Ark exhaust install and impressions

[Ozstung]

Anyone want to weigh in with a long term review?

Long term review, ok last commented 12/19. Ive had the ark grip cat back on 3 years now come May, my intial reactions were this is undriveable the drone through the floor and the echoing through the hatch was terrible.

I subsequently dynamatted the boot floor (trunk) and under the backseats, i then dynalined the boot floor lid. That nailed about 60% of the drone. The drone i get is going through the drone zone lol: 1700-2000 revs which just happens to be where i put the cruise control on for Hwy cruising 110km/ph @70mph.

Short story long i went to an exhaust specialist who recommended moving the x-pipe towards the front, in turn he fabricated 2 extra resonators that were positioned in the pipe ( ark also comes with 2 x hemholtz resonators).

After this surgery all seemed well until my vibrations came back. It appears as the exhaust is all one continuous unit that it vibrates. My local mechanic showed me this with a screwdriver which substituted for a tuning fork. The whole pioe vibrated.

Perhaps a year later i took the car to a local exhaust guy. He pointed out the Ark mufflers were infact hollow!!. He opened them up and put in muffler steel wool stuff to stop any resonation etc.

Job done it worked sounds good, quieter but more cultured. Problem solved....hold on not quiet so fast , the previous fabrication was showing signs of fatigue there were pin hole leaks in the welds from the vibration. He then fixed those. All good you say?

Yes however..this Thursday im having the Borla type S installed along with elongated tips. Yall wish me luck ya hear lol.

Foot note those with undoctored "Arks" you're better men than me....and i came from a Subaru WRX with a cannon muffler.

Anyway someone asked for a story. (Applogies for this if you've read part of this story previously)

 

[BrandonFYIA]

Yes however..this Thursday im having the Borla type S installed along with elongated tips. Yall wish me luck ya hear lol.

Now I just need to hear your opinion of the borla vs the ark! Keep us updated please.

 

[Ozstung]

Now I just need to hear your opinion of the borla vs the ark! Keep us updated please.

Will most certainly do sir.

 

[GregV]

Same feelings as above. It’s been over a year now. The exhaust still looks good after two winters. Lots of compliments on how it sounds to others, even the V8 crowd. I’m happy with my purchase.

My major complaint is the tip issue. I’d have to fabricate and weld to center the exits. Not sure I hate the stock tips enough for all that.

I still need to meet up with @GregV to do the with/without mid pipe comparison.

I'd say your assessment is pretty accurate. Still loving the noise!

I will add, and I'm not sure if it's strictly because of the downpipes or if it's just the motor and my own impatience, but if the motor is too cold at WOT the turbos can overspool causing the ECU to instantly dump boost pressure and cut power to avoid any damage.

@Hawk853 Hit me up on instagram @ gvbrz if you want to set something up, I don't check here often anymore.

 

[Ozstung]

Now I just need to hear your opinion of the borla vs the ark! Keep us updated please.

Im back. Ive had the Borla on about a week now the difference is like chalk and cheese. There is no drone,reverb or vibrations. All the sound comes out of the pipes unlike before.

The actual sound as expected with a new exhaust is higher pitched and raspy as was my Ark when new. But should carbon up and deepen. Im more than happy with the result.

One thing i will say is that my fitter told me the pipes are 2-1/4" rather than 2-1/2" and he says that may have cut down the drone. Im thinking also the flow is lesser on the Borla? I maybe wrong but my butt dyno feels the car maybe slightly less responsive but thats just my intial thoughts. If it livens up I'll post here.

 

[BrandonFYIA]

thank you!

 

[Ozstung]

....just come back from dinner with my Stinger mates and i have been reliably told that they previously tested a tuned car with the Borla and then without. The outcome the loss of 15kw on the dyno with the Borla.