Mis-Jigged ARC Titanium Exhaust Question

[N-Wing]

So I believe I have a ARC Titanium Exhaust System. It is one of these models from what I can tell (dual tipped).

http://www.scienceofspeed.com/discontinued_products/ARC-exh-int/exhausts/

It doesn't look right (sounds incredible for the record). I actually just had the car down at Vince's Auto body and they looked at it and believe it was mis-jigged during manufacturing. My question is, what can I do about it? I love the sound but it looks wrong. I also don't like the size of the tips (too big for my taste). It appears to have been extremely expensive for an exhaust (somewhere between $3 and $4,500). It also it the lightest one I've run across, so I feel I want to do two things.

1. Shorten the lengths of the tips between 1.5 and 2" (that shouldn't be too hard.
2. Fix the alignment on the pipes (that could get dicey).

I've been in contact with a Titanium welder, he said he would take a look but without the actual jig it could take some time getting right. I'm thinking I would take the car down while still on the car. Show him. Make some measurements and reference lines (ride position bottom, etc). Then take it off and let him take a shot at it. This could get costly or messed up which would be a tragedy. Not sure what do do.

Option 3 I guess could be to sell it with that knowledge. I could probably get a new exhaust for the used value of this baby (even in current condition).

Thoughts?

 

[autoboy]

I would just sell it really INstead of taking a risk of fixing it..

 

[angus]

OK first off, you may want to post some pics of it so we can see.

Next, you have a 2000 - that can cause problems because the cats are a different length - you may need to investigate that depending on what you are using as adapters/ test pipes/ cats etc.

 

[N-Wing]

Photos as requested...

I think the easiest photo where you can tell is the direct from the rear shot. The left hand pipe start lower than the right and the angle is steeper in order to make up for that lower starting position (as the both end up at approximately the same height at the end). Note: The exhaust can is level underneath.


photo6 by michael_lohr, on Flickr


photo3 by michael_lohr, on Flickr


photo5 by michael_lohr, on Flickr

Although I changed the pipes on my previously owned 92, I don't recall the pipe setup differences. Here are the picks from underneath showing the cats (which I believe are stock).


photo7 by michael_lohr, on Flickr


photo8 by michael_lohr, on Flickr


photo9 by michael_lohr, on Flickr

I think that about covers what I can realistically get for photo's without jacking the car up.

 

[autoboy]

OMG!! that look so horrible you should just trade me for my Sorcery exhaust instead of having it fix..... Haqhahahhahahahha jk.. oN the serious note i dont think it looks bad at all.

 

[N-Wing]

It's not a complete disaster but that's the problem with the NSX, only perfection will do.... Frankly my Mazda 6 exhaust is far worse (and they are all a bit odd IMO) but it doesn't phase me in the least. I am pretty particular with the NSX's I've owned. I just got this one back from Vince's Auto body repairing a previous repair I felt was unacceptable (I got this one in April and have slowing been bringing it up to NSX standards). In any case, I am hoping to get this rectified. It is more noticeable in person I think.

 

[RYU]

I know how you feel. I just went thru a custom exhaust build and we were measuring down to the millimeter. I would simply hate it if every time I walked into the garage the first thing my eyes go to is the misaligned tips.

2000+ exhaust systems are a little different. I would do what Wil said first and check for that while also checking your exhaust adapters. Best to rule these out first.

In the event you need to cut up this exhaust proceed with extreme caution. You could seriously mess things up for the worse. Ti requires very stable welding gasses around and is very tempermental to the proper arc temperature. This is often why they need a special air tight room to weld Ti. It's very difficult to do on the car if not impossible...well, if you're looking for a good strong weld that is. The second whammy you're faced with is the complex angles your exhaust tips rests in. It goes down then curves out, then curves up. You have multiple axis of adjustment. Very easy to just say F-it halfway thru and end up with something worse. How your exhaust guy does his cross section cut is also VERY important for adjusting this type of thing.

