Guys lets keep this thread only for A.W.E Product Development and discuss the FVD on mdrums' 997.2 exhausts thread.

 

I used the fvd exhaust as an exemple for my question to awe : did you need to enlarge the exhaust diameter further than on 05-08 997 to pickup power?
I notice that fvd has moved the cats like on awe's offering.

 

For the intended power level and rev limit, we did not see the need to go to 2.75" diameter tubing. Nor did we see the benefits of that diameter on the prev gen 997, which is pushing similar power with the X51 package.

A few things I notice about the FVD design that we chose to do differently that *may* account for the reason why 2.5" diameter works for us:

They seem to be using the same supplier for muffler cans as Porsche, which may suggest that the internals are the same. If they are baffled like the OE design, that is more restrictive than a straight through design like what we use.

They also introduce a more restrictive transition from header to muffler with the 180 degree U-bends before their cats. We opted to use a less restrictive "cross over" pipe design like with the prev gen 997.

This is just speculation and not a criticism of their product.

 

I realize I did not state weights of the various items in this thread.

OE center rear muffler with straps: 16 lbs

A.W.E. Crossover Pipes: 9.5 lbs (7.5 lbs savings)

A.W.E. X-Pipe: 10.5 lbs (5.5 lbs savings)

We are in the midst of a production run of these items right now.



I will update the thread on muffler, cat, and header data soon.

 

I finally found time to upload videos of these rear muffler deletes to our site.

Here is the "cross over" delete video:

http://awe-tuning.com/pages/videos/v..._crossover.cfm


And here is he "X-pipe" delete video:

http://awe-tuning.com/pages/videos/v...97.2_xpipe.cfm

Notice how the cross over pipes sound a touch raspier than the X-pipe. Especially notice the off throttle and part throttle "burbling" that the cross over pipes have that the X-pipe does not. If the X-pipe had the power results of the cross over pipes, that is the only version we would sell!

We're building our webpages and should have online ordering live by the end of today. In the meantime if you have any questions or would like to place an order, do not hesitate to contact us.

 

I actually think the cross over sounds better. I am listening on a set of studio Tanoy monitors with a Carver amp. The X pipe in your video sound much quieter than the crossover pipes...car sound stock with the X pipe.

Are you all going to do a set of side muffler by pass pipes?

 

Ithink you said this backwards: the x pipe sounds better yet loses power.

 

Mass, on the AWE video you think the X pipe sounds better or the crossover pipe? Just curious.

 

I think the x pipe sounds better, the crossover sounds a bit raspy.

 

Hi mass,

I reread what I wrote and I don't think I got them confused.

X-pipe loses power but sounds the smoothest and most sophisticated.

Cross over pipes make power but do not sound as smooth as the X-pipe.

If we could make the power of the cross over pipes with the sound of the X-pipe, we would only have one product to sell.

However, since the X-pipe has its sound value and the cross over pipes have their power value, we have two products to sell.

 

wow - that's some seriously nice work

 

Todd,

I understand. I took your meaning of the word raspy to mean good. I thought that raspy and burbling on deceleration were positive attributes of an exhaust. Your comment is that the Crossover is raspier yet the Xpipe sounds better confused me.

 

Heh! That is why we decided to release both versions. What sounds good to one person may sound too raw and unrefined to another.

Personally, I like a little burble, but when listening to the two systems back to back, I like the overall sophisticated sound of the X-Pipe better. I'm not entirely thrilled with the "puttering" noise the cross over pipes make like when taking off in the last shot, or when softly blipping the throttle in the first shot.

The "puttering" is not offensive, but between the two, the X-pipe is more refined in sound tone.

As I see from mdrum's post above, beauty is in the ear of the beholder! That is why a choice here is not a bad thing, as long as a prospective buyer knows all the relative pros and cons of each choice.

BTW, our site in now live with these products for ordering.

 

Todd, maybe the "puttering sound" can be fixed with different mufflers? Is AWE coming out with mufflers?

 

I definitely prefer the crossover (non X-pipe) sound. The x-pipe is just too 'smooth' sounding for me after the full AWE system I have on my 997S.1