Hello all,

I need to replace the rear muffler and perhaps the center muffler on my 1987 300D Turbo.

I've looked into a Bosal aftermarket system but they can be replaced in pairs only and the center muffler is NLA.

I'm afraid to call a Dealer and pay list price but I may have to.

Any thoughts?

Many thanks,

The Tenor Man

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Currently Driving.....
1987 Mercedes Benz 300D Turbo - Daily Driver.
2004 Buick Rendezvous...Smaller than it looks!
2005 Mitsubishi Galant