Man.. sorry to hear this. This sucks for such an expensive exhaust. I hope the issue is the wrong adapter.

Edit to add: I realized you have slip fits. That could be a blessing in disguise. You should explore all options to cut trim those to length before messing with tips. That will be a much easier way to address this. I recommend unbolting the cats and having the exhaust rest on the hangers. That way you will see what is the position suppose to be at rest. This will help with the alignment process.

 

[socalx]

I'm not sure that the left side is the problem. I think the right side is at the incorrect angle. Please see pics of mine
http://www.hondatuningmagazine.com/features/htup_0905_acura_nsx_r_replica/photo_17.html

Please scroll through this pictures as there is also a straight rear shot so you can see both tips

 

[TURBO2GO]

I can take some pics of my Arc if it helps you. But I have a different rear valence.

 

[N-Wing]

Not sure pictures will help. I just need the two sides to match. I'm less concerned it exactly matching the original spec.

 

[davidf]

If it were mine, I would have the tips cut off and some nicer {even quad} tips reinstalled by your titanium welder. If the muffler itself is not rubbing anything underneath then thats not a worry. Have the new tips welded on perfectly even and problem solved. But thats me.

 

[02#154]

I'd see if. Ew adapters would solve the problem, and avoid modifying the exhaust if at all possible. To see if new adapters will solve things, remove your existing adapters and see how the tips line up, with the muffler just hanging freely by the hangers. If the tip alignment improves or even gets perfect, then you can solve the alignment issues by having new adapters made by any muffler shop. This would be the least troublesome solution, if the muffler is actually built properly on the ARC jig.

If the tips still sit too crooked to be fixed by new adapters and you want to cut and correct the piping, Prime mber Titanium Dave has a jig that he can use to correct the system. He's expensive but he can weld Ti and has the jig, a combo that is likely unique. A local owner has used his services with his Ti exhaust.

J

 

[socalx]

I think the advice by 02-154 is the best idea

Really need to check it unbolted first
Good luck and please keep us posted

 

[ChrisK]

My opinion is most of the ARC exhausts I've seen pictures of even compared to the one I owned all look slightly different. It's as if they know where the start is and the end is, and in between the pipes take sightly different routes and shapes, but get to the same end point. My ARC was actually slightly short on one of the pipes, and the hangers according to Titanium Dave seemed off too. That leads me to my next sentence. I sold my ARC to my friend and we sent it up to Titanium Dave to have modifications done. He does an outstanding job, but is really expensive. If he takes the job and you are willing to pay the price and assume the risk, he will do a great job on modifications. The question is if he is willing to do the job and you are okay with the cost.

 

[TrustJDM]

Didn't know ARC made a come back. Love their design and products. Hope they release some of their old NSX goodies again. I know a few people were price gouging when they went under for a bit.

http://www.arc-brazing.co.jp/product.html

Back on topic, ARC Int'l is a premium brand and I would not think that they would release (sell) an exhaust with this kind of quality control issue. Where did you get this exhaust & was this exhaust damaged or bent when you received it?

 

[socalx]

My arc and others I've seen fit perfect. (much better then the taitec that I also love on my other nsx)

 

[N-Wing]

I'm still up in the air on the solution. If it didn't sound so good it would be easy...

I'm going to drive down to a weld shop and see what they say about it. It will take me many hours to set up a template to follow (and have a fixture the exhaust would fit in just to have it maintain running position; or any consistent position). If I go this route I will cut about 2" off the tips. Unless you have the newer rear diffuser (or customer) I don't feel it looks that good. My opinion of course and to each their own.

Speaking to each their own, my latest "I can't believe anyone would do that!" moment was a guy that took a huge diesel truck and put a stack that came out the FRONT hood! The whole passenger side of the truck including the window was black (i have to take a picture the next time I see it). I can't even believe people run stack(s) through the truck beds losing all that functionality BUT, to each their own....