3.3TT KHARTUNERZ - NEW CATLESS SECONDARY DOWNPIPES Ark Performance

[robz32]

Excellent glad to see another company making these for our platform.

 

[NICK_KHAR]

Heres a set we installed for a local AWD

 

[Tonkabob]

Heres a set we installed for a local AWD

View attachment 23868

Great fit. Good to see they made a AWD specific version.

 

[MrSmoofy]

@NICK_KHAR I have a shop lined up to do the dyno and install. From a recommendation of a friend that does a lot of performance tuning and tracking of his cars. Sent you a DM with some questions.

 

[Angel]

@NICK_KHAR I have a shop lined up to do the dyno and install. From a recommendation of a friend that does a lot of performance tuning and tracking of his cars. Sent you a DM with some questions.

Looks like someone took my advise!

Great job keep us updated. I have a feeling that SSR claims on the dyno were fake news. This will be non biased results which is great for the community. Kudos to Nick for being transparent with the community, this is why we need to support vendors like Nick.

 

[Tobstertx3]

Ordered

 

[MrSmoofy]

So in doing more reading why would I want this over the ARk full catback exhuast setup?

 

[DaBears4Lyfe]

So in doing more reading why would I want this over the ARk full catback exhuast setup?

lol thats like saying why would I want a banana over a steak. Two completely different things and two completely different locations.

One is a Catback the other are secondary downpipes.....

 

[MrSmoofy]

lol thats like saying why would I want a banana over a steak. Two completely different things and two completely different locations.

One is a Catback the other are secondary downpipes.....

I realize that but doesn't the cat back come with secondary downpipes? So why would someone want just the downpipes and not all the way back is what I'm trying to understand.

 

[Angel]

I realize that but doesn't the cat back come with secondary downpipes? So why would someone want just the downpipes and not all the way back is what I'm trying to understand.

It comes with midpipe and cat back meaning the muffle portion of it. It has nothing to do with the secondary downpipes. You could get the Ark catback exhaust and then you would have a complete Ark exhaust system. The only thing to replace at this point would be the primary downpipes, but only lap 3 makes those at the moment.

Stinger Exhaust Set up

Primary Down pipe, Secondary Down Pipe, Mid pipe, end pipe catback/Muffler's.

The Arc Catback exhaust replace the last 2, the mid pipe and muffler section.

 

[Tonkabob]

Gets confusing since we have a 4 piece exhaust and 3 names. The midpipe that has no cats, often resonators is part of the catback and seldom talked about and never purchased alone.

 

[Jonathan Lasich]

I realize that but doesn't the cat back come with secondary downpipes? So why would someone want just the downpipes and not all the way back is what I'm trying to understand.

Balance of sound and power.

What is your primary focus-- increase in sound or increase in power?

Catback--mainly increase in sound (some systems too much so with resultant drone). Minimal increase, if any, in power. Valved catback systems can give a 10 HP increase with valves open. Usually no secondary downpipes with these--just midpipes and rear mufflers.

Catless Secondary Downpipe--mainly increase in power (up to 30 WHP allegedly) with only slight increase in sound.

If you're not careful, do both and the increase in sound may be excessive, again with the possibility of drone. That's why there are lots of requests for videos of catless secondary downpipes with various catbacks looking for the "Perfect" combo of tolerable sound increase.

 

[MrSmoofy]

Thanks for the explanation think it's almost clear in my head. After watching this video

where he claims no drone but then reading the review of this here where they say there is a lot of drone got me wondering if my understanding of what drone is was the problem and I think it is. Seems Drone is more of how loud the exhaust is under no load or light load and how loud it is in the cabin not some specific sound for some reason I had it in my head that drone what those rice burner coffee can mufflers were that sounds like a can with nuts rattling. LOL

Correct me if I'm wrong there.

Now after hours and days of reading and watching videos what I thought I had figured out in what I wanted now I'm not sure again.

so on our cars if I understand correctly.

Primary downpipe has primary cat's and CO2 sensors if you replace these you will get CEL which can be cleared but just sounds like a hassle to me and not interested in that.

This secondary downpipe could also be called midpipe and removes the second cats along with more airflow because the stock mid pipes are squished in sections.

The last part is the muffler area aka cat back which the Ark catback exhaust has in the video the secondary downpipe/mid looks very different then the one shown here.

My wanted mod list unless someone talks me out of it.
Upgrade Plugs
Air Intake
JB4
Exhaust

My primary goal with the exhaust was to turn the meow into a roar. I don't care if the neighbors hate me but I also don't want it so loud that I can't talk to the person in the car with me. If I get any additional HP then that's just a plus.

Maybe I really need to be looking at the EVC type so that I can open and close and have the best of both worlds.

