Official Exhaust Photo & Sound Thread

[Solo2Protege]

Dunno if you've browsed this whole thread, but i have pics of mine on page 1 (i went back and fixed the pic links so they work now...lol) http://www.msprotege.com/forum/showpost.php?p=2218030&postcount=15

Yup, 4.5" tip, as you can see it fills up the bumper hole pretty tight...has maybe a ring finger gap around it.

And i agree, I REALLY wish the ARK was flanged...especially when i had to swap out the resonator with only 2 jackstands...ARGH!!! (my other 4 are holding up my Protege)

Yup, the Vibrant i saw on a hatch must have been for a sedan, cause it most definetely stuck out further than yours...which kinda turned me off...but at the time it did not accure to me there was 2 versions...duh. I have heard the Vibrant in person and it does sound very sweet and the quality is great. But I happened to get a EXCELLENT deal on the ARK (my car was used for the initial test fit )

 

[bbrich57]

Nice pics, Solo2!! I don't think they were working when I read through the thread originally or I'm sure I would've remembered. I've seen your posts many times before. As I'd said, I LOVE the ARK system. And I do remember reading that your car was the test mule for their system. Man, is that luck, or what? We should ALL be that lucky... especially me!!
They must've changed that tip at some point. ptuning.com states 65mm tubing and a 100mm tip. Ark themselves state 65mm tubing and a 105mm tip, but one of the guys in our local Austin chapter has the ARK on his SP23 sedan and it looks just like yours. (???) He has also had trouble with the plastic bumper melting. They look a little short on the sedans... a little too far under. He was gonna space his out a bit. Don't know if he's done that yet. They should offer a slight longer system for the sedans, IMO.
Except for the differences in tips, I agree that the ARK and Vibrant are about equal in quality of manufacture and sound. Almost makes her sound like a small V-8 instead of a 4-banger!! And the welds looked really good on the Vibrant too.
Because of the three bolt flanges, the hardest part of installing the system was those upper flange bolts. They were nearly impossible to reach after the system was lined up. You have to snug them up first and after hanging it, I had to use a combo wrench and an angle head turning the bolts just a little (about a 1/16th, or less of a turn) at a time. Then flip the wrenches over and do it again. Even a very fine toothed (42 tooth) ratchet wouldn't do it. It was hard to know when they were tight enough to crush the gasket and not leak

 

[Solo2Protege]

lol...ok sorry to rehash old news... but ya, good luck hit me square in the nose with this car.

When i helped install a Vibrant, we had those same issues. Had to loosely bolt them up before hanging it on the hangers.

For the ARK, To be able to move the tip out further, the hanger welded to the tip section would have to be moved back. There is enough length at the joint (tip section to muffler section) it would only need 1.5" or so.

I never had any issues with melting bumpers, untill the rear clamp loosened up and from the engine torque moved the tip over...it's more of a slight scar/burn than a melt...but nonetheless pissed me off cause it's a brand new fricken bumper!!!!!! The new clamps seem to be holding it much better...(I had mis-matched clamps that weren't ideal, but did the job...kinda)

EDIT: sorry i'm an idiot or somebody slipped something in my drink...the ARK tip is 4"...not 4.5"

 

[bbrich57]

lol...ok sorry to rehash old news...

I didn't mean it that way. In fact your post reminded me that it was your car. I simply meant my statement as a compliment that I had read many other posts you had written, and that I thought you had some good information/opinions to share. 'Sorry it came across as something else.

EDIT: sorry i'm an idiot or somebody slipped something in my drink...the ARK tip is 4"...not 4.5"

I know ARK is on it's second generation of systems, maybe third. Since yours was the first, perhaps they did use a different tip than on the current one? Even ARK and ptuning don't agree.

 

[Solo2Protege]

I didn't mean it that way. In fact your post reminded me that it was your car. I simply meant my statement as a compliment that I had read many other posts you had written, and that I thought you had some good information/opinions to share. 'Sorry it came across as something else.

Oh i didn't take it like that...ever since my *good luck* i have been politely razzed for it...it's all good man. and thanks for the kind words.

I know ARK is on it's second generation of systems, maybe third. Since yours was the first, perhaps they did use a different tip than on the current one? Even ARK and ptuning don't agree.

It had been awhile, so i found a ruler here at work at put it to the tip...4" on the nose...dunno where i got the 4.5" from.

I know ARK has been updating as they go, was unaware the tip changed (or not...hehe) but 4" converts to 101.6mm and ARK's advertised 105mm converts to 4.134. Close enough

 

[mobomelter]

hey does anyone have a sound clip of the corksport exhaust?

 

[Shiney_McShine]

Well, I got a few pics (no big deal. You've all seen tailpipes before I'm sure) but am having trouble uploading video. Probably my stupid ISP/Dail-up.
Will try again tomorrow w/the :50 clip I have.
Sorry 'bout the dirty car. Too much to do this w/e not ebough time to wash her after the fact.

For some reason, that tail looks bigger in person than it does here. Almost too big!!
If anyone wants to see what the Vibrant system looks like before the install, let me know. I have pics but would need to ready, and upload them.

Whats with the red emblems? It looks like ass.

 

[bbrich57]

If you're trying to endear yourself to me I can tell you that that is not the way to do it. (lol)
Mother always told me, "If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything @ all." Ah. To each his/her own. I like 'em, just not that I have to repaint every 4 months.
They are a little bright in this picture. They were beginning to fade by then and I probably pushed the color too much. They are really aren't that bright in person, more of a maroon/red.

 

[bbrich57]

'Been wondering why Shiney_McShine never replied to my response on this thread, either here publically or in a PM? That lil' *** hasn't even been online since posting (dissing) my badges, or even READ my reply. He got off less than a minute after posting this (7:50PM,) and hasn't been on here since. (pissed) 'Sounds like just bad manners to me. j/k

 

[JRH1]

Here's a clip of my new exhaust.
I kept the stock resonator and replaced all of the pipe from the cat-back with 2.5 inch. I had it custom bent and welded and I replaced the stock muffler with one by Magnaflow. It's got a nice, deep, smooth mellow wail and it makes a deep burble when it idles. For maximum accuracy, turn up the bass when you play this clip.
Clicky

 

[goldwing2000]

Your link is crashing my browser...

 

[bbrich57]

While it's not crashing mine, I only got a little piece of it before it went silent but the slide bar kept running to the end.
Looks like it could be a little futher out and better centered though. You'll likely be burning the plastic bumper, as the ARK people often complain about.
I'd take it back to your exhaust shop and have them readjust it a bit.

 

[JRH1]

It's not burning, actually. After a considerable drive, I'll park and then check that bit of bumper. It's hardly warm.
As for the playback problems, that's Putfile's fault. I'd suggest letting it load longer.

 

[bbrich57]

It's not burning, actually. After a considerable drive, I'll park and then check that bit of bumper. It's hardly warm.

Well that's GOOD!! I only got to see it briefly in that vid before it failed, and know several guys w/the ARK that have the burning problem. Though the new ones (3rd Gen?) are a bit longer which should solve that problems for them.

As for the playback problems, that's Putfile's fault. I'd suggest letting it load longer.

Nope. Time ain't the problem. But I can believe it's PutFile. I, and others I know, have had problems downloading from them before, and once it starts no matter how many times I try again, it fails... over and over and over. They're not a very good hosting service, IMO.

 

[zoom-zoomhatch]

Since there's already a thread made does anyone have any clips of a ms6 or ms3 that they've done some sort of modification to exhaust-wise?

 

[clos561]

give it a minute. I plan on taking pictures/vid of my setup when I get home. it might have to be tomorrow depending on when I get off tonight

those rims are cleanas hell what kind are they and size etc width

 

[bbrich57]

those rims are cleanas hell what kind are they and size etc width

Ah, alas, you are not the first. Gambino has SOLD OUT for a Titan. He used to be a mod on here, but had to give it up since he's not a 3 owner anymore. And those rims went w/the car. Then he was trying to sell the stock 16" on here!! Boy, did he get sh** for that.
I believe they were SSR's, and know they aere 18".
Yeah, that was a very clean looking ride he had.

RIP, Gambino.

 

[ARKRacing]

Well that's GOOD!! I only got to see it briefly in that vid before it failed, and know several guys w/the ARK that have the burning problem. Though the new ones (3rd Gen?) are a bit longer which should solve that problems for them.

Nope. Time ain't the problem. But I can believe it's PutFile. I, and others I know, have had problems downloading from them before, and once it starts no matter how many times I try again, it fails... over and over and over. They're not a very good hosting service, IMO.

It is weird, ARK doesn't burn bumpers... It is cracking resonator issue that we had 1st and 2nd production... And all the claims resolved and replaced. We had 3rd gen exhaust system with no issue claim and no complaints about claims.. so far so good.

 

[aminzer]

easy exhaust

the easiest/cheapest way in my opinion would be not to buy and exhaust system. Just buy the muffler tip that u want and then go to ur local mechanic and have him put some 2.5 inch piping on there from ur cat back. I did it to my 3, ill take some pics and some sound clips and put them up here for u guys. Total cost for me was like $275 instead of like $500-$600 for some of those systems.

 

[fourthmeal]

So YOU are the person who runs up and down the street with nothing but straight pipe from the catalytic back...ahh ha! That sucks dude. Fine on the race track, but on the street, no one wants to hear that 4 cylinder buzzing through the rev range. Also, unless you have a hair dryer in between your engine and your catalytic, you need back pressure. A decent flowing muffler and resonator that has been manufactured after extensive research and development is much more likely to please you and your neighbors, because it has been tuned. Your power band is also going to be better, especially with N/A cars.

So, spending more means you get more in this case.







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