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Exhaust options for CLK550 that don't deviate too much from stock?

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Old 08-30-2015, 09:32 AM
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2007 clk 550
Exhaust options for CLK550 that don't deviate too much from stock?

Hi. I'm thinking about modding the exhaust system. My only real goal is some weight savings and I guess some better flow. I don't want it to be much loader (if at all) than stock. Are there any kits out there for this?


2007 CLK 550
Old 08-30-2015, 01:30 PM
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[QUOTE=ninsei;6541615]Hi. I'm thinking about modding the exhaust system. My only real goal is some weight savings and I guess some better flow. I don't want it to be much loader (if at all) than stock. Are there any kits out there for this?

Put an x pipe where the resonator is. If you want more weight gains and better flow delete the secondary cats, but it will get louder
Old 08-30-2015, 01:43 PM
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[QUOTE=Amir_AMG;6541798]
Originally Posted by ninsei
Hi. I'm thinking about modding the exhaust system. My only real goal is some weight savings and I guess some better flow. I don't want it to be much loader (if at all) than stock. Are there any kits out there for this?

Put an x pipe where the resonator is. If you want more weight gains and better flow delete the secondary cats, but it will get louder
thanks. do you happen to know what size x pipe?
Old 08-30-2015, 10:37 PM
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Secondary cat delete. You will almost never notice it until you step in it. If (when) you get bored of it, delete the resonator and then the muffler. I have no 2nd cats, resonator nor muffler with an X-pipe in place of the resonator. It sounds amazing but I'm pretty sure most of the people here would not be comfortable with that setup. If you want to hear videos of my setup, check my signature.

By far, the best mod to my car is the exhaust.
Old 08-30-2015, 10:38 PM
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[QUOTE=ninsei;6541805]
Originally Posted by Amir_AMG

thanks. do you happen to know what size x pipe?
It should be 2.25" or 2.5", your choice.
Old 08-30-2015, 11:12 PM
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There is already a "Y" pipe aft of the secondary cats. Unless you're going true dual exhaust an "X" pipe is not needed. You can just use a straight pipe for any component (secondary cats, resonator, muffler) deletes.
Old 08-30-2015, 11:14 PM
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Fatz, do you recommend me removing the X-pipe and replacing it with a straight (that'll be straights from primary cats back) or keep the X? What will happen if I change from X to straight?
Old 08-31-2015, 02:45 AM
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You are set up as a true dual and you need the "x" to scavenge the exhaust and keep it moving faster, reducing heat buildup and back pressure, and it helps to some degree with reducing drone.

For the OP, he is still sending the exhaust from the two banks into a single mid pipe before exit. The "Y" pipe does scavenging also but not as well as an "X", in part because there is just more volume at the exit and into the mid/tail pipe. In his setup, an "X" would still have to be connected to a "Y". It would be redundant, cost more, and not really help.
Old 08-31-2015, 07:14 PM
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Originally Posted by kb24forlife24
Secondary cat delete. You will almost never notice it until you step in it. If (when) you get bored of it, delete the resonator and then the muffler. I have no 2nd cats, resonator nor muffler with an X-pipe in place of the resonator. It sounds amazing but I'm pretty sure most of the people here would not be comfortable with that setup. If you want to hear videos of my setup, check my signature.

By far, the best mod to my car is the exhaust.
How do you pass smog after having deleted the secondary cats? Do they not look under the car or do you re-install them every 2 years?
Old 08-31-2015, 07:16 PM
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You will pass smog with no secondary cats. I am not sure about visual but I'm sure they won't care. I don't have problems with visual smog check.
Old 08-31-2015, 07:22 PM
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Originally Posted by kb24forlife24
You will pass smog with no secondary cats. I am not sure about visual but I'm sure they won't care. I don't have problems with visual smog check.
You are fortunate that you go to a shop that apparently does not know about or look for the cats. Removal is considered tampering, you would most assuredly fail the smog test even if the emissions pass if a tech saw that and made a note of it.
Old 08-31-2015, 07:24 PM
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The secondary cats don't have oxygen sensors so you could pass with no secondary cats, muffler or resonator. Visual is up to the smog place you go to.
Old 09-01-2015, 02:01 AM
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NOTE: the m272/273 350/550 engines don't have secondary cats but "bubble resonators" which look like cats

At first I had the mid resonator removed and didn't notice much of change. It was a tad bit deeper, but wanted more. So I deleted the two bubble resonators (which sit between primary cats and the mid resonator). So the setup became primary cats -> stock y-pipe -> single pipe -> stock amg muffler. Everyone I told would say it must drone like crazy but honestly I never even notice a drone.

