allenp99

For all of you that have done the X-pipe mod, have you deleted your secondary cats too? Is this common or do people usually only install an x-pipe in place of the resonator?

Also, for those of you who have done the x-pipe mod and also the secondary cat delete, what is the tone of the exhaust like? Is it just a louder version of doing x-pipe alone or does it actually give off a different exhaust note?

It's tough to tell because a lot of the x-pipe video clips on YouTube sound different from car to car and I'm starting to think that it's because some of them actually have had their secondary cats deleted as well.

Thanks!

FlatoutSusp

I'm curious too. X-pipe to replace resonators??

Richard2011

Louder and lots of pops and crackles when the engine is cold. When it's warm, it just sounds louder and slightly raspier. It's nice. Check out my cold start vid:

JaredP

Just a warning. Don't expect your car to sound like the non-direct injection (M272, pre-2012 in C350s) cars.

I have the same engine as you. I installed an x-pipe and it changed the sound quite a bit. Made the exhaust tone lower overall. Ran this for about 6 months. Brought my car in and had the secondary resonators (Sometimes incorrectly called secondary cats) removed as well, and straight pipes put in place about a month ago.

I was a lot happier with the sound. It is quite a bit louder, and it's noticeable on the highway at 130-140km/hr if you're cruising without music. Has some backfire on cold starts and when downshifting, kind of raspy, but not like a 4cyl.

Exhaust videos of modern W204s with the direct injection M276 engine are hard to evaluate, because you can only rev to 4k RPM, but here is my car with x-pipe and secondary cats removed.

allenp99

Jared, thanks so much for the video! You are completely right in regards to our engines and these mods sounding quite different. Most videos I see on youtube are pre-2012 w204s with x-pipes. Over this past weekend I had just an x-pipe installed and it indeed does sound different than the youtube clips and like you said, just sounds lower overall; not really sure if I like it yet.

that's kind of why I was thinking of just removing the secondary cats/resonators and putting straight pipes in place of those for a more throaty/raspy sound.

JaredP, question for you: While cruising, I see that you said its "noticeable" without music on. Do you notice a drone? If so, is the drone similar to that of w204's with muffler deletes?

Thanks!

JaredP

It's not really noticeable to the average person, I had to remember to check one time and it was only a little bit louder than usual. It is definitely not even close to as loud as a muffler delete (I drove around in a V8 Cadillac with no mufflers as comparison).
I would go for deleting the secondary resonators, it was much more noticeable in my opinion, where I really couldn't notice the X-pipe on its own unless I got out and had someone rev it for me.

C300Sport

I haven't really done anything to my car in a while so thinking about removing the secondary resonators. For those that have done this, is there much difference in the sound level in the car and is there any drone in the car while cruising?
I'd like a little more sound but would hate to introducing cabin droning!! I actually like the burbling and popping on cold starts...makes me feel like I am driving an AMG...at least until it warms up...

Akhafeez

i had the x pipe originally and wanted alittle more sound when i hit the gas and the secondary cat delete did that for me!

Richard2011

No drone, but the exhaust is definitely audible at all RPMs. Enough for passengers to notice the exhaust and comment but not enough for them to say it's annoyingly loud.

shayvanman

I have a 2013 c350 coupe and did a res delete as well as xpipe. on cold starts the intial start up is really loud and raspy for about 5 seconds.. not a good tone but then it drops back down. does anyone know why this may be? from all the videos ive seen no other car does this.. its not really pleasent and clean. i might put the secondary cats back on and just leave the xpipe.

Josh.A.Hussey

Quite possibly just engine revved up to warm up? Do your RPM's drop the same time the noise stops..?

shayvanman

Yeah the noise only happens for about 3-5 seconds.. its just a very off noise almost like the noise those robots made from war of the worlds haha

Josh.A.Hussey

Unless it is unbearably loud, or your engine is at op temp then I would say that sounds normal, although I'm not familiar with the sound you described from war of the worlds! Haha

dipdip19

just do secondary cat delete . i did it and im very happy about results . xpipe and second cat delete only