ARH full exhaust system install - first part
 

Just picked up my full (LT's all the way to their mufflers) exhaust from ARH yesterday. I worked with Mike and it was a pleasure to deal with them. Last night I removed the old system which was quite a bit more difficult than I had expected based on other posts here. Some of the tough areas are:

1 - The battery location - it is in the trunk under the foam piece that holds the air compressor. This may sound stupid, but I couldn't find it and the owners manual doesn't seem to say where it is. I probably just couldn't find it, but I would have expected it to be under 'battery' in the index - it isn't
2 - The four rubber hangers that hold on the rear muffler. I could just barely touch them, but after much struggling and actually dropping the front of the exhuast, I got them off. Good thing I have very small arms/hands.
3 - The header bolts are tough to get at, but very do able - just make sure that you have the right sized extensions. The painfull part of it was that the bolts have some type of locking compound on them... so they are 'tight' the entire way out.
4 - Spark plug wires - even these were quite tough to get off. I have very small hands/armsn and I could just barely get my hands in there. I am not sure how others get their hands in there.




I have the old system completely out and after destroying the first O2 sensor, I decided to go ahead and order 4 new ones for the new system and just leave the others in the old stock system (just in case I ever want to put it back on). My big question right now is on cutting and reusing a few pieces of the old exhaust.

The instructions call for two pieces to be cut out of the old system beginning at the front edge of the cross piece and going forward about 22.5" on the pass side and 28" on the drivers. I have marked them off, but the exhaust (Ls3) looks very different than the pic of what I should be cutting out. On mine, the piece I will cut out will include the H crossover - so I will actually end up with one piece - this is not shown in the pic on the directions. I am also confused on where this piece will be used. I think I must be missing something and I am assuming that I don't even need to do this since I bought the full exhaust.

For anyone who has installed a complete ARH system, did you have to cut and reuse any of your stock exhaust??

I will report back on the rest of my experience when I am done.

If you got the full exhaust (headers, X pipe, and mufflers) I don't see why you would have to use any of your original exhaust. Call ARH, they are very helpful. I had a torn gasket and I got a new one a day after I called them.
I got the headers and X pipe and had to cut after the tunnel brace to use (for now) the OE mufflers.

I bought the whole system including the ARH axel back and mufflers. Love them. Did not want to cut up stock system. How did you wreck and O2 sensor?:facepalm:

I jusst put on a set of ARH's. I think you are missunderstanding where to make the cut. You want to cut behind the cross brace, not in front of it.
Hope this helps

I did call ARH just to be sure and you definitley do not need to cut the old system when you put on their full system. I think that the instructions were written before they came out with their full system so they need to be revised. I do have the whole thing up and clamped in place so now I just need to drop in my new O2 sensors and I'll be firing it up (very excited).

The O2 sensor was ruined when I tried to get it out. Similiar to many experiences that I read about here on the forum, the threads were destroyed when removing it. I went very slowly, used penetrating oil, went back and forth, etc, but it still wrecked the threads. Since this happened on the first one, I just decided to order a complete set of 4 new ones from the dealer and just put those on the new exhaust (they come in this morning). This will let me leave the old ones in-tact on the old exhaust so if I ever want to put it back in I don't have to mess with the o2 sensors (if I ever sell the car, I will probalby put the exhaust back on and sell this exhaust separate).

One thing I have found that helps with the 02's is to take them out right after a long drive while the pipes are still hot. I did mine hot, and all four cracked loose with an easy wrench tug and spun out by hand. It was under 1000 miles though which also helped a lot, no corrosion yet on the threads.

O2 socket ftw.

The service manual states having the engine temperature around 160 degrees prior to removing the sensors, for easier removal. Looks like you've figured that out by yourself.

Do you have any drone at cruising speeds,1500 to 1900 rpm, with your system?

No. Not stupid loud either, but sounds good when you get on it. That being said i don't lug it around either.:thumbsup:

I just started my full ARH and drove it today. Mercuryman96 is dead on. Definitley louder, but not crazy. I would say that under normal driving a passenger wouln't even think it is aftermarket. When you get on it, the sound is great. Highly recommend