I've wondered if moving the y-pipe down to right before the muffler and putting two longer pipes from the primaries, instead of the current y-pipe at the beginning and one long pipe to the muffler, is a better setup? Thoughts?
Old 09-01-2015, 02:04 AM
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Fatz could give you a good answer to that. But I think you are asking if you could have two pipes that go downstream to one muffler? I'm confused. If you want to do a dual exhaust, you must get a different muffler and lount it in the middle where the resonator was and then split the pipes to each side of the bumper.
Old 09-01-2015, 03:43 AM
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Originally Posted by gaazmon
NOTE: the m272/273 350/550 engines don't have secondary cats but "bubble resonators" which look like cats

At first I had the mid resonator removed and didn't notice much of change. It was a tad bit deeper, but wanted more. So I deleted the two bubble resonators (which sit between primary cats and the mid resonator). So the setup became primary cats -> stock y-pipe -> single pipe -> stock amg muffler. Everyone I told would say it must drone like crazy but honestly I never even notice a drone.

I've wondered if moving the y-pipe down to right before the muffler and putting two longer pipes from the primaries, instead of the current y-pipe at the beginning and one long pipe to the muffler, is a better setup? Thoughts?
I don't think that will gain you anything. Except for perhaps getting more drone I don't think you will see/hear any difference. You would be exposed to more drone because the cancellation ("Y" pipe) of some of the frequencies that trigger drone would be farther downstream. The upstream pipes would be more susceptible to vibration (drone).

And, the cancellation that occurs at the merger of the "Y" pipe may be less since the velocity of the exhaust will be less when the exhaust from the two banks collide.

The exhaust path will still look the same to the engine. So it will run the same in terms of backpressure to overcome and rate at which it revs.
Old 09-05-2015, 02:08 AM
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Originally Posted by kb24forlife24
Fatz could give you a good answer to that. But I think you are asking if you could have two pipes that go downstream to one muffler? I'm confused. If you want to do a dual exhaust, you must get a different muffler and lount it in the middle where the resonator was and then split the pipes to each side of the bumper.
I was thinking if it made more sense to move the y pipe towards the back of the car and have two long straight ones from the front versus the y pipe right now being right after where the two bubble resonators would be and one long straight pipe going toward the back of the car

Originally Posted by Fatz
I don't think that will gain you anything. Except for perhaps getting more drone I don't think you will see/hear any difference. You would be exposed to more drone because the cancellation ("Y" pipe) of some of the frequencies that trigger drone would be farther downstream. The upstream pipes would be more susceptible to vibration (drone).

And, the cancellation that occurs at the merger of the "Y" pipe may be less since the velocity of the exhaust will be less when the exhaust from the two banks collide.

The exhaust path will still look the same to the engine. So it will run the same in terms of backpressure to overcome and rate at which it revs.
Ah got it. Thanks fatz
Old 05-12-2016, 01:07 AM
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Nvm

Last edited by Ace Jones; 05-12-2016 at 01:22 AM.
Old 05-12-2016, 01:29 AM
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Originally Posted by Ace Jones
Nvm
Thinking of the things I did in my exhaust journey, "I believe" the bubble resonators do more for controlling drone than the "mid resonator". I do not recall drone of any major amount when I deleted the mid resonator.

You could delete the mid and see if that is enough with the cutout. I have headers and with the mid resonator delete the exhaust volume increased probably 4db (10db would be twice as loud). But there was no real drone.
Old 05-12-2016, 09:34 PM
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you can also do shorty headers

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