H-Pipe Not Meeting Expectations

[T123456]

Just installed a Steeda H-Pipe on my 2020 GT Convertible with active exhaust.
I was expecting a slight increase in volume, keeping the deep tone, no rasp, and no drone. I've got the total opposite.

Volume: The start-up volume is extremely loud. Too loud for what I was looking for.
Rasp: I find that when getting above 2500k RPM the tone is much raspier than with the stock resonator.
Drone: The drone inside the car is ridiculous, especially in 9th/10th gear on the highway which I'm thinking may be because it's a convertible and not a coupe as the videos I watched said there's no drone at all. Even with the stock exhaust there was some drone in track mode in 9th/10th, so I'm thinking it's a convertible thing. But the drone at all speeds now is a lot.

My goal: To reduce overall volume a little, and get back to a deeper tone without the rasp.
Considering a few things and looking for input.
1) Cut the H-Pipe between the H and the Steeda bracket (shown in the picture) and Install 12" Vibrant Resonators?
2) Go back to stock resonator and do nothing
3) Go back to stock resonator and spend a ton on an axle-back active exhaust.

Thoughts?

Sponsored

 

[Schwerin]

Are you sure everything is securely in place and nothing is vibrating against something else? The fact your experience is so drastically different from others implies that something is NOT right on your install or pipe.

 

[friedmud]

What does it sound like in quiet mode on the highway? With my stock AE I get a small amount of drone in anything other than Quiet… but it doesn’t bother me because if I’m just cruising on the highway I just pop it in Quiet and it’s basically just as quiet as any other car.

 

[Dr. Norts]

There shouldn't be any rasp from the steeda H pipe with the stock exhaust.

Sure you don't have a leak somewhere?

Is your soundtube still connected?

 

[T123456]

Are you sure everything is securely in place and nothing is vibrating against something else? The fact your experience is so drastically different from others implies that something is NOT right on your install or pipe.

Putting it in quiet mode the sound is non-existent, so I would think if it was leaking or something of that sort it would be heard even in quiet mode.

 

[T123456]

There shouldn't be any rasp from the steeda H pipe.

Sure you don't have a leak somewhere?

In quiet mode it doesn't make any noise so I think that would rule out a leak issue?

 

[Mikepol2]

I can tell you from experience that the rasp on my stock non active exhaust was due to the mufflers, and that the H pipe intensifies it. I have tried both an X and an H pipe, as well as a resonated X pipe, with the stock mufflers, and the rasp was there with all of them, As well as a tinny, almost buzzy sound at higher RPMs that at first I thought it was due to something loose under the car. Went to LTH Scorpion axle backs with the stock resonator and no drone or rasp.

 

[stanger1]

With an X or H pipe, and Roush exhaust, it is going to be loud, but that's the beauty of Active Exhaust, you can control the sound.
I have the X pipe on my 2017 RS3 with non Active Exhaust and it's loud. Wide open all the time.

 

[T123456]

With an X or H pipe, and Roush exhaust, it is going to be loud, but that's the beauty of Active Exhaust, you can control the sound.
I have the X pipe on my 2017 RS3 with non Active Exhaust and it's loud. Wide open all the time.

The active exhaust is great, but changes the tone. The track mode gives it a deep tone, but LOUD with this H-pipe. Sport mode is less deep, slightly quieter. The normal mode takes away the deepness.

 

[NightmareMoon]

I ran a CJ H-pipe for a while. I liked the volume when it was good and warmed up (after 2 minutes of driving), but the cold start rasp was really aweful.

Went back to the stock resonator and added a Roush axle back and its awesome. Never any rasp and nice and loud like I like it. (Probably too loud for you though if the H-pipe is too much)

The stock resonator flows very well (its effectively two strait through pipes with perforations), and it does its job effectively - which is to kill rasp. Fine tuning the volume and tone can be done with axle back mufflers.

 

[MidwayJ]

I can tell you from experience that the rasp on my stock non active exhaust was due to the mufflers, and that the H pipe intensifies it. I have tried both an X and an H pipe, as well as a resonated X pipe, with the stock mufflers, and the rasp was there with all of them, As well as a tinny, almost buzzy sound at higher RPMs that at first I thought it was due to something loose under the car. Went to LTH Scorpion axle backs with the stock resonator and no drone or rasp.

This is why I went to aftermarket mufflers (Roush) and kept the stock resonator instead of a resonator delete. But like you I had the stock non-active exhaust. People I know with stock active exhaust really like the H-pipe. And hearing theirs I don't think it sounds tinny like the non-active exhaust does. Louder and a little raspier, yes. The OP's experience seems quite different than most with active exhaust.

 

[rabid_josh]

X/H pipes dont increase sound THAT much with the exception of modes like sport/track mode, BUT its still not that much.

ALSO coyote cold starts are notorious for being LOUD. with ANY additional exhaust modifications its only going to make it louder. There is zero changing that except starting it in quite mode.

 

[1badrz28]

I just added 12 inch resonators right behind the mufflers this past weekend, took all the rasp away and gave my cattless Corsa sport system a nice muscle car tone. I cant be heard 3/4 of a mile away anymore.

 

[Mustang_Lou]

Tried an h-pipe twice on my 2016 GT before (different axle-backs) and both times I went back to the stock resonator as I didn't like the increase in rasp as the OP stated. I prefer the more refined tone the stock res gives.

You may end up spending a lot of $ for nothing and end up at a similar sound to stock but 2 small res's where you say will help but then again it may just sound like the stock res.

My advise: sell the h-pipe and go back to the stocker.

 

[T123456]

I just added 12 inch resonators right behind the mufflers this past weekend, took all the rasp away and gave my cattless Corsa sport system a nice muscle car tone. I cant be heard 3/4 of a mile away anymore.

Which resonators?

Sponsored