ARK GRIP + GTM RTP = FAIL (Now with sound clip)
 

Had my ARK GRIP installed today with the GTM RTP and unfortunately I must say I am beyond disappointed. The two paired together sound like $hit. The ARK is rattling terribly and the hissing from the test pipe is unbearable. I was under the impression that the hissing sound was just under decal but it's terribly prominent throughout most of the powerband. That, combined with the rattling of the ARK, especially under decal between 2500 and 3500 rpm is beyond horrific. I'll be going back to have the ARK adjusted and putting the stock cats back on.

Ive modded many cars and man I gotta say this was the worst experience ever. Idk if it has to do with the pairing of these two specific pipes (haven't seen this combo yet) but omg my car sounds like crap.

Anyone else experience anything close to this??

SOUND CLIP: Memo.m4a

I have the GTM TP (not resonated) and I love them. Mine hiss when decelerating from time to time. Mostly in the low gears. But it doesn't bother me none. Nothing like what your saying. But that probably wouldn't matter for me. There's lots of rasp but I love that too. Sometimes it's not for everyone.

Sounds like the ARK is hitting something. Test pipes...that sounds par for the course. Post up a sound clip or video.

If the ARK is rattling maybe it's just loose and creating a exhaust leak and that's the sound you're hearing.

sound like a leak, re install everything again properly and put silicon between each couple..

Um its the ARK exhausts X-pipe section causing the loud whistle/hiss noise. Trust me I switched my exhaust to HKS and kept the same Berk Test Pipes and the hiss/whistle dropped a lot!


Check out my journal it explaines it in more depth.



DAN

You're right, I got hissing from my ark as well.

I've heard and seen a lot of videos of the ARK Online and none sound anything like what I'm hearing. And the exhaust is definitely rattling terribly so I'm not sure how that's effecting the sound. Oddly, there isn't much of a raspy tone at all. It's just all hiss/whistle and terrible clunking/rattling when I let off the throttle between 2500 and 3500. The ARK with stock cats sounded amazing in all the Videos I saw online which is a big reason why I bought it.

I'll attempt to get some sound clips up tomorrow.

The installation was actually done by a dealer who sells lots of aftermarket parts and installs them all. Its actually funny i was gonna go with the stillen unit but didnt because of some of the fitment issues i read about. The big problem i think was they didn't test drive it before giving the car back to me. What's most puzzling is that when I'm cruising or at less than approx 60% throttle there's no hiss/whistle or much rattle. When I go WOT the hissing is loud and you can hear it all the way to redline and the clunking rattling is just awful when letting off the throttle and having the revs drop from 3500 to 2500. Is so loud it almost sounds like the exhaust is scraping the pavement. I can't figure out why what seems to be a physical rattling is so prominent under those decelerating conditions in that specific part of the rpm band.

I SUPPOSE the hissing/whistling will subside and I could get used to it (I don't have much of a choice) but that rattle is god awful and when it's fixed I'm HOPING it will possibly lead to less of the whistling/hissing if it's contributing to a leak.

This reminds me of when I had rims on my H2 and the nalncing weights fell off one of the wheels and it sounded and felt like the car was firing off a machine gun under braking. Ok maybe not that bad but equally as frustrating and aggravating.

Also do you guys think it would be reasonable to expect the dealer to test drive and fix this rattling without having to pay for more labor? If I decide to go with the stock cats I'll obviously pay for that but to inspect and fix the rattling I think they should do since that's certainly not the norm. And if they have to re-install and add silicon between all the connections?? I kinda feel like a dealer who sold me the parts should install them properly and exercise due diligence when the installation itself leads to an issue.

You are definitely justified in asking them to find the source of the noise as well as a test drive with no charge to you, they should stand behind their work.

by rattling and clunking you mean metal to metal sound??

ARKS x pipe section needs to be lifted/jacked up during install over the cross member before tightening any bolt, otherwise it will sometimes rest on it and cause rattling/clunking. a proper reinstall might fix it.

as far as hissing or howling sounds, its the test pipes adding extra exhaust flow that the ark x pipe cant handle.

and btw, post some pics!

I'll definitely tell them to do this. I read about it before. I used to get all my work done at a speed shop that went out of business but I trusted them. This dealership was fine but I wasnt really allowed to be in the service area for insurance reasons. If I had been I would have reminded them about this. Hopefully a re-install plus some sealant will reduce the hissing and clunking. And yes it's definitely metal on metal and sounds like it's coming from the rear end of the trans which is where the exhaust would be/is hitting the cross member.

Just drove it around a little. It even rattles at idle but gets very loud in every gear around 2500 rpm. It sounds like a metal on metal grinding noise and seems to be coming from the passenger side. I can deal with the hissing and whistle noise I just can't figure out WTF it's hitting as it seems to have a good inch of clearance above the cross member.

I really don't mind the hissing and whistling sounds. I'll either get used to it or replace the test pipes with stock cats. I just need to figure out what the pipes are hitting, and why it appears to be coming from the passenger side and is loudest between 2500 and 3000, and now under load AND decel

EDIT: Soundclip
Memo.m4a

This is second gear accel up to about 3500 and back down. Note the loud rattling on decel. Helps to turn speakers up.

Yeah, that sounds like it is rattling on the cross member. If you don't have a jack, you could easily loosen the bolts, wedge a few MF towels between the cross member and the exhaust to raise it up, and then tighten it all back down.