Whitehat,
I understand, but my plan is to just remove the center muffler and install X pipe. My question is does it make a difference how far from the cats the Xpipe is? Is it better to be close to the cats or closer to the forward resonators?

 

the answer would probably be closer to hair splitting engineering wise and more a function of packaging and installation realities. the best people to answer this question would come from a performance exhaust provider with a proven track record. the other part of the answer would be if the performance gains would not be noticeable or worth the effort and expense and with what trade-offs.

 

If I remember correctly there's some technique with drawing a line on your center muffler in crayon and seeing what point the wax melts first, then putting the X-pipe at that spot. May not make a big difference though with factory manifolds and cats.

I just recorded what my exhaust sounds like with a center muffler delete and a rear resonator delete. It drones between 1600-2200 RPM, but that's no surprise; putting the stock rear resonators back will remove the drone, but also gets rid of a lot of the deeper rumble at idle.

 

 

Wow, this thread is exhausting to read! Not much impressed with the outcome of the various mods, I am therefore content to leave mine stock. But then I'm not a big fan of V8 sounds. Much prefer that of V12s and L6s. My old XK-150 sounded wonderful. I do appreciate reading what all the different owners went through to try to achieve desired sounds and took the trouble to share their results. The most interesting and surprising part was the relationship between exhaust mods and chassis flex. What a great forum!

Granville

 

Have faith guys. The previous owner of my car had a custom SS exhaust built from the manifold back. It includes center resonators and rear mufflers, but sounds wonderful. As far as performance goes, I don't know how a stock R performs, but I do notice a "Red-Shift" in the cars around me when I stomp on her! In contrast to those folks who want to just delete mufflers and resonators, I think the biggest improvements to the OEM set-up are the Free Flow Cats, MagnaFlow mufflers, wider pipes (2 1/2") and routing them "under" the rear suspension (to avoid that drastic pinch over the top). Ground clearance suffers of course, but despite that, the only times I've dragged the pipes have been when backing out of a steeply angled driveway. I'm not sure if they included an X or H pipe cross-over or if some balancing might take place inside a center resonator - I'll have to check that out the next time I have her on a lift. So I guess the bottom line is: If a knowledgeable outfit does the mod, it "can" work.

 

 

Another solution with cut out.
But more interesting is that the solution is not a mufflers free system but fitting some on the right way

https://youtu.be/jTYlIvkPzZ4

 

 

Okay, so I've read through this thread and now reviving it again!!!! Plus trying to figure out the best course to take. Why has everyone deleted the middle muffler instead of taking off the 2 rear ones? I've got a 2000 XKR and thinking about taking the rear mufflers off and just going straight pipe to some new tips. I'm just wondering which I would get a better sound with. I want it louder when I put my foot into it but I don't want it so loud that my wife has a fit. Thanks for your help!!!

 

i have a 2006 XK8 and I took off the rear mufflers and replaced the middle muffler with an x-pipe and the sound is amazing. Couple that with an upgraded air intake from Mina Gallery it offered some more power as well.

 

a few yard back I did a write up on exhaust modification to my 2005 XKR (miss that car). Here’s a link to it - hope it helps:
https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...-video-104393/

 

Now that! is downright helpful. Thanks.