just clueless to what I need and Im dead set on a X pipe btw

Base91

iTrader: (1)

If you're dead set on duals how about this. Get another complete exhaust system of the same model car. Look at where the stock dual cats are positioned and do the same or as close as you can get. Pair up the over the axle pipes and take one straight out to a muffler and route the other to the driver side and matching muffler. A couple of 90 degree bends? Then get your X pipe and replace the current Y (T?) part of the system in the tidiest way you can. You should also weld a bung into the middle of the X for the O2 sensor if you have one. If you can bend and weld you should be able to fill in the gaps between all the major components. Flow will be slower so my guess is some loss on the low end and maybe some gain at the top. Or not. But if you can get it all set up it'll be ready for a lot more engine at the front. If you use old stuff you may get lucky and it'll pass for original if a smog tech looks. The big giveaway would be the dual tail pipes. So, for smog test purposes maybe have a muffler with two inlets and one outlet. Easy bolt on swap. Let us know how it goes.

//<86TA>\\

iTrader: (14)

because like i said before, you will NEVER pass smog without the cat in the stock location, and you cant put it in the stock location if you use anything other than a stock routed exhaust.

With work you can run dual exhaust in the stock routing, and can even throw in a x- pipe in with them. people have dont it and it works, but it just take time and money to make it all fit right. You will me making 95 percent of it from scratch.