ARK-DTX Question

[HiFiver]

Hello NSX Owners -

I thought I'd ask the local NSX'ers this question.

I have the quad-piped ARK-DTX exhaust and have driven about 500 miles on it and the carbon seems to be only collecting in the 2 pipes that are on the outside pipes on each side.

In other words, when looking at the pipes from the rear, the 2 pipes on the furthest left and right collect carbon inside.

Has this been anyone else's experience?

Thanks for any information.

JT

 

[sicarius82]

its normal for the DTX to do that. the way the piping is, it's easier for the exhaust to follow the outside piping through the bend. Since the inside tip just taps off the outside, it won't see as much flow as the outside tips. therefore the outer tips will get dirty/dirtier.

 

[NA1/2-R GT]

Wouldn't that means the exhaust is not properly function like it should?

 

[sicarius82]

i would say more like poor design. if it were to split the outlet pipe vice tee off, then the flow would be even, and both tips would have carbon build up.

 

[clr1024]

I have the Ark DTX, I have noticed the same thing. I wouldn't say it's a design flaw. Quad tips are cosmetic really, the exhaust flow is flowing to the outside pipe because it is such a short distance between the can and the exit, the flow does not have enough time or flow length to "straighten" out before exiting the tips.

 

[NA1/2-R GT]

IMO, if you are going to get an exhaust for the NSX get the ones that's proven to work and sound nice...ie (Taitec, Tubi, ARC, GT-1, or something that didn't come out of Korea or Taiwan)
Take if from someone that been through all that costly mistakes....

 

[clr1024]

IMO, if you are going to get an exhaust for the NSX get the ones that's proven to work and sound nice...ie (Taitec, Tubi, ARC, GT-1, or something that didn't come out of Korea or Taiwan)
Take if from someone that been through all that costly mistakes....

Who says the ARK doesn't work? It's just a matter of where the carbon is building up, they are two different things.

 

[DrVolkl]

I guess the question would be "do all quad tip exhausts" deposit carbon on the outer pipes first?

I would imagine that the more you drive it and the more you STOMP on it, the more carbon will be deposited on the inner tips.

I never noticed the carbon buildup only being on the outer tips on my DTX, but then again, I cut them off fairly early and put single tips on.

As far as the exhaust goes, it sounded great IMO and its quality was on par with my GTLW (which I sold because it was too damn loud).

 

[NA1/2-R GT]

Who says the ARK doesn't work? It's just a matter of where the carbon is building up, they are two different things.

Oh sure it works alright my bad! I didn't know it supposed to do that.

 

[sicarius82]

I know its sorta ugly, but this is a "rough" sketch using ms paint real quick of the piping, for those who are not familiar with the piping of the ARK DT-X.

...I wouldn't say it's a design flaw... the exhaust flow is flowing to the outside pipe because it is such a short distance between the can and the exit, the flow does not have enough time or flow length to "straighten" out before exiting the tips.

I agree that it doesn't have the opportunity for it to "straighten" out and exit equally... So how is that not a design flaw?

... I cut them off fairly early and put single tips on...

Why not just buy the DTS. That's single tip and a little cheaper I believe. Unless you got a good deal on the DT-X.

 

[DrVolkl]

Why not just buy the DTS. That's single tip and a little cheaper I believe. Unless you got a good deal on the DT-X.

Because I had the prototype DT-X on my car for testing....

....and the prototype came with nasty DTM style turned up tips that luckily didn't make it to production.

Hence, I fixed it. Cozmo can chime in, he has the exhaust now (and the rest of my car) 15k miles and still going strong.

I haven't decided what exhaust to get on my current NSX. This time I may go ARC (with a C) or something else. I want a little more bling. (but I don't want loud anymore).

So far the stock exhaust is working fine.

 

[nsxlife]

Because I had the prototype DT-X on my car for testing....

....and the prototype came with nasty DTM style turned up tips that luckily didn't make it to production.

Hence, I fixed it. Cozmo can chime in, he has the exhaust now (and the rest of my car) 15k miles and still going strong.

I haven't decided what exhaust to get on my current NSX. This time I may go ARC (with a C) or something else. I want a little more bling. (but I don't want loud anymore).

So far the stock exhaust is working fine.

You shouldn't exclude the CT-Engineering exhaust then. It's one of the quietest out there and it has a proven dyno gain over stock! Not to mention the fact that their quality is some of the best out there. Or maybe I'm just being biased...but I am stating facts!

 

[nsxlife]

I know its sorta ugly, but this is a "rough" sketch using ms paint real quick of the piping, for those who are not familiar with the piping of the ARK DT-X.

I agree that it doesn't have the opportunity for it to "straighten" out and exit equally... So how is that not a design flaw?



Why not just buy the DTS. That's single tip and a little cheaper I believe. Unless you got a good deal on the DT-X.

Oops...sorry to get off subject. Airflow is like electricity in a sense...it will always take the path of least resistance. The rendering pictured here makes me assume the quad tips are for cosmetic purposes mostly. There doesn't seem to be a bottle neck, so performance shouldn't be any different than a single tip design.

 

[clr1024]

I know its sorta ugly, but this is a "rough" sketch using ms paint real quick of the piping, for those who are not familiar with the piping of the ARK DT-X.

I agree that it doesn't have the opportunity for it to "straighten" out and exit equally... So how is that not a design flaw?



Why not just buy the DTS. That's single tip and a little cheaper I believe. Unless you got a good deal on the DT-X.

You are confusing two issues here, one is performance gains and the other is carbon build up. You could have pipes that were longer that maybe distributed the carbon better over the four tips but you probably wouldnt gain any performance. The pipes would have to stick out way past the rear valence. In any case it's not a design flaw because I doubt ARK designed the exhaust to distribute the carbon evenly over four of the quad tips, rather they designed it to improve horsepower and sound, hence it's not a design flaw.

