mfletch69

Resonator & 2nd cat delete and x-pipe installed last week. Big difference! On the edge of being too loud for me inside the car though.

Just ordered the AMS headers. I think the car will definitely be too loud inside, for my use, with the current set up and the headers....so I ordered new Hi-flow 2nd cats yesterday.

CAN'T WAIT

jtbeche

Any chance you can get a sound clip of what it's like with no resonator or 2nd cat and the xpipe on there? I did the same but added high flow 2nd cats and wish I had more sound.

mfletch69

I think it sounds awesome ....but there is the inside the car sound and the outside sound...the sound someone would hear standing next to the car.
The sound on the inside of the car is on the edge of being too loud for my use. There is much more of a kick *** low vibration feel to the whole car.

I am thinking the headers will push it too far....so adding the hi-flo 2nd cats - I am hoping - will put it just right.

I will try to record something.

Anatoly

How hard is the installation?

mfletch69

I brought the x-pipe I bought on ebay & took it to a local muffler guy. The sawsalled the resonator and stock 2nd cats out, bent some pipe and welded it all back together for $75 as I had a cup of coffee.

Anatoly

^ yeah, but what about the headers?

AMG_Drvr

@mfletch69 - I agree with you on the sound almost being too much inside. I did the same thing this past summer and although I love sound, it is borderline overkill. I originally just took the resonator out and it gave it a little more bottom end. I was just going to add the x-pipe but decided to go ahead and take the secondaries out also. It's all AMG sound now for sure. I've thought of adding a Magnaflow touring series for a hair more throatiness but haven't pulled the trigger yet. I'll be interested to see what you think about your hi-flow secondaries once installed.

mfletch69

We will see. If I could figure out how, i will record the sound inside the car before and after. It sounds like a race car right now....which puts a smile on my face ,but is almost too much for the clients I drive around with, LOL.

The car feels much more immediate and quick with the resonator and stock secondary cats gone & the X-pipe iinstalled and I think that is a must do for anyone with these cars. The headers will be interesting and the only reason I have the race cats coming is that I think it will just be too loud in the cabin. I don't really care about how it sounds outside - within reason.

Based on my discussions with my mechanic, AMS and this forum, I am expecting a total increase of 30hp & 30 ft.lbs. or torque from this excersize. Also about a 30 lb weight decrease. The massive torque in these cars is what makes them special anyway....not the HP... and the 420 ftlbs of torque should be delivered to the slightly lighter car at 2500 rpms instead of 3100! That is useable daily driving power...the car should be much quicker than it already is.

AMG_Drvr

@mfletch69 - A sound byte of the new setup would be great. I don't need one of your current setup as we are identical in that regard. Although, maybe others would like to hear how it sounds pure AMG. I'd like to do a few more NA mods but I'm holding back $ right now until the economy settles back down. I read somewhere that doing what we've done is roughly a 20 ft/lb increase. The butt dyno definitely feels a difference. I echo your "immediate" comments. I found my mileage tanked after putting them on and didn't realize how far I was dipping into it to hear all that new sound. After using the cruise control again on a trip, I realized it was just my lead foot lol. Good luck with the mods!

AMS Performance

Thanks you fletch for your patronage. Headers have shipped priority and should get there in a few days. We look forward to hearing your impressions. You will definitely notice an improvement in torque response.

Regarding MPG, actually you can increase your fuel efficiency as long as you dont have a lead foot because you hit peak torque 800-1000rpm sooner so you need less throttle input to get the car moving. The biggest difference is the transmission shift points, the stock TCU will adjust automatically thereby allowing you to go WOT as early as 2500rpm without down shifting (as long as you dont hit kickdown button on throttle).

In conjunction with cats and pulley, it will transform the way your car drives. Enjoy!

AMS Performance

By the way, the AMS header design allows the car to not be much louder than stock during normal cruising so you may not absolutely need the cats. Install the headers first, then see if you need to put the cats in later. The headers are loud when you want them to be @ WOT, but refined when you dont during normal cruising. Best of both worlds. Hope that helps

mfletch69

Got the Headers today...a few questions..
How tough is the install? I am planning on having a muffler shop do it.
Any hints?
What are the torque wrench settings for the bolts?
I had not considered increased heat as being a problem....is it?
What is your opinion on wrapping headers?

