It all depends on the grade of Stainless steel but Stainless steel is definetly has high resistance to rusting.

=======GEEK=FACT=========
High oxidation resistance in air at ambient temperature is normally achieved with additions of a minimum of 13% (by weight) chromium, and up to 26% is used for harsh environments.[2] The chromium forms a passivation layer of chromium(III) oxide (Cr2O3) when exposed to oxygen. The layer is too thin to be visible, meaning the metal remains lustrous. It is, however, impervious to water and air, protecting the metal beneath. Also, this layer quickly reforms when the surface is scratched. This phenomenon is called passivation and is seen in other metals, such as aluminium and titanium. ===================

So if you were me....would you wait until you found a place that uses stainless steel or just go with the aluminized stuff???
Six of one....half a dozen of the other???

aluminum doesnt rust.

If you notice it is not aluminium pipe (aluminium parts are expensive) it says alimunized. I think they just cover the pipes with aluminium to retard rusting and make them look shiny but due to heat and other factors that coat goes away after a while.

As for if you should wait or not, I dont really know. My only reservation is the warranty voiding. I think if the job is that easy to cut and replace, if the pipe gets rusted you can just get it replaced again.

Good point. I am such a wimp when it comes to modding this car. I'm not really sure why. Maybe because it isn't paid off yet. LOL
I bet once I make the last payment I'll go nuts!!! LOL

I am the same way but I think this is a thing like tattoos once you get one you want them all. (I dont have tattoos either, I always wanted one though)

I got my windows tinted recently it looks killer.

so the real questions is whether to do it for a little sounds and a loss of torque and no hp gain? I have read that it gives 0 hp and loses torque

You know..i'm going back and forth on this mod. Part of me feels like I need to unleash the V8 and let it purr like it rightfully should...

the other part of me likes the understated qualities of the car (mine is pewter...doesn't really stand out)...and i like the fact that i can smoke most cars...regardless of how they sound...

so i'm a bit torn...

and tattoos are incredibly addictive the first 2-3 days after you get your first one...then after that...you can keep things under control...

Well I went back to the local muffler place.....the W209 definitely does not have a resonator. We lifted up the car and I went under with the guy....nothing. Just those CATS. I wasn't about to remove those. Here are the pics.

1st pic: two seperate pipes coming from the engine going to the CATS.



2nd pic: Here are the CATS. Looks like they would be a pain to remove.


3rd pic: One pipe coming off the CATS into the muffler. Doesn't look like a resonator


4th pic: Pipe going into muffler. Still no resonator .



So I said forget it. What are you W209 guys removing? One of those Cats...both? Doesn't seem worth it to me.

I looked under another 209'03 CLK with dual exhaust couldnt see the stuff but under my car 209'05 quad exhaust there is a tube that is about 2' in the middle after the cats.

I will try to take a picture.

In my second pic there is a big tube after the cats (top of pic). Didn't look like a resonator to me or the guys at the shop. Just looks like plain pipe all the way to the muffler.

this is a picture of what the guy cut out of my car

https://mbworld.org/forums/showpost....15&postcount=5

Stiggs: your exhaust system looks totally different from mine. Very strange indeed.

Frisco: the stuff that I removed looks very much like yours except for an AMG logo on mine.

WOW
There was no pipe that bowed out like that...it was all straight. That pipe has an obvious change in shape. Was the writing also face down so you could read it? I had to pipes with words printed on them.

Was the logo visible from under the car? I had no logos anywhere. All plain pipe.

What might help me is if someone here has a pic of the underneath of their car before they took off the resonator.

stiggs yours did look weird. usually there are two precats up closer to the engine then the two exhaust pipes each go into a cat/resonator and then back to the muffler. i am not speaking of mercedes but true dual exhaust in general. for single exhaust again there is the ever present pre-cat then down eventually into a resonator and of course to the muffler.

my car is the single exhaust so i will have the extra cat/resonator removed and i will change the stock muffler to a magnaflow muffler designed for V-8 engines. it should make a world of differnce. magnaflow make a cat back exhaust system for most domestic V-8 muscle cars and the sound is perfect. not quite as loud and obnoxious as a flowmaster in my opinion.

Also, I don't see a heat-sink on the bottom of his differential. Very strange.

Ok. check out this thread. It doesn't look like the w209 does have it. Pretty good pick of entire exhaust laid out.

I think that we might finally have an anwer...

http://www.mymbonline.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2264

-John

Good find John. That is exactly what I've been trying to say. I was going to wait to post pics for another week until I get the car on the lift to do my exhaust. What you see all the way on top of the exhaust are the primary cats. Then about two feet down are the secondary cats. There is no resonator on the 2003 model. There might be a resonator on the 2005 model that has the dual exhaust, but there is no resonator on the 2003 model (and I'm pretty sure on the 2004 model).

Here it is on my 63. Then cut out.

This pic is exactly what my exhaust system looked like under the car!

So I guess that settles it.....the 2003 W209 CLK55 has no resonator. Removing the secondary Cats will not do much I was told.

heyy guys...

my exhaust system is somewhat similar to that. but I did have a resonator. (I got it removed!)

however, Ive been debating (and chickened out) to remove my secondary cats. I know it would give the engine and exhaust a bit deeper of a note. but is it safe to run that way.

with just engine/headers/cat/straight pipe all the way/muffler.

it is not a matter of safety regarding the secondary cats. i believe that any exhaust shop can be fined for permanently removing catalytic converters. why the hell would they put four cats on this car? i am perplexed.

for now i will just change the muffler to a magnaflow for a little more sound. i eventually i might swap out the two precats to high flow cats. i am not touching the two intertwined cats....weird and complicated to say the least.

thanks for posting the pics guys that has at least give me some time to plan out what i am going to do.