Help with Exhaust Problem - Benzworld.org

BLACK GHOST · 03-27-2005, 06:55 AM

Helloo every body,for a while back I had this problem with my car which is MY 7/99 E280,hard starting, sometimes late shifitng, and you can't feel the power of the car even while kicking down the pedal,I took it to my MB dealer few months back and they changed the MAF sensor for about $700,it went better in power,but still the hard starting and there is some noise coming from beneath the car,from the exhaust, when I took it back again to teh dealer, they told me it is one of catalytic convertors and the 2 down pipes,I really donno what do these parts do to the car, and what mainly caused the problem, but what I know that they cost about $2700 labor not included, here are the part numbers:-
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210 490 40 19
210 490 41 19
210 490 36 21
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please I need to know what are the reasons for these to damage, specially they told me these parts are not fixavle, they need to be changed,can I bypass the catalytic convertor,or not, and are there any after market but good quality of these parts,I prefer ones for performance or increasing the HP of the car, sorry guys for the long letter and thanx in advanced for u guys and for this great forum which is my No.1 source for MB stuff

E-Klasse · 03-27-2005, 02:31 PM

The catalytic convertors are there to clean up the exhaust emmissions of high CO2, NOX and other nasty compounds created in combustion. Here in the US they can not be removed by federal law. You may have different laws where you are. They are there so that the air is cleaner but removing them could give you better performance because there woudl be less exhaust resistance. There are sensors that monitor the exhaust that will go out of range with them removed so your car may not run correctly as a result and you check engine light will go on. They have platinum inside them so they cost a lot. One type of failure is when the inside brakes apart and rattle around. Another is when the catalyst get coated with oil and stops reacting with the exhaust as it should and your emmissions go up and CE light goes on.

BLACK GHOST · 03-27-2005, 03:26 PM

WOW thanx alot E-Klasse, I didn't realize what do they do,well about the laws over here I don't think they would care that much:P,but considering what u said, I don't think I'll remove them, there r always better ways for performance,we have here in Saudi what called Anual automtive check,there is sticker they put on teh car valid for one year only,they check every single point in the car, one of these stuff is the emession,sometimes cars fail cuz of this,and they rn't able to renew or go along in the car registration procedure.
Any how,u told me they are made of platinum,I saw some after market stuff, like carsound from Magna Flow,but I belive they r stainless steel,i really don't know what to pick and fit on car, they don't have for the E 280,mine is MY7/99, teh face lift model,so is there any diffrences between the cat. converters for the E 320 and my E 280, I really need ue help to lead me and tell me what is teh best thing to install cuz I want to start the process and order it and ship it (hope they ship over seas),so what size shall I pick, and is it direct fitting or not,any other recomended brand names, and what abuot the down pipes, got any info.
I apreciate ur info,thax
Mohammed.

spine911 · 03-27-2005, 11:00 PM

Search and read my post under California Cat. Converter a week ago for the specifics about fitment issues for the Carsounds....there ISNT a specific Carsound Cat for the E W210....read my past post for more info

E-Klasse · 03-28-2005, 07:00 AM

I put Magnaflows on mine. You can have them welded on and not replace the rest of the pipes. The platinum is on the inside of all convertors. MB charges a lot because of the OEM fit. The aftermarket ones have to be welded on but they do the same job and may even last longer.

BLACK GHOST · 03-28-2005, 04:46 PM

Thanx again E-klasse and spine911,I already have seen ur post on California Cat. Converters, and also I went on the magnaflow carsound web site, the thing is they have one I belive for E 320, so my Q is, is there any differences between the structure of the Cat. Converter for the E 320 and my E 280 as u mentiond that we could fit the same size or even bigger but not smaller and I have to put in mind the pressure nad volume and the operating temprature, all these stuff i don't know abuot, so would any size fit on my car or not, and about the down pipes I was told by my dealr that they r also broken or bad,so I have to change them,
waiting for more info.
thanx alot guys for ur help
best regards
Mohammed

E-Klasse · 03-28-2005, 06:15 PM

The cats have a rating on them for the max size motor they can be installed on and the size of pipe to connect them too. The size should be the same between the E320 and the E280. Pipes can be welded on too as long as the parts that connect to the exhaust manifolds are still good.

DieSilberBenz · 03-28-2005, 10:24 PM

Broken downpipes? Have them get the car up on a lift to show you everything they say. You will not be able to see inside the cats of course until they're removed.

How many miles or kilometers do you have on your car? If it's high numbers the various parts of the exhaust system probably are not in prime shape, including the platinum element inside the cats. For test purposes only, on a VR6 Passat with high mileage, years ago I removed the cat guts (hey, a pun) and the car ran well again. No surprise.

That $2700 for the work you described sounds real high but as was pointed out MB genuine parts are no bargain. Is there an independent shop available that can fabricate exhausts? If they can do mandrel bends (i.e. rounded bends with no kinked tubing), that's what you want. They could also increase your stock pipes' diameter a bit which should give you a little better performance. I don't know if your model has what they call a suitcase muffler to the rear of the system, but often people with two mufflers on each pipe will remove one, if the increased sound is not a problem. If I were looking at a couple thousand dollars for this job, I'd find a shop to build a custom system. Where I live I could probably have one built from exhaust outlet to rear bumper for a thousand dollars MAX including new (but not MB) cats and performance mufflers.
Hmmm, Father's Day is coming up here in the States...

BLACK GHOST · 03-29-2005, 11:23 AM

Thanx DieSilberBenz, really usefull info.
My car got about 130K Kilometers,so I belive u r right in what u say.
teh $2700 is only the parts cost, and that's the price for thr resellers,with some % discount. Labour not included.
About the down pipes, they gave me the part numbers and when I asked about what parts were they, they told me it is one of the cat. converters and the 2 pipes connecting from bewlo the engine to the cat converters, I asked them what's the problem they told me they have leak or something "GOD",how could a pipe have a leak, and then they showed me some drops coming down from there,it is the vapour I belive,1st I thought that in order to change teh cat I have to change the the pipes, but that wasn't true, so I belive the pipes r really broken or got some tiny holes,the cats u can hear them,like marbles or small balls in box. so defenetly I have to change them, but they told me only has gone bad, so shall I change only the bad one or both.

About the fabricating places, we have this factory down here that makes or replicates some brands like borla and flow master, but most of the ppl who tried they said it is bull s#$t,so I don't want to take teh risk.
I want to add some horses to my car, and as long as I am having problem with the exhaust I prefer to start here,Headers I found Kleeman but don't know the cost yet,and as far as I know the do have down pipes,for teh muffler there r Kleeman,carlsson and lorinser (which costs $ 1840 without shipping from germany) but I do really like teh dual tips and it is only made but lorinser no other options,the high sound of teh car I don't mind it.
suitcase muffler,never heared of that ,I need to know more maybe i'd remove one, who knows.

Father's day, last week it is Mother's day and I bought her a gift, so I was like lemme get my dad one also, I gave it to him he smiled, he isn't that kind of ppl u knwo who cares about such stuff, he was like my real gift is concentrate on ur studies and to score high "Typical Father", so wish u all the best with all ur family and get him something nice ;).
Sorry for the really long post and thanx again.

Mohammed

E-Klasse · 03-29-2005, 11:35 AM

Change both of them or you will be changing the other one soon and have to pay for labor again. A good independent exhaust shop should be able to do the whole job for you.