 

[DaBears4Lyfe]

Thanks for the explanation think it's almost clear in my head. After watching this video

where he claims no drone but then reading the review of this here where they say there is a lot of drone got me wondering if my understanding of what drone is was the problem and I think it is. Seems Drone is more of how loud the exhaust is under no load or light load and how loud it is in the cabin not some specific sound for some reason I had it in my head that drone what those rice burner coffee can mufflers were that sounds like a can with nuts rattling. LOL

Correct me if I'm wrong there.

Now after hours and days of reading and watching videos what I thought I had figured out in what I wanted now I'm not sure again.

so on our cars if I understand correctly.

Primary downpipe has primary cat's and CO2 sensors if you replace these you will get CEL which can be cleared but just sounds like a hassle to me and not interested in that.

This secondary downpipe could also be called midpipe and removes the second cats along with more airflow because the stock mid pipes are squished in sections.

The last part is the muffler area aka cat back which the Ark catback exhaust has in the video the secondary downpipe/mid looks very different then the one shown here.

My wanted mod list unless someone talks me out of it.
Upgrade Plugs
Air Intake
JB4
Exhaust

My primary goal with the exhaust was to turn the meow into a roar. I don't care if the neighbors hate me but I also don't want it so loud that I can't talk to the person in the car with me. If I get any additional HP then that's just a plus.

Maybe I really need to be looking at the EVC type so that I can open and close and have the best of both worlds.

You got it down buddy! nice work doing your research!

 

[Jonathan Lasich]

Thanks for the explanation think it's almost clear in my head. After watching this video

where he claims no drone but then reading the review of this here where they say there is a lot of drone got me wondering if my understanding of what drone is was the problem and I think it is. Seems Drone is more of how loud the exhaust is under no load or light load and how loud it is in the cabin not some specific sound for some reason I had it in my head that drone what those rice burner coffee can mufflers were that sounds like a can with nuts rattling. LOL

Correct me if I'm wrong there.

Now after hours and days of reading and watching videos what I thought I had figured out in what I wanted now I'm not sure again.

so on our cars if I understand correctly.

Primary downpipe has primary cat's and CO2 sensors if you replace these you will get CEL which can be cleared but just sounds like a hassle to me and not interested in that.

This secondary downpipe could also be called midpipe and removes the second cats along with more airflow because the stock mid pipes are squished in sections.

The last part is the muffler area aka cat back which the Ark catback exhaust has in the video the secondary downpipe/mid looks very different then the one shown here.

My wanted mod list unless someone talks me out of it.
Upgrade Plugs
Air Intake
JB4
Exhaust

My primary goal with the exhaust was to turn the meow into a roar. I don't care if the neighbors hate me but I also don't want it so loud that I can't talk to the person in the car with me. If I get any additional HP then that's just a plus.

Maybe I really need to be looking at the EVC type so that I can open and close and have the best of both worlds.

You almost got it.

Our car has two sets of downpipes.

The primary downpipes are the ones that come off the turbos, have catalytic converters with O2 sensors before and after the cats. Remove these cats and you get a check engine light as the O2 sensors no longer see a measured difference in emissions as you would if the cats were in place.

The secondary downpipes (the ones that are the topic of discussion in this thread) also have cats but no O2 sensors. Hence, removing these cats makes no difference to the engine--no check engine light.

After the secondary downpipes are the midpipes. No cats on these, and these usually get replaced when you buy a "Cat-back exhaust". "Cat-back" in our case refers to "Back of secondary cats". Midpipes sometimes have resonators that function to reduce "drone". "Drone" refers to a sound resonance that can sound like a loud hum or whistle in cabin. You can see a small portion of the midpipes in our cars at the bottom of Nick Khar's picture at the top of this thread. They look gold in color in the photo.

After the midpipes are the two rear muffler sections that go to the back of the vehicle and exit using our 4 tailpipes. Mufflers can also have resonators attached to them as well.

The Ark "cat back" exhaust has the midpipes and the rear muffler sections, but no secondary downpipes.

 

[Riley K]

I'm fully stock at the moment and have been trying to decide on what exhaust to go with as I'm more interested in sound over HP for the exhaust. I want it to roar. Right now it meows but I want people to hear the performance Kia has given us. I've never had a car with this kind of performance and have never been to a dyno but I'm open to whatever you might be offering.

I’m actually in the exact same boat, I’m interested what people will have to say. Pretty lack luster stock sound

 

[MrSmoofy]

Pictures always help

This I think clears it all up.

This thread topic is about the secondary downpipes. I could have these installed and probably see more HP but not much sound improvement. I could then add the catback exhaust to this which would replace the mid pipe and the mufflers. or attach another brand/companies system to these secondary pipes.

 

[NICK_KHAR]

Youve done more research and actually taught yourself more than ive seen in 90% of "car people"

Youve got it down exactly

 

[MrSmoofy]

So I am correct get this and will get some hp but not much sound and then add more to it and not have to replace it?

 

[NICK_KHAR]

Removing the cats theres a decent volume change

If youre running sotkc catback itll get a bit more throaty but the stock mufflers do a really good job at keeeping it near silent