DNAPoPo

So I replaced the resonator with straight pipes today, thought it would be louder, but only marginal at best, and can only hear the difference when pushing the pedal to the metal. I attached some pics in case anybody wanted to see what was under our cars... Might delete the 2ndardy cats next...

attached are before and after shots

MCF

Will it pass inspection, especially if u remove cat?

DNAPoPo

That is a great question, I know I will not get error codes, since they are the secondary cats, which are very small and already past the sensors, but as far as passing smog, not sure. Anybody else have any insight on this?

K-A

Don't F with the cats man, especially in CA. You drive a new E-Class, and I'd avoid from playing the Mustang GT or Camaro game.

Not only is it a HUGE fine if you get caught, but you are opening up potential for Check Engine lights, NOT passing smog, having to put the cats back on just to pass smog, possibly causing your engine to run rich (which requires a new tune to get it in line), maybe a Warranty void on something if you're Dealer sees it (even if it is irrational), a bad smell, and of course, more harm to our lungs and environment.

Leave the Cats alone. If you're really serious, maybe get a street legal, high flow Cat system (if available).

If you really want to get sound, start looking at modifying the muffler area. It is a pollutant free zone (i.e, no effect on your cars emissions), and is more effective.

DNAPoPo

Thanks for all the insight, will look into replacing muffler options, so far the muffler man is telling me that our current mufflers are very unrestricted as they are. As far as error codes, no sensors will be tripped by removing secondary cats as they are already pretty far down the chain.

fromthebeginnin

I think you'll be fine passing any inspection, plus no one in California looks at your car visually during inspection. Before you spend the money for new mufflers find a friendly station give them $40 and have them check you car to see if it passes.

These look nice and they match them to the W212

http://gthaus.com/ehdetails.php?selM...&Submit=Submit

PS they have a location in Cali

BryanW203

I had a C55 and removed the 2nd cats. That is where you notice a gain in sound and power. You will not get a CEL, the O2's are before the 2nd cats. If you have a shop remove them, have them lower the exhaust, cut a hole in the top of the cat, hollow it out and reinstall. If you do that when someone looks up from underneath the exhaust look untouched and factory.

DNAPoPo

Thanks for the tip, I like the stealth look.

LawRens

If you want loud, straightpipe the mufflers. I think you might like it.

lyjw88

don't do muffler delete on W212.
it drones like crazy and whole interior cabin vibrates at a wide range of RPM.
i had this setup for a day and went back to the shop to install mufflers.

K-A

That must have sounded like a$$ on a 6 cylinder, lol.

I think you guys are being a bit cheap, and concentrating on the wrong area, by messing with the cats for sound, whilst not even messing with the far more sound deadening and restrictive mufflers. But I haven't heard a 2nd cat delete with an otherwise stock system on a 212.

new2cars07e350

I was thinking of doing either this or a muffler delete to my '07 E350. I want a better sound, so im willing to take out whatever gives me that. If i took out the resonators, i would probably replace it with an xpipe. If I took out the mufflers, i'd just straight pipe it.

Im new to this stuff so anything helps, give me your opinions.

Peachy

Replace resonator with xpipe and get aftermarket mufflers like Magnaflows or something. Don't straight pipe the whole thing, I have a feeling that would sound really bad.

Ed99

Just do a muffler delete and leave the resonator in there. It will be a 50% louder than an E63. I love the V8 growl. Check my Instagram. I posted a vid on mines.

new2cars07e350

Do you know about how much that would cost?

Also, does anyone know what dimensions the piping for a w211 would be??

new2cars07e350

That's what I was thinking of doing. But im still between that or a resonator. I would just replace the gap where the mufflers used to be with piping correct? Do you by chance know the dimensions of the piping I would need on an 07 e350?

Peachy

Around $500 or something.

nicobaires

Ed, post a link, I looked through your page but couldn't find it. I'm planning on removing mufflers this weekend.

Peachy

I recently did my exhaust, the guy replaced my resonator with 2 Mangapacks and replaced the old mufflers with straight pipes. I won't lie, the idle sound is really bad. It's not loud at all, it sounds like a scooter or something ("putt putt putt"). When it gets going it sounds like a straight muscle car though. The guy told me it's because of the stock decorative exhaust tips in the bumper, it's creating some kind of air vortex making a stupid sound. He said that he'd have find some exhaust tips the right size to weld to the decorative ones in the bumper so that there's no gap for air to come in.

Does anyone else have an unsatisfying idle sound? Like when the car is around 500 RPM. I feel like it might be because the mufflers are so far up, but I don't know anything about exhausts so there's that.

I'll try to get a video of the idle tomorrow.

a100steaksauce

I have w211 M273 and did something similar but in the reverse.

I used the magna flows as mufflers and installed a small resonator (maserati q'porte v8) because with straight pipe it was AMG loud but no AMG muscle to back it up. sounds glorious now

I had that tin can sound with the OE MB tips but swapped to magna flows tips, problem solved.

Peachy

Startup and some revving.

The idle actually sounds a lot worse in real life than it does in the video.

thefisch

Sounded good to me. You not happy?

Peachy

There's a sound my phone isn't capturing very well. There's like a rattling sound that's actually quite loud but for some reason the mic on my phone dumbed it down. I'm going to have to get real exhaust tips eventually.

a100steaksauce

I hear it.

Abrown3mtg

Link? I can't find your instagram either. I'm curious to hear how it sounds..

Thank you!