Interesting was looking under the new to me 2017 s550 and I notice these air controlled valves on either side of the mufflers. They must open when you really get on the car I guess? I wonder if there is anyway to just leave them open all the time to get a little more of a growl? The undersides of the car look perfect like the rest of the car. Carfax showed a rear end hit. But it must have been minor. I can’t tell anything wrong.

 

Still like to know if these valves are fixed open if the car will have more of a rumble. ?

 

They came with the S63 and AMG package on other models. They open when car is cold and when in Sport mode. Yes they are louder when valves are opened. Renntech sells $750 remote that allows u to open or close with remote. I hav their muffler package and damn the cars sound amazing. They just have it dialed in perfect with zero drone and at cruise 65-80 you hear nothing. Drop it down in sport and it sounds like a muscle car and turns heads a block away.

Give Renntech a call their products and customer service are top notch.

 

Thanks for the info that was helpful. It confused me because I had a 2015 S550 without the sport package and there were no valves on the mufflers. That explains it. I really have not noticed a difference in sound yet in sport mode but I have not really got on the car that much yet. Is the install very difficult with the Renntech muffler remote? Sound like it might be worth the money to me as one reason on got this car is for the sound of the V8. My other car is a e450 v6 so it’s nothing like the sound of the V8. I’m now really glad I chose a S550 with the sport package rather than base. It does look better too from the front end and sides plus it has the option rear trunk spoiler which looks great.

 

Need some help identifying location of the referenced air controlled valves on either side of muffler above...

I have the exact same car and color as OP except one year older i.e. 2016 S550 w/AMG Sport package

Got under car this afternoon after washing it...looks the same as picture above but I don't see muffler valves in this picture or underneath mine.

Thanks in advance

 

They should be easy to see, they must have started putting these on the model year 2017 I guess being that you have the sport package too, my car is definitely a S550 and not the AMG model. I have not checked these valves out carefully and just assumed they were vacuum actuated but in really thinking about it being that the Renntech works to regulate them they must be Electronic Valves? Also I'd think there would be a way to easily fix them in the open position without even having to get the Renntech. I'll have to get a closer look at these Valves. I'm still totally surprised my car even has them. I woulda only expected something like this on the S63 amg. I'm gonna try to figure out a way just to leave these open all the time without having to buy the Renntech, it's gotta be possible.

 

Too bad they don’t make these for the S class. They would be perfect. https://www.achtuning.com/awe-tuning...iABEgJ1lvD_BwE

maybe if I just unplug the connectors. So what if I get a soft code. I don’t think that trios a check engine light.

 

Those definitely are vacuum lines. I’m thinking about pulling them off the vacuum modulators and plugging them with small bolts. I don’t think this should trip any check engine light and from researching it looks like with no vacuum applied these should remain in the open position at all times giving the car a better exhaust note. Has anyone else tried this and are you satisfied with the results?

 

I would thing they operate in the reverse. Valves open under load with vacuum. On the standard Sclass, I don't think they are connected / controlled like the 63. The 63 and aftermarket have Electronically controlled valves that open to bypass most of the internal muffler.

 

Nope, from what I understand they are similar valves like what are used on the BMW's and Porsche's and are in the open position when no vacuum is applied. The minute you start the car Vacuum is applied and the car is quiet. If there is no Vacuum then the car will idle and operate a little more loudly in operation as the valves should be open. I guess at this point I just need to try it, It cant possibly harm anything or trip a code as long as I have the Vacuum lines plugged. I'm thinking my 2017 model year is kinda a Unicorn car because of the above post of Michael in Atlanta who has a 2016 and no valves and I know for a fact starting in the 2018 Model year with the S560 and Sport Package they went with the Valvetronic electric valves. At least this should be a real easy mod and easily reversible mod for my car if it does not work or it is too loud or I want to sell the car later. I was actually very surprised to see these vacuum servo muffler valves on my car. I'm wondering if the earlier S63 cars might have used these type of Valves since the S63 was sold with the twin turbo motor, not sure if that was 2012 or 2013?.

 

Correction: my 2016 S550 Sport does have the valves. In my previous post, I didn't know what I was looking for under the car. I have since educated myself and leaning towards REENtech's solution for fun as I have to have the option to switch between modes...tough HOA where I live.

