Made a custom exhaust and x-pipe

Edman951 · 09-05-2011, 05:39 PM

Decided to try making my own x-pipe and exhaust.
I wanted a modular system that i could use only the x-pipe with the factory exhaust, and with my exhaust. and be able to put everything back to stock easily.
I used the factory bolted clamps to make it a bolt on and off system.
I couldn't find a x-pipe that was 2-3/4'' OD, so i looked around and found a x-pipe made for a C6 Corvette that was very close to what i needed, but was 2-1/2''OD. So not the best for flow, but figured it would do the job for now.

On thing to note is the car runs 9psi stock., and when i did a test drive using just the x-pipe, i was seeing about 12psi on my gauges, so this car really likes less restriction. and when i drove it with the factory exhaust connected, boost went back to 9psi. I was thinking to redo it with 3'' pipe maybe someday.

Here are a few pics.
I cut the factory exhaust after the secondary cats, and before the muffler cross brace. I can install my x-pipe with the factory mufflers, or with my home made mufflers. so my system is modular by using BMW bolted clamps, and fast to go from one setup to the other, and back to stock.
I used Vibrant stainless steel piping, and two of there resonators as mufflers.
Making it a very cost effective system.

Sure my weld are not sexy, but all in all, i'm happy i did it, was a fun small project, and didn't cost me much.
It's not a high dollars engineered system, but still sound pretty good.
It does have the typical drone as do most exhaust systems.

Edman951 · 09-05-2011, 05:41 PM

DSB_550 · 09-05-2011, 06:07 PM

sounds great! The stock exhaust is really the only thing i dislike about the car. I understand why most people would want a 5 series to be quiet...i'm just not most people

I was thinking about having a custom exhaust done instead of spending the ridiculous $$$$ on an overpriced system.

1º · 09-05-2011, 06:10 PM

for some reason i was expecting it to be much louder but it sounds great, nice car!

do you plan to put downpipes?

tp550i · 09-05-2011, 07:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DSB_550

I was thinking about having a custom exhaust done instead of spending the ridiculous $$$$ on an overpriced system.

I agree. What mufflers did you end up using?

alextremo · 09-05-2011, 07:23 PM

Sounds/looks great - nice work!

Can you give us some details on your gauge set up?

Edman951 · 09-05-2011, 08:12 PM

Thanks Guys.

No its not that load at all, very suddle actually

I used some vibrant ultra quiet resonators.
http://vibrantperformance.com/catalo...1022_1033_1055
as i wanted the shortest muffler i could find in a straight thru design.

-no plan for a downpipe for me at this point.

Edman951 · 09-05-2011, 08:15 PM

Quote:

Can you give us some details on your gauge set up?

I'll take some pictures tomorrow and post how i made it work. Since our cars don't have boost lines to tap off too. But I found a solution.

gray550 · 09-05-2011, 09:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Edman951

I'll take some pictures tomorrow and post how i made it work. Since our cars don't have boost lines to tap off too. But I found a solution.

Just curious as to why you didn't remove the secondary cats?

Edman951 · 09-05-2011, 11:23 PM

No plan to bypass the secondary cats yet, it may get to raspy.
but it may bring in more spooling sound.
makes me go hmmm!!!

Woobros2win · 09-06-2011, 12:11 AM

Edman951, did you lower your spring too. Also what are
Spec for your rear tires. They seem to be wider than mine.
I also have x drive and my rear tire spec are 245/40/19
which I dont like. By the way nice sound.

blankstar43 · 09-06-2011, 12:48 AM

good sounding exhaust. I'd really like to hear it with the secondary cats deleted now

gray550 · 09-06-2011, 01:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Edman951

No plan to bypass the secondary cats yet, it may get to raspy.
but it may bring in more spooling sound.
makes me go hmmm!!!

My plan is remove secondary cats but keep the resonator - the opposite of your setup. Not sure how it will sound! I'm thinking the secondary cats will have more restriction than the resonator so by removing them it should free up the flow. Only way to know is to try it - right?

78mao · 09-06-2011, 02:11 AM

very nice! vibrant makes really nice mufflers!

