explain the exhaust system to me
 

I was told my exhaust system might be old and plugged up. I am going to try to disconnect it and see if there is an improvement.

From my memory I think I have two cylinders.. a smaller one closer to the engine and a larger one towards the back. I am thinking the first is a cat and the second is a muffler?


I have been looking at autozone online to see about replacing my muffler if it's clogged.

I don't want people to hear my car... is that what a "glasspack" is for?

Someone please tell me what I need to look for if I replace elements of the exhaust

The first element is the resonator, the rear one is the muffler. Neither will plug up and there is no cat on these cars.

If you have a California car there is also a trap oxidizer under the turbo.

Old and clogged up??? Don't believe everything you hear. If you have no holes in your exhaust system, then it is fine. Avoid glass packs if you want a quiet car...

You did not mention the symptom to cause this concern.

"old and plugged up" kind of sorts itself out as the car acheives its own balance with rusted through holes along the way. (mine does anyway)
I can tell you that on the 300sd that if you replace the final muffler with a straight pipe the audible volume increase is hard to notice and even then its under load and really is inperceptable unless you are listening for it. Performance and mileage increases were not measurable or tangible.
I can tell you that if you replace the final section with a straight through pipe of lesser diameter the performance reduction is substantial and tangable.

I have seen posts by others that have bypassed the 2 resonators that are mid-way and claim quicker turbo spool up and the negative of only a slight db increase. Im waiting to see more posts from those that have done that as Im not completly convinced that there would not be more noise.
I am def going to eliminate the rear muffler on mine when I get around to replacing the rusted through pipes. The db difference is really none at all and you wouldnt miss it if you are considering what to do with a rotten muffler.
Eric Z

Thanks. I am trying to get a little more umph out of this car. Someone offered that the turbo might not be working as well because the exhaust was plugged up. I do not have a cali car.


The exhaust system is in decent shape so Angst has told me pretty much all I care about right here.

You could have said that you were only interested in performance in the first place. :rolleyes:

if my exhaust system really were plugged up, it wouldn't be performance it would be "making the turbo work right"

:P

I'm not interested in tweaking yet, I am on a journey to get my car back to it's former glory as opposed to the 0-60 in about 30 seconds I have now.

For your performance problem, have you cleaned/checked the tubing for "boost enrichment". There should be tubing that goes from the back of the intake manifold to an overpressure switch on the firewall. And from there to a device called the alda, which is part of the injection pump. If this tubing is clogged in any portion, or broken/disconnected, then you will not be getting added fuel when the turbo spools up. Essentially, you will be almost driving a normally-aspirated car and 240D owners can attest to the speed of that setup.

Have you replaced both fuel filters?

Yes times 2


When I cleaned out the boost enrichment hose I discovered that I don't even have a switchover... it's been bypassed.

I will plumb it back up as I start replacing all of my vacuum lines.

I have not actually replaced the clear primary... I'm not above trying, it just didn't seem too dirty.

Is your alda holding pressure? Here is an article about it:http://articles.mbz.org/engine/diesel/alda/

How does the tranny act? Does it seem to shift correctly?