 

[tucsonsx]

I guess the question would be "do all quad tip exhausts" deposit carbon on the outer pipes first?

I would imagine that the more you drive it and the more you STOMP on it, the more carbon will be deposited on the inner tips.

I never noticed the carbon buildup only being on the outer tips on my DTX, but then again, I cut them off fairly early and put single tips on.

As far as the exhaust goes, it sounded great IMO and its quality was on par with my GTLW (which I sold because it was too damn loud).

That is exactly what happened with mine - the more I drove the car the more carbon was deposited on the inner pipes - I like the exhaust a lot - no over the top boy racer look or noise - no drone - just right in my opinion. As far NA1/2-R slamming the product just because it comes from Korea, that is just silly - if you doubt that just watch the sales of Korean cars and electronics versus Japanese cars and electronics in the coming years. In my opinion the quality is already on par, the price is lower, and it won't be long before the design will also be as good.

 

[DrVolkl]

You shouldn't exclude the CT-Engineering exhaust then. It's one of the quietest out there and it has a proven dyno gain over stock! Not to mention the fact that their quality is some of the best out there. Or maybe I'm just being biased...but I am stating facts!

Yeah, I saw the one on Fowler's car. I like it...but I like the stock tips, or tips that bend slightly up. I may end up getting it and swapping the stock tips onto it.

We'll see. I just want it a little louder...driving around with you guys I can't hear my own car!

 

[Jfowler]

Don't be a hater, just because mine is cooler than yours. :wink: Or I should say not in the shop most of the time Still have that radar detector, maybe you should buy me a beer at the local watering hole and I will return it! Next sunny day lets meet up. Last Saturday, Feb 28. I ran the car at PR. got in 80 laps running against a R8. Holly crap that car is fast. I found the rev. limiter in 4th gear 132mph. The CTSC is the next step in order to keep up out of the apex. We are running the cars at Bremerton at the end of the month. You should go if the car is out of zahntech yet.

 

[clr1024]

Oh sure it works alright my bad! I didn't know it supposed to do that.

So if a exhaust has uneven distribution of carbon on the exhaust tips it's a design flaw regardless of the gains...you don't do much design work do you

 

[DrVolkl]

Don't be a hater, just because mine is cooler than yours. :wink: Or I should say not in the shop most of the time Still have that radar detector, maybe you should buy me a beer at the local watering hole and I will return it! .

Alright... seems we need to have a little "meeting".

Maybe if your car was SC'd you wouldn't be bitching about some slow ass R8.

You sure you need that radar detector?
:smile:

Name the watering hole... I'll even drive out of the ghetto to the country side if I have to. :wink::wink:

 

[NA1/2-R GT]

So if a exhaust has uneven distribution of carbon on the exhaust tips it's a design flaw regardless of the gains...you don't do much design work do you

You know it's hard to convince one's point of view to tell that person that "your wife is ugly" so yeah, more power to those that think all exhaust performs the same.
I am just trying to give my input on what I went through. And since 2001 I have gone through more exhausts than most on here:wink:

They're all exhausts, but that ends there... they don't give the same results (hence the price difference).

It comes down to how much money you are willing to spend... so those that are cheap, tend to defend the cheaply made exhaust being a great exhaust.
You own an NSX doesn't mean you are rich (just like me)
But if you own an NSX and you are cheap, then that's a different story.
We can go back and forth about exhausts... but it all comes down to MONEY.
So get over it and be happy with what you've got...(until you have that stimulus check then you might change your mind):biggrin:

 

[clr1024]

They're all exhausts, but that ends there... they don't give the same results (hence the price difference).

I hope you don't go through life thinking that because something is more expensive it must be better. Look at designer fashion if you need good examples that price point is not necessarily the key criteria with being better.

With regards to exhaust price difference has to do with many things, including FTE costs, type of materials used, manufacturability, quality control, labor costs etc. What the company thinks it's worth, not the same as market demand.

It's a lot cheaper to copy a design than create your own one, this is the main reason that knockoffs are so cheap as they did not have to include the FTE costs in their price as it was already done for them, they just reverse engineered a part.

It comes down to how much money you are willing to spend... so those that are cheap, tend to defend the cheaply made exhaust being a great exhaust.

There is a difference between cheap and cheaply made. Here's a quote from SOS with regards to the ARK DT-X, I am sure they have plenty of experience with multiple exhausts.

Featuring full T-304 polished stainless steel and rolled quad tips, this exhaust gives the NSX an incredible exotic look and sound.

The exhaust features ARK's new double walled angle cut tips that looks fantastic. Please note that due to the wider double tips - this exhaust fits ONLY 1991-2001 rear valence. The ARK is one of our best fitting exhausts - it is evident that the exhaust is extremely well fixtured during manufacturing due to the consistent fitment. This exhaust is produced using TIG welded full T-304 stainless steel polished to a mirror finish.




An exhaust manufacturer probably considers the following in their design criteria:

Performance gains
Sound (this will obviously be different per exhaust manufacturers and only the end user can decide what they prefer)
Looks
Final Fitment
Manufacturability and quality of manufacturing.

No where would they add, "must deposit carbon evenly on exhaust tips" I am willing to bet no exhaust manufacturer has considered that in making an aftermarket exhaust.


I agree not everyone is rich, who owns an NSX and that people have different priorities when picking an exhaust, looks, sound performance, cost etc, in no specific order, what works for for you might not work for some, but don't dismiss an exhaust because it's cheaper than brand x, y or z...especially based on carbon deposits.

Besides you can use your stimulus check to buy something to clean the carbon:biggrin: