I know this comes up a lot in this thread but I currenty need to know which kind of X pipe to buy off ebay. I see a lot of links in past threads but they are no longer available. If somoene could also throw in how much i'm looking at to get this bought and installed.

 

Might as well find out from the original source . Here is the 2.5" stainless one, Its similar to Magnaflow but better quality, stainless vs. aluminized steel, and has smoother merges. They both have same dimensions. Be sure to buy some 2.25" inner diameter mandrel bent 45 degree pipes as well as mentioned in my Official X-pipe thread on Benzworld. Dynos are also in that thread as well, definitely healthy gains for such a low price. enjoy

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/T304-...mZ390002009590

 

I'd kind of like to do this mod, but I am concerned that the car might be a bit loud. I guess that's kind of part of the "classy" Benz appeal is being both powerful and fast and also quiet.

 

not at all, this is THE classiest modification you can do as far as exhaust, its everything else that can jeopardize the sound. Imagine the perfect smooth, refined, classy deep exhaust note... thats what the car will sound like. I promise you it will surpass your expectations. Under normal driving its barely louder, its loud when you want it to be and quiet when you want it to be, best of both worlds.

 

I agree, if you are keeping the resonator and the secondary pipes, the difference in sound is minimal , also better to get the mandrel bent 45 degree pipes to go with it.

 

So just to clarify, the exhaust system consists of headers, resonator, primary cats, secondary cats and muffler, correct? The x-pipe mod replaces just the resonator, or resonator and primary cats?

 

Starting with the engine, Manifold ( No Headers on Stock ) / downtubes/ primary cats/ secondary cats/ resonator/ muffler. You might want to do a search on the X pipe threads and see some pictures of the X pipe installation. If you do remove the Resonator, then the X pipe would be after the Secondary Cats, and you use the 45 deg bent tubes , to go in in lieu of the resonator. I dont think removing the resonator affects passing emissions anywhere, but change the sound of course. for best performance the best is to install the X pipe as close to the engine as possible, in my case it was right after the downtubes after removing the secondary cats. It all depends what you want to do.

 

So you have no primary or secondary cats?

I live in northern Minnesota and have no smog laws to deal with. So I would think to remove both cats would be better, so long as it does not make the car really loud.

 

No I have my primary Cats..I dont recommend removing these unless you really know what youre doing and ready for extra work, the CEL might come on, although if everything in the car is running good, and tuned right, the car should be OK, but you have to redo the downpipes, and relocate the O2 sensors... I am having my primary Cats replaced with High Flow Kleemann ones next week or so.

 

Ok, I got it. Keep us posted when you do the high flow's. Would be cool to have before and after dyno!

 

Gandalf, There is... please check my Official X-pipe thread on Benzworld, it explains EVERYTHING and even includes before & after dynos, It actually makes substantial power on the dyno its not just a sound mod:

http://www.benzworld.org/forums/w210...st-thread.html

 

Ok, for those of us that only look under the car to find a dropped cufflink; Order the X pipe that was available on ebay from your link, take it to exhaust shop? That's it?
I live in CA so need all cats, where do I tell them to stick the X pipe, lol apart from the obvious, is there some clearly defined space? Do I only need the X pipe??
Thanks, much happier with old 911s, no water stuff and the exhaust is right there at the back with no cats.

 

Mr. BH,

I am not and expert on this subject nor have I done this mod yet.

From my data gathered on here and the other site you need:
• The x-pipe found on ebay.
• Mandrel Bend Pipes.

Pictures of what it should look like:



The shop will need to cut the mandrel pipes to connect the exhaust from the engine back to the x-pipe.

I hope this is helps.
-B

 

Gandalf, you could remove the secondary cats at the same time as the resonator. saves the time and money... i got my x-pipe installed and the sound was awesome!!! it took time for it to burn in, but got even deeper! i love it. my next step is to remove the secondary cats, but i have yet to find a shop that will do so (being highly illegal).

also, i am from MN, i live in the cities... where abouts are you?
Aj

 

Removing secondaries will change the exhaust note a bit as well. The best thing to do for max performance and still being street legal is to do the X-pipe, remove the secondaries, Upgrade primaries to 200 cell high flow metal core cats (must be metal core, ceramics will melt when used as "header hugger" cats), and shorty performance headers. that is THE optimal setup for the street. Yes you can do long tubes and delete cats but thats a totally different path and I highly recommend NOT to go that route, its just too many headaches, the setup mentioned above will give you more than enough power and its also better for environment, less headaches, and you won't have to deal with CEL.

 

I installed this mod last Sat. removing the resonator and keeping all the cats. Truthfully, I can't notice a sound or performance gain at all???

 

Thanks everyone for the input.
I have had 2 55s and a 420 sport in '96. There really isn't too much that needs to be done with these cars to improve the breed and mostly I think it is a placebo effect where we "think" we feel some added oomph after plonking down pretty serious money for what turns out to be not too much actual HP.
Nicobaries last post was what I hear in person from many owners; can't really tell too much the difference before and after.

I know I have had my ECU remapped on each car and that was a noticeable difference, not just in straight line acceleration but in getting a more immediate response from the throttle and slightly crisper shifts. Very slight.

Other than that, it looks like a lot of us are running around spending cash on exhaust, pulleys, airboxes, cool tape for airboxes, air filters, carbon fiber intakes and in some really far gone cases pulling the catalytic converters and or installing superchargers. The Horror.

Want a faster and more nimble car for not too much money while retaining a stock car? Get a reliable independent MB mechanic who KNOWS these cars-stay away from the dealerships- and do the following:

Get new plugs, get stock plugs and replace all 16 of them.

Get a new MAF or have your old MAF cleaned and installed correctly.

Get a K&N or Green or even a stock air filter and keep it cleaned or replaced every 12 months.

Get 4 really good tires, not some cheap loss leader from TireRack, 4 really good tires so all the power can be put on the road and you don't sit there like some fool with the ESP lit up saying how your car isn't what it once was.

Do all the above and you won't need anything else, these cars are screamers right from the factory; save your money and get the car back into the shape it was in when it left the factory it will surprise you how much horsepower you just "found".

I know, I live off of Mulholland Drive, there isn't much on the road that can hang with us and NOTHING with 4 doors.

 

If you didn't do X-pipe you won't see any gains, if you do X-pipe you will get roughly 8wHP 500rpm+. Dynos are in the benzworld thread as proof.

 

While I totally agree with MRBH’s views that OEM maintenance comes before modifications.

I also share the view that most modification parts are way underfunded R&D adventures, which do not yield desired performance gains for the cash; however, the x-pipe mod is one of the cheapest ways to gain HP and sound I have seen for this car. Just taking omeyhomey’s cost ratios equates to 1whp per $20 and this number is now lower from metal price adjustments.

 

I did do the x-pipe mod and removed the resonator, but i guess 8whp is not much for me to notice?

 

How does it sound? I want to do this mod....

 

sounds amazing, very refined, clean & high end sounding exhaust note. It also cleans up the exhaust note a bit. It is quiet when you want to be and aggressive when you are in a sporty mood, best of both worlds with zero drawbacks, its really a no-brainer. If you do one exhaust mod... this is it hands down.