Aftermarket primary cats? Any suggestions?
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Joined: Nov 2008
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From: DC Metro
W210 E55, W211 E3504M, E90 325i
Aftermarket primary cats? Any suggestions?
W210 AMG gurus, I need your help.
I've developed a slight rattle - the often described marbles-in-a-can sound that comes on on most notably during part throttle (from 2k rpm onwards)
-The car is a MY00 with 85k miles. I have new engine and transmission mounts within the last year.
-I've done the resonator delete with a magnaflow x-pipe
-Also done the secondary cats delete recently (unfortunately rattling has persisted)
-I believe my shop fixed a loose heat shield about 3k miles ago when I came in for a drivetrain rubbing sound, later on diagnosed as a worn rear flex disc.
So after reading most threads here I am pretty sure its the primary cats. Which unfortunately means $$$$
Any kind suggestions on the best cost effective solutions? Magnaflows? Do these aftermarket cats have the proper ports for the factory 02 sensors?
TIA
I've developed a slight rattle - the often described marbles-in-a-can sound that comes on on most notably during part throttle (from 2k rpm onwards)
-The car is a MY00 with 85k miles. I have new engine and transmission mounts within the last year.
-I've done the resonator delete with a magnaflow x-pipe
-Also done the secondary cats delete recently (unfortunately rattling has persisted)
-I believe my shop fixed a loose heat shield about 3k miles ago when I came in for a drivetrain rubbing sound, later on diagnosed as a worn rear flex disc.
So after reading most threads here I am pretty sure its the primary cats. Which unfortunately means $$$$
Any kind suggestions on the best cost effective solutions? Magnaflows? Do these aftermarket cats have the proper ports for the factory 02 sensors?
TIA
Thread Starter
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Joined: Nov 2008
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From: DC Metro
W210 E55, W211 E3504M, E90 325i
Btw and speaking of cats...
I have 2 units new-in-box 2.5inch metal cats, the 300cell metal ones AMS recommends to all considering the popular resonator delete mod. for sale. Willing to do it for let's say $100 shipped (compare to $160 shipped). For seller reference please look me up on bimmerpost (under the same s/n).
I bought these thinking to swap out my rear cats but my shop talked me into doing a complete delete and I'm pretty happy with the results so far. Added a new dimension of sound on top of the x-pipe. Its a very velvety muscle sound
I have 2 units new-in-box 2.5inch metal cats, the 300cell metal ones AMS recommends to all considering the popular resonator delete mod. for sale. Willing to do it for let's say $100 shipped (compare to $160 shipped). For seller reference please look me up on bimmerpost (under the same s/n).
I bought these thinking to swap out my rear cats but my shop talked me into doing a complete delete and I'm pretty happy with the results so far. Added a new dimension of sound on top of the x-pipe. Its a very velvety muscle sound
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From: PNW
2001 E430
The factory primaries have a bend in them like these Magnaflows
http://buymagnaflowdirect.com/mm5/me...ory_Code=54900
I don't know if those would fit but they would probably have a better chance then most of the straight through type cats. Hopefully someone with more experience will chime in.
http://buymagnaflowdirect.com/mm5/me...ory_Code=54900
I don't know if those would fit but they would probably have a better chance then most of the straight through type cats. Hopefully someone with more experience will chime in.
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From: Atlanta
2000 E55
Last edited by island55; Mar 7, 2010 at 11:29 AM.
Thread Starter
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Joined: Nov 2008
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From: DC Metro
W210 E55, W211 E3504M, E90 325i
Former Vendor of MBWorld
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AMG
Btw and speaking of cats...
I have 2 units new-in-box 2.5inch metal cats, the 300cell metal ones AMS recommends to all considering the popular resonator delete mod. for sale. Willing to do it for let's say $100 shipped (compare to $160 shipped). For seller reference please look me up on bimmerpost (under the same s/n).
I bought these thinking to swap out my rear cats but my shop talked me into doing a complete delete and I'm pretty happy with the results so far. Added a new dimension of sound on top of the x-pipe. Its a very velvety muscle sound
I have 2 units new-in-box 2.5inch metal cats, the 300cell metal ones AMS recommends to all considering the popular resonator delete mod. for sale. Willing to do it for let's say $100 shipped (compare to $160 shipped). For seller reference please look me up on bimmerpost (under the same s/n).
I bought these thinking to swap out my rear cats but my shop talked me into doing a complete delete and I'm pretty happy with the results so far. Added a new dimension of sound on top of the x-pipe. Its a very velvety muscle sound
If you can find a muffler shop to narrow down the inlet you can easily use those for your primary cats (most decent muffler shops should be able to do this). Just have them narrow down the inlet to 2.0" ID and narrow down the outlets to match the OEM downpipes (I think its 2.35" ID off the top of my head). Those are the perfect primary cats since they are both metal core and high flow 300-cell. Car should sound even more amazing with that setup and you should get a good 10HP out of them on top of the 2nd cat deletes. With a set of our headers the car should sound astonishingly amazing. Technically you would be running the best W210 E55 AMG system possible with that setup (AMS headers, high flow primaries, no secondaries & X-pipe w/ stock muffler).
Hope that helps
~AMS~
Last edited by AMS Performance; Mar 7, 2010 at 11:45 AM.
Thread Starter
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From: DC Metro
W210 E55, W211 E3504M, E90 325i
If you can find a muffler shop to narrow down the inlet you can easily use those for your primary cats. Just have them narrow down the inlet to 2.0" ID and narrow down the outlets to match the OEM downpipes (I think its 2.35" ID if I'm not mistaken). Those are the perfect primary cats since they are both metal core and high flow 300-cell.
Hope that helps
~AMS~
Hope that helps
~AMS~
Hmmm my exhaust shop might be able to swing that, but what about the holes for the O2 sensors?
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AMG
Just make sure they use stainless steel MIG wire and not mild steel (mild steel MIG wire will rust even if its on stainless piping), and the primary cat welds are under EXTREMELY high stress compared to the rest of the system so you better make sure the welds are good quality and stainless weld wire.
As long as you follow those suggestions should be a relatively easy & cheap modification to do. The power gains should be great as well.
Hope that helps,
~AMS~
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Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 253
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From: DC Metro
W210 E55, W211 E3504M, E90 325i
Good stuff AMS, as always!!! If you're ever around DC metro, I'd like to buy you a beer
I'll swing by my exhaust shop and see what they can rig up. They're a custom exhaust shop so they should be able to custom fabricate something along the lines you're suggesting. This should work really well, especially since I've gotten wind of an extremely lenient emissions testing facility here
I'll swing by my exhaust shop and see what they can rig up. They're a custom exhaust shop so they should be able to custom fabricate something along the lines you're suggesting. This should work really well, especially since I've gotten wind of an extremely lenient emissions testing facility here
