Hello out there everyone, I'm debating on building a custom exhaust on my 07 ZR and ran into a bit of a build debate mentally.

Should I just run a true dual straight pipe set up or should I try my hand at fabbing a X pipe and deleting my y and mid section then running true dual at the back?

I've heard a stock cat straight pipe set up on a 370Z and it sounds good to me, very very high though. I've never had the opportunity to hear an X-piped Z so I'm wondering if it'd be worth the time/effort to build one up.

Any suggestions as to be places to gather up a little research on either also would be appreciated.

 

Regarding your first idea of building individual pipes from each side of the engine into a dual exhaust layout.

Best practice for exhaust plumbing, places the exhaust pipes in such a manner to follow the firing order of the cylinders. As the exhaust pulse from one cylinder races down the pipe it leaves a low-pressure zone behind it. If the piping from the next cylinder to fire can hook into the pipe from the previously firing cylinder, it will benefit greatly from that low-pressure zone. (Check out Ferrari V8 for a good example of the perfect arrangement.) Unfortunately most V8s and V6s have firing orders that cross from one side then over to the other side of the engine. This makes it extremely difficult to create header pipe/collectors that provide maximum exhaust scavenging.

Having a connection (X Y or H etc) between the piping from the two banks of cylinders does in a small way help to communicate the low pressure pulses to where they can do some good.

This is another reason why it is detrimental to have exhaust piping that is too large anywhere in the system. A smaller pipe will cause the exhaust pulses to speed down at a higher velocity. As long as the tubing is large enough to not cause any restriction for the given engine arrangement, the higher speed of the exhaust flow will aid in the scavenging effect.

 

Are you looking for form or function?The "form" if I am reading you correctly,
is how the exhaust will sound.Damn the power increase(or decrease).
Once again,your post is like many others.Exhaust systems that you can
purchase,are engineered.There is a method to the madness.If specific sound
is your objective,just start piecing stuff together until you reach that sound.
You may be better off listening to some systems that are available and see if
they come close to what you are seeking.If you have a healthy budget,
consider a system like the Amuse.Works for me.Maybe not for you.

 

Not an extremely healthy budget but it is more about sound rather than power. Having a roadster exhaust is pretty much another form of ear candy. Plus it's just one of those not many people do this where I'm at areas.

I definitely appreciate the advice. It does seem like a maddening craft but I feel it would be beyond worth it in the end. Budget wise I'm sitting at under 500 and again if be working with raw materials and no labor costs. I can tig, order my stainless piping for cheap, and have a mandrel where I work. Just figuring out if its worth the journey or the end would be bad regardless.

 

Well it sounds like you can do everything you need. I pride myself in coming up with cool exhaust ideas and have been toying around with some ideas for a NA Z that should sound cool. I helped design the exhaust on my buddies supra and that thing sounds WICKED. Check out my build thread and you can see what exhaust work I did on my car. PM me if you're interested in hearing some crazy setups that (in theory) should sound absolutely amazing!

 

I'll definitely be contacting you and I'm a fan of different set ups, know too many people running the same exact thing. I'll try to get a pic of my buddies exhaust that we worked on.