[drwambo]

Hi all,
Here's the deal. My exhaust is fried from the outlet from the cat back. There is NO way I am going to replace it with anything like $tock. While it has been leaking, however, I have noticed that it's getting better mileage (go figure.) Anyway, I'm thinking of just having the duals run all the way to the back with a couple of small mufflers or even a 2in 2 out muffler. What I'm wondering is what will really fit back there. Anyone have any cheap ideas out there? She's a good car, but really a commuter and I'm trying to be realistic on costs.

 

[stormtigers]

Hi Mate

MMerc just had a 2.5 inch system with free flow cats put on to his 300CE.
I had a straight through muffler added to the end of mine as it had a hole in it.

The exhaust note deepened considerably but MMerc reports some upsides to doing it.
http://www.benzworld.org/forums/w124-e-ce-d-td-class/1613211-my-300ce-new-voice.html

I have seen quite a few exhaust bits for sale in the USA, guess it boils down to whether you want to stay standard or are prepared to wear that the exhuast is something that can be modded (maybe for the better)

Cheers

 

[drwambo]

Yeah, Sounds pretty good. I'll be honest, I'm for doing this as cheaply as possible. I love my merc, but I also have 3 kids! Anyway, My cat is just fine - my issue is that the exhaust place want's to build a Y pipe to put my duals together and then straight into a muffler. I'm told by the exhaust place that a dual/dual (made for trucks, etc) won't fit in the space where my muff is now...I'm not so sure, it's a pretty big space. Anyway, now thinking of going with separate little ones (perhaps at an angle) in the space. Any thoughts? I have picked up like 5 mpg with the exhaust falling off...I kinda hate to fix it....and it does sound kind of neat...riceburners PAY for sound not as good.

 

[stormtigers]

Hey I feel your pain. I am 53 and have a 10 and 8 year old. Kids mean Money !
Didn't get married until 42 !

Mate I had my last muffler done as it had a hole in it back in September.
The place I went to is where I sent MMerc too for his work also.

What they did was replace the rear muffler (which had a hole in it) with a straight through on 2.5 pipe out to a dual 2.5 stainless steel tip. Cost me about 300 including the tip which was about $125. Chrome doesn't last long on a cars like the Merc's I have been advised.

Here's the short link of my mod.
http://www.benzworld.org/forums/w124-e-ce-d-td-class/1606916-fritz-300ce-his-cohunes-have-dropped.html

Good luck

 

[LeftCoastGeek]

contrary to common belief, louder is NOT faster, and I've never seen a European engine yet that got faster solely by 'upgrading' the exhaust. now, if you're doing massive engine upgrades that involve doubling the air flow and fuel consumption, then sure, bigger pipes are probably part of the equation....

 

[stormtigers]

Ahhh yess BUT it make's you feel better (so they say) !

My performance mod included a slightly thinner oil and refreshing trans oil etc etc.
Now that DID make my 3000CE run better - revs more freely and acceleration has improved. It had done so few miles though that servicing intervals were not exceeded BUT products remained "in situ" for longer periods of time.

My new rear muffler didn't do much except deepen the note and stop that right rear "rattling" I had been complaining about.

But it does sound much better.......

 

[drwambo]

It's not about the noise at all. Frankly if I could get "Silent" for a couple hundred bucks that would be great. But I'm thinking that taking dual outputs from the cat into a Y-pipe would be somewhat restricting. Maybe not, but since I drive so far on a daily basis, it is interesting that the mileage has increased enough to notice on the fuel gauge... I'm looking for economy - I can live with a little noise as long as it doesn't sound like the two open pipes out of the cat that I have now.

 

[gregorybrogers]

check out MDS in Glen Burnie, Md

They built a custom Mandrel bent dual exhaust for my 300D, looks , sounds great and picked up 5 mpg. set me back $350. But I don't use cats on the 300D. They are on Mountain road.

 

[tuttebenne]

How much do you expect to pay for a custom-built solution? You can probably get original M/B center and rear muffler for $500 at a dealer. If you have a way to get a discount you might do better. If you look around for aftermarket forget Bosal; they make junk that looks like the same as original but is not. A "made up at the muffler shop" system will use mild steel that will rust in less than two years. The weak point is where the joints are. Any cool air getting sucked in through a bad joint will mean rust. A fully welded system is the only way to go, or use OEM with high grade steel and joints that are gas tight. Just an opinion.

 

[Growl]

I bought off the shelf exhaust pieces ($6 to $9cdn)from Canadian Tire and a cherry bomb muffler ($35 cdn) and it bolted together after a bit of measuring and actually no cutting. Has a slightly deeper note and did improve the mileage slightly too. Ran it for six months, then found the whole cat back system at the wreckers for $48 cdn. Poor guys car got wrecked right after having a new stock system put in. Since my middle muffler is still in good shape, I just replaced the second muffler with the stock part. looks and sounds nicer and will probably last 20x longer, but if it hadn't been so cheap, I would have been happy to leave the cherry bomb. If you find yourself in Canada or want to pay the shipping you're welcome to the middle muffler for the $24 I paid for it

 

[Jevo2]

Anyone know what size bolts you use that bolt the cats to the mid mufler? Mine are seized and rusted i need to cut them out and replace them but i dont know what size to replace them with.. Can anyone help me with this? The bolts are shown with yellow arrows.. They aren't mine nore is this a picture of my car, but it is a picture if what i need to replace.

 

[LeftCoastGeek]

have you tried drenching them in Kroil and giving them a bit of time to soak? you might be surprised what will come off.