EBRSKIH · 09-06-2011, 04:07 PM

Sounds real good..I need an exhaust asap

Edman951 · 09-06-2011, 05:11 PM

The secondary cats are not restrictive from what i saw.
here's a picture i took.

Edman951 · 09-06-2011, 08:05 PM

Quote:

did you lower your spring too. Also what are
Spec for your rear tires.

Stock wheel, tires and springs for now.
I have a set of H&R, but haven't had the time to get them installed.

TheStig · 09-06-2011, 09:32 PM

Sounds Great! Beautiful Car bro!

EBRSKIH · 09-09-2011, 01:55 PM

Was the exhaust note increased noticeably with just the Xpipe from the C6 with the OEM mufflers? Also do you have any idea on how to get the exhaust flaps to stay open always? Thanks

tp550i · 09-09-2011, 09:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EBRSKIH

Was the exhaust note increased noticeably with just the Xpipe from the C6 with the OEM mufflers?

good question. removing the resonator and adding an x-pipe looks like an easy solution. there's a few aftermarket x-pipes available as well.

EBRSKIH · 09-12-2011, 02:08 PM

Are you talking about supersprint? Edman can you reply please im really interested

blankstar43 · 09-12-2011, 07:34 PM

where can these xpipes be purchased at?

09-05-2011, 05:39 PM	#1
Edman951 Second Lieutenant Drives: F10 550xi, Alpine white Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Montreal, Quebec Posts: 278 iTrader: (1)	Made a custom exhaust and x-pipe Decided to try making my own x-pipe and exhaust. I wanted a modular system that i could use only the x-pipe with the factory exhaust, and with my exhaust. and be able to put everything back to stock easily. I used the factory bolted clamps to make it a bolt on and off system. I couldn't find a x-pipe that was 2-3/4'' OD, so i looked around and found a x-pipe made for a C6 Corvette that was very close to what i needed, but was 2-1/2''OD. So not the best for flow, but figured it would do the job for now. On thing to note is the car runs 9psi stock., and when i did a test drive using just the x-pipe, i was seeing about 12psi on my gauges, so this car really likes less restriction. and when i drove it with the factory exhaust connected, boost went back to 9psi. I was thinking to redo it with 3'' pipe maybe someday. Here are a few pics. I cut the factory exhaust after the secondary cats, and before the muffler cross brace. I can install my x-pipe with the factory mufflers, or with my home made mufflers. so my system is modular by using BMW bolted clamps, and fast to go from one setup to the other, and back to stock. I used Vibrant stainless steel piping, and two of there resonators as mufflers. Making it a very cost effective system. Sure my weld are not sexy, but all in all, i'm happy i did it, was a fun small project, and didn't cost me much. It's not a high dollars engineered system, but still sound pretty good. It does have the typical drone as do most exhaust systems. Attached Images __________________ F10 550i Xdrive M sport, white trade-in 2008 E90 M3 Last edited by Edman951; 09-05-2011 at 05:46 PM.
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09-05-2011, 05:41 PM	#2
Edman951 Second Lieutenant Drives: F10 550xi, Alpine white Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Montreal, Quebec Posts: 278 iTrader: (1)	__________________ F10 550i Xdrive M sport, white trade-in 2008 E90 M3 Last edited by Edman951; 09-05-2011 at 05:56 PM.

09-05-2011, 08:12 PM	#7
Edman951 Second Lieutenant Drives: F10 550xi, Alpine white Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Montreal, Quebec Posts: 278 iTrader: (1)	Thanks Guys. No its not that load at all, very suddle actually I used some vibrant ultra quiet resonators. http://vibrantperformance.com/catalo...1022_1033_1055 as i wanted the shortest muffler i could find in a straight thru design. -no plan for a downpipe for me at this point. __________________ F10 550i Xdrive M sport, white trade-in 2008 E90 M3

09-05-2011, 11:23 PM	#10
Edman951 Second Lieutenant Drives: F10 550xi, Alpine white Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Montreal, Quebec Posts: 278 iTrader: (1)	No plan to bypass the secondary cats yet, it may get to raspy. but it may bring in more spooling sound. makes me go hmmm!!! __________________ F10 550i Xdrive M sport, white trade-in 2008 E90 M3

09-06-2011, 12:48 AM	#12
blankstar43 First Lieutenant Drives: 2012 e92 M3 Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Charleston, SC Posts: 332 iTrader: (1)	good sounding exhaust. I'd really like to hear it with the secondary cats deleted now __________________ 2012 JZB/Fox Red M3 DCT - Akra slip-on, painted reflectors

09-05-2011, 06:07 PM	#3
DSB_550 New Member Drives: 11' 550i Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: US Posts: 7 iTrader: (0)	sounds great! The stock exhaust is really the only thing i dislike about the car. I understand why most people would want a 5 series to be quiet...i'm just not most people I was thinking about having a custom exhaust done instead of spending the ridiculous $$$$ on an overpriced system.

09-05-2011, 06:10 PM	#4
1º Captain Drives: RRS S/C Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: miami Posts: 967 iTrader: (0)	for some reason i was expecting it to be much louder but it sounds great, nice car! do you plan to put downpipes?

09-05-2011, 07:23 PM	#6
alextremo Captain Drives: F10 550i Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: USA Posts: 869 iTrader: (3)	Sounds/looks great - nice work! Can you give us some details on your gauge set up?

09-06-2011, 12:11 AM	#11
Woobros2win Enlisted Member Drives: 535 x drive M sport Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Edgewater New Jersey Posts: 40 iTrader: (0)	Edman951, did you lower your spring too. Also what are Spec for your rear tires. They seem to be wider than mine. I also have x drive and my rear tire spec are 245/40/19 which I dont like. By the way nice sound.

09-06-2011, 02:11 AM	#14
78mao Captain Drives: F10 535i(sold) F13 650 Msport Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Socal/Irvine Posts: 970 iTrader: (1)	very nice! vibrant makes really nice mufflers! __________________ thanks to www.lmted.com

09-06-2011, 04:07 PM	#15
EBRSKIH Chef Drives: F10 550i Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Chicago Posts: 240 iTrader: (1)	Sounds real good..I need an exhaust asap __________________ 2013 X6 50i Sapphire Black 2012 550x Alpine White - 12.727@108 - 1.7 60ft lemon'd 2011 550i Sapphire Black - 12.960@109 - lemon'd

09-06-2011, 05:11 PM	#16
Edman951 Second Lieutenant Drives: F10 550xi, Alpine white Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Montreal, Quebec Posts: 278 iTrader: (1)	The secondary cats are not restrictive from what i saw. here's a picture i took. Attached Images __________________ F10 550i Xdrive M sport, white trade-in 2008 E90 M3 Last edited by Edman951; 09-06-2011 at 08:03 PM.

09-06-2011, 09:32 PM	#18
TheStig Captain Drives: F10 M5 Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Central NJ Posts: 718 iTrader: (4)	Sounds Great! Beautiful Car bro! __________________ Gone But Not Forgotten:\|04 CLK55 Amg\|07 GT500\|08 335i FBO E92 6MT\|09 E92 M3 DCT\|

09-09-2011, 01:55 PM	#19
EBRSKIH Chef Drives: F10 550i Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Chicago Posts: 240 iTrader: (1)	Was the exhaust note increased noticeably with just the Xpipe from the C6 with the OEM mufflers? Also do you have any idea on how to get the exhaust flaps to stay open always? Thanks __________________ 2013 X6 50i Sapphire Black 2012 550x Alpine White - 12.727@108 - 1.7 60ft lemon'd 2011 550i Sapphire Black - 12.960@109 - lemon'd

09-12-2011, 02:08 PM	#21
EBRSKIH Chef Drives: F10 550i Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Chicago Posts: 240 iTrader: (1)	Are you talking about supersprint? Edman can you reply please im really interested __________________ 2013 X6 50i Sapphire Black 2012 550x Alpine White - 12.727@108 - 1.7 60ft lemon'd 2011 550i Sapphire Black - 12.960@109 - lemon'd

09-12-2011, 07:34 PM	#22
blankstar43 First Lieutenant Drives: 2012 e92 M3 Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Charleston, SC Posts: 332 iTrader: (1)	where can these xpipes be purchased at? __________________ 2012 JZB/Fox Red M3 DCT - Akra slip-on, painted reflectors

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