Thanks

xlr8tin

I'm staying tuned to this one. I plan on doing stage 4. Right now I'm 100% stock. I will probably also make a build type thread since I plan to do it all, headers, pulley, x-pipe, high flow cats, and most likely a tune after all this. I'll do the best I can to do a step by step progess report with clips.

AMS Performance

DO NOT WRAP THE HEADERS... wrapping is not good for the headers and always causes problems down the road (plus it will void your warranty). Heat is same as stock and is not an issue.

The headers should be installed by a mercedes specialist, not a generic muffler shop. Any independent mercedes shop will know exactly how to install them since they go in exactly loke the stock manifolds. They already know all the necessary torque numbers as well.

The x-pipe and cats can be done at a generic muffler shop (or perhaps the mercedes specialist can do it as well, best option). Make sure they use stainless steel welding wire!

mfletch69

Headers installed! Picked it up this morning and VERY pleased. The car is no louder inside the cabin...actually it is quieter in normal driving. There has been a reduction in the VVVVVVVV hum that was on the edge of bothering me after the previous deleting described above. More of a blum, blum, blum. It roars when floored. I sell resort real estate and have clients in the car occesionally...and it will be no problem. I am returning the two High-flo secondary cats i bought because I just don't need them.

I am happy with everything I have done to the car in the last two weeks and would highly recommend it to anyone considering it. The power is fully exploited almost immediately and I will not attempt to make any more power adding modifications. If anything, the new delivery of power makes me think it is time to look at the stock suspension.....

hmmmmm

mfletch69

after a 500 mile trip this weekend....and chance to drive a buddy's V8 Genesis, I decided to install these secondary cats to smooth out the sound a bit and class the car back up a little.

AMG_Drvr

Class it back up? Is it sounding a bit too muscle car-ish? You have me wanting to buy the AMS headers! I'm trying not to as the $1000 could be used elsewhere, but I know they are on the last run and everything I've read says it's a high-quality part. How much was it to install?

mfletch69

Get the headers. I paid $500 for my install

JamE55

Can you elaborate more in details as to why wrapping is not good? Isn't this the same principle as if you were to coat the headers as well? Maybe is missing something here?

AMS Performance

Hello Mfletch,

AMS is very happy to hear you are satisfied with our performance headers. It is hard to truly describe how it sounds in real life but now you know exactly what I was referring to. It does improve the QUALITY of the sound without affecting the quantity of the sound negatively.

AMS Performance

Yes, wrapping headers is very bad and will cause many issues down the line. It can cause fatigue on even the strongest of headers and can even cause corrosion issues (even on 100% SS headers).


Ceramic coating headers is a totally different story, it is well proven and very good for the car on many levels. Avg coating costs are $250-350 for V8 headers and will outlast the life of the car. It will greatly decrease underhood temps and reduce coolant and oil temps significantly. If you plan on tracking the car a lot this is definitely recommended

hope that helps

DRBC43AMG

I concur that ceramic coating is the ONLY way to go. Good way to reduce under hood temperatures specially in extreme conditions. Also the headers look always good and clean.
This is the top of tops (not cheap though) in exhaust coating: http://www.zircotec.com/page/home/1

AMS Performance

Polydyn is also one of the best, they have been in the business for 30 years and offer extremely good results. Their new titanium colored coating is their strongest if I am not mistaken. hope that helps.

NitrogenBalance

Real Longtube Headers have somehow avoided the 208/202/210 since 98'...not to my surprise considering cost/demand. That said I have researched every option including shorty's, with DP's, withou DP's, custom, 200cell cats, etc..through all this based on these pics below I'm starting to wonder how much of the said "gains" on these setups is from removing the 2 quarter sized "bottlenecks" in each cat front and back. In other words I'm surprized the AMS headers gain anything with four cats behind them all dumping through those little 2inch holes. I think good gains could be had just deleting the primary cats and replacing the secondaries with high flow units. Whats the point of MB using the nice free flowing AMG system when it has to get through these restrictions...

Schweinhund

^ I am pretty a sure a set exists (of all of the different ones out there for other makes/models) that would fit up to the W210 E55s. The problem is finding which one.