Max.H

Here are a few pics I took while modifying the exhaust system on my E55. First order of business was 3 inch straight pipes in place of the resonator. Next part was a little tricky. I had no idea where to cut open the mufflers. So after few minutes of contemplating, i decided where to make the cuts. Here are some pics.

Basically, the exhaust gases flow into the mufflers and loop through a U bend into a small chamber on the backside of the muffler. The gases then travel into dual resonated pipes that are tightly wrapped with steel wool. It then exits the mufflers through the dual tips.

Ideally You want to delete the u bend and the 2 small pipes, making the muffler a straight through design.


While I was there. I met a guy with a pretty clean 5 series, so i snapped a few pics. Sorry for the poor quality. My camera is hurting. Enjoy.











Removed the factory resonator.






Now for the good stuff. Here is a shot of the inside of the muffler pre gutting.





This is with the upper u bend cut. Below the layers of fiberglass are 2 resonated pipes that lead to the exhaust tips.. At first I wanted to cut all the baffles out and make it straight through. I was cutting it close (time wise) for my dinner plans, so the u bend was welded back in place for now.




This is the packing from one muffler. if you dont cut in the right spot you will not be able to access all the fiberglass and steel wool.



A shot of the gutting process.




Here's how they look after removing all the packing.



Tacked in place before seem welding it all back together.




The whole process took about 3.5 hours. It was very tedious but well worth it IMO.

First Impression: The car definitely has a rumble to it at idle and burbles when you drive partial throttle. Crack the throttle wide open and the sound comes alive with a nice deep growl. It sounds good but its not outrageously loud. BTW the car will get louder after a few days of driving on it hard.

Butt Dyno says, it feels a tad quicker. Nothing crazy.. It's probably just a placebo effect of the sound.

I'm thinking of selling these mufflers and removing the baffles on another set. For an increase in power, I will be deleting the primary cats. I will snap some more pics when I do. Thanks for looking.

mprsev

Great post thanks! I was very curious about this myself, especially after hearing a C63 and SL63 that sound so much better than my car.

Max.H

The E63 has a better sound due the nature of the NA high compression and large displacement engine. Sound is greatly improved on your car just by removing your resonator.

The E55 has a different sound. Not as loud, it burbles down low and the exhaust note increases as the boost comes on.

veightkiller

any video clip on the one?

BenzoBoi

Very nice Max!

chiromikey

thanks!!!

MB_Forever

Great post Max I was always very curious about how much better we can make the sound of the exhaust by doing this. Any chance you'll upload a sound clip?

Max.H

Thanks Sun.

It was my pleasure Mike.

Mo, I will be making sounds clips soon.. Hopefully this weekend.

On side note, I was talking with vegastrashed today and we have concluded that the 55 muffler is quieter then the 63 muffler to begin with. I am curious to open a 63 muffler and take a look. My guess is is the flow pattern might have been altered for increased sound and performance.

If anyone with a 63 in socal area is interested in trying this out. Let me know, and I can make the arrangements.

storm

---------------------------

DOOD !! what did you do? lol

to remove the sound deading in a muffler and cut it open ruins the muffler,, as it will drone,, and you dont need a muffler that big anymore
cause it was that big to begin with because it needed the sound deadening material,, now with all that extra space its a giant echo chamber..

thats why straight through mufflers,, and race mufflers that dont have wool and deadening materials in them ARE SMALLER !!! lol
sound they dont have the extra room for sound to bounce all over the place and pick up harmonics,,

anyone who knows anything about sound,, knows this, its sound 101

louder mufflers have a more straigh through design YES< but they are also smaller becasue they dont need the extra room for the wook materials
and dont want the echo chamber and thus DRONE and resonance.

the welds under pressure, and miles will likely not hold as well on the muffler, and it could leak..

honestly,, a ghetto, move,, cant see anyone, with a right mind with a mercedes buying these.. when you can get REMUS, and other universal mufflers brand new for under $300ea.

cutting open mufflers and rewelding them is something you see in TIAJUANNA mexico,, not here.

sorry to be harsh,, but its true,, so many better ways to make the car sound better..

1 del resonator,,
OR
2 X-pipe
OR
3new smaller and louder mufflers. NEW
OR
4 High FLow Racing cats or no cats..

5 headers..

6 combo of the above,, to custom tune it.

Max.H

I think the car sounds great. No drone here..

As far as performance goes its hard to tell, the esp lights comes on tad earlier though.

I saw the welds and they are clean. I highly doubt they will leak. First of all the muffler will never get that hot and second it is not holding that much pressure to break a solid bead of weld. So, that theory goes right out the window.

I know what you are saying and I appreciate your criticism and insight. But, this is aint my first rodeo. I don't do anything on a whim. Unless ofcourse the girl is cute and has valid ID. LoL jk.. Just about everything I do is well thought out and planned.

Some things can be explained but when it comes to cars.. I have seen some weird stuff actually work. Book smarts and your experience might tell you that the car should drone like crazy, but it does not. You notice the car is slightly louder and deeper. Nothing I would consider annoying or sounding cheap.

Don't jump the gun so soon. Wait for the sound clips and then pass judgment.

Havoc

+1
Vadim gutted my stock AMG mufflers and I noticed no drone either. At the time I still had the stock headers, cats, and resonators though.

Max.H

Havoc: All I have to say is.. Sweet mother of Jesus, look at that mod list!! Sorry, I just had to get that off my chest.. Back on topic.

ECBAOBAO

Hey Max, I'm located in Irvine also.

Do you think I can meet up with you and hear it in person?

Thanks

Max.H

Yes.. But, only if you go to sleep! My god, its 2am.. What are you doing up so late? jk. As for myself.. I'm never drinking earl grey tea late at night again. I am friggin still awake.

Shoot me a pm.

ECBAOBAO

Hahah..let's meet up right now then! jk lol

I have to pick up my roommate from a party so I had to stay awake, hahah. Plus, I'm studying for finals..

Where in Irvine are you located?

I gutted my mufflers and straight piped reso and 2nd cat and my car gets really raspy up top, dunno if you saw my post..loll

shardul

iTrader: (1)

Very nice info. Should make this a sticky.
On a side note if you ever want to swap mufflers let me know.

reeper6

WOW! Thanks for posting this Max, exactly what I want to do to my car.

Subscribing to sound clips.

^+2 to sticky this post!

prodigymb

need sound clips. i have been thinking about doing this for a while now. good writeup/pics

efivefiveamg

Don't leave me out guys! Max, thanks for the write-up. Let me know when you guys plan on meeting b/c if you don't mind me tagging along I'm curious to hear both cars.

Mathmik

sound clip sound clip! ! !

bobgodd

If you guys meet up I want in on this. I want to compare sounds as well.

AudiOn19s

slightly OT but how much louder do you think it'll get if you do take out the U-bend inside the muffler and make it a straight through design?

shardul

iTrader: (1)

when you all meet up please have someone take videos

Charged55

I think i've been to this muffler shop...when are you guys planning to meet? I'm kinda curious also...

Vader55

Nice Max, the baffles need to go to though? Here is Psuball setup and I believe he removed the baffles too....I love it, I imagine yours is similar to this?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jbHZkk7LaU