See RENNtech's video above and installation guide attached that I got from vendor inquiry...looks pretty simple.

 

i don’t think that Renntech will work on our cars. I think that is only for the electrical Valvetronic systems 2018 and up. Ours are vacuum controlled.

i don’t think our cars will be all that much louder with the valve open either. Just a little bit.

 

Thanks for caution flag...

I will double check however website sez: Fitment:

• W222 - S 550 Sedan | MY2014-17
• C217 - S 550 Coupe | MY2014-17

https://renntech-store.com/evm-222-41/https://renntech-store.com/evm-222-41/

 

Wow. Maybe I’m wrong. Not sure how that would work being ours are vacuum valves. Who knows maybe I’ll end up with one of these and a tune.

 

Disconnect the vacuum lines today and plugged them off and gorilla taped them inside the bumper. Car seem a little louder. Not much that much of a difference though. I put my fingers in both outlets of the mufflers on each side and all 4 outlets are open all the time now so I guess with no vacuum applied they must be open all the time. I guess I’ll just leave it the way it is. Car is driving fine and no check engine lights or anything. I don’t really want anything too loud from the outside of the car out of respect for my. Neighbors and people driving along the highway in their convertibles here in sunny Florida.

 

How did you unplug them? I was pulling on the lines today and they won't even budge. Please let me know as I just got the resonators deleted and this might be the way to get more sound

 

A couple of inches of mechanics wire each and you just mechanically hold the valve open.
Cost $0.03
Weight 0.01 pounds

 

I've thought of that, but the valve is vacuum actuated so wouldn't that damage the valve? That's why I would want something to keep it open instead.

 

Had to pull hard as the rubber kinda welds to the valve nipple from the heat. I ended up putting mine back to stock as the difference was minimal and the car is still under warranty and did not want to give the dealer any excuse not to cover anything under warranty if they saw the car had been altered.

 

I doubt they can do anything like that if you are under warranty. I am going to try this to see if it makes a sound difference. Thank you.

 

Just one more question... Do you have photos on how the vac cable looks unplugged? I tried tracing the vacuum cable up but I can't seem to find the routing lines for it. I assume it couldn't be unplugged where the mufflers are and I didn't want to risk ripping them.

 

No, I didn't take any pictures when I did it, It was around the time of this original post. The car only had around 17K miles on it, now has 25K. I can imagine thats why the lines were not too bad to pull off as the car didn't have a real lot of miles on it at the time. I just plugged them with screws and then taped them up around the inside of the bumper. Ya I doubt the dealer woulda done anything about it with the warrantee as it's such a minor change. I just felt it was kinda mickey mouse and I wanted to keep the car original, besides that in Sport plus mode which I generally drive around town in the exhaust sounds the same when you get on it anyhow. I guess you gotta be careful with pulling the lines too hard at the valves as the line could break off at the solenoid and it's hard to get in around that solenoid to cut off the broken rubber line. I am very happy with the sound of the car in Sport plus mode when I get on it and the engine revs, sounds very nice. Not super loud or anything but just a nice sound. I can imagine yours is much louder with no resonators. I'm actually kinda surprised how sporty this big car feels in the curves in sport suspension mode and the car feels in the sport plus mode for the engine and trans. Normally when I get in the car I put it right into sport plus mode. I leave the car in lowered sport suspension mode all the time. I don't really see a need to go with a lowering module to lower the car any further. If you really want more sound and don't mind modding the car maybe you might just want to replace the stock mufflers with a pair of Flowmasters or something like that. As my car gets more miles on it I may just swap out the mufflers. I'll bet it would sound really good with flow masters, more like an American muscle machine, lol.

 

It has not hurt the (similar) valve on my Ferrari for the last 14 years.

 

Haha thanks.

I already cut the resonators but didnt want to remove the expensive muffler portion. I just got both valves unplugged but unfortunately the valves need vaccum to stay open. They are currently closed.

 

I wonder if you pushed the valve in all the way and then put a rubber cap over the open end where you removed the hose off the solenoid? I would think it would stay in the open position providing the thing was not leaking, or just wire it in the open position like was said. Let me know how that works, if either one works and the car does seem a little louder, I may try that.