Emissions passing Xpipes?

[Eliminator 429]

Does anyone on here have a Xpipe with high flow cats that passe emissions? If so who makes them?

I personally live in a place that does not have emissions testing but I would feel better having high flow cats and not having to smell exhaust when I'm at a stop light.

[SYT_Shadow]

ESS is the only one that works as far as I'm concerned

[enycerz]

AFE X pipe

[oolas3]

One advantage to test pipes vs the xpipe route is that you retain the secondary acts with test pipes.

[Eliminator 429]

Originally Posted by m3m3mr

One advantage to test pipes vs the xpipe route is that you retain the secondary acts with test pipes.

Would you mind explaining a little more about that?

[dcpatters]

Originally Posted by Eliminator 429

Would you mind explaining a little more about that?

On the E9x, there are 2 pairs of cats; primary front (400 cell count) and secondary rear (300 cell count). With test pipes, the most restrictive cats are replaced up front, but the rears remain, so exhaust tone remains tamed as well as exhaust smell. Of course there's an increase in power with installing just the test pipes.

Nevertheless, with primary cats removed, the rear O2 sensors will trigger an issue with cat efficiency, etc. As mentioned, above, the AFE and ESS X-pipes are you best choices for HFC and no CEL.

[IIAp3x]

Originally Posted by dcpatters

On the E9x, there are 2 pairs of cats; primary front (400 cell count) and secondary rear (300 cell count). With test pipes, the most restrictive cats are replaced up front, but the rears remain, so exhaust tone remains tamed as well as exhaust smell. Of course there's an increase in power with installing just the test pipes.

Nevertheless, with primary cats removed, the rear O2 sensors will trigger an issue with cat efficiency, etc. As mentioned, above, the AFE and ESS X-pipes are you best choices for HFC and no CEL.

I think the rear cats are 200 cel, not 300... But they do a pretty decent job at getting rid of most of the fumes... I know that a lot of guys are moving the post cat 02 sensors back post-stream of the secondaries cats with test pipes and are passing emissions... This requires placing custom bungs into the factory pipes to accommodate the factory 02 sensors and some additional length on the wires...

[IIAp3x]

Originally Posted by Eliminator 429

Does anyone on here have a Xpipe with high flow cats that passe emissions? If so who makes them?

I personally live in a place that does not have emissions testing but I would feel better having high flow cats and not having to smell exhaust when I'm at a stop light.

I installed super sprint headers and full exhaust with no cats on my e46 M3 with a Shark Edit racing tune, which promoted huge gains in HP & TQ but it ruined the interior smell of my car which after about 6 months permanently smelled like exhaust fumes... It was so bad that I did not even ride with the windows down during the summer...

[nah dude]

Why not just put the rear cats in the place of the front cats and then straight pipe the rest?

[oolas3]

Originally Posted by Eliminator 429

Would you mind explaining a little more about that?

The exhaust has 2 sets of cats and with test pipes you would still be keeping the rear cats while removing the front. Because you still retain the rear cats, you will hardly ever smell gas. At less than $400, test pipes are much cheap than a Xpipe and especially a catted Xpipe. You could always take that savings and get a tune to clear any codes. I highly recommend the active autowerke test pipes (on sale now for $350) and the BPM tune -- total price for this combo is probably about what Xpipes alone would cost you.

[oolas3]

Originally Posted by noneedlessnoise

Why not just put the rear cats in the place of the front cats and then straight pipe the rest?

Because having cats in the front (primary) position regardless of where they were moved from, kills all the horsepower gains. The choke point is in the front.

[Eliminator 429]

Originally Posted by m3m3mr

The exhaust has 2 sets of cats and with test pipes you would still be keeping the rear cats while removing the front. Because you still retain the rear cats, you will hardly ever smell gas. At less than $400, test pipes are much cheap than a Xpipe and especially a catted Xpipe. You could always take that savings and get a tune to clear any codes. I highly recommend the active autowerke test pipes (on sale now for $350) and the BPM tune -- total price for this combo is probably about what Xpipes alone would cost you.

This is good advice and I'll look into it!

Have any of you guys had any experience with the Borla X Pipe?

[chillp]

I've been using the ESS x-pipe with HFC for about 20k miles and no CEL (going with their tune soon, but I've been using stock software up until now)

[Rich150001]

subscribed - been wondering the same thing as the OP.

[Three Pedal Steve]

How about the weight savings with test pipe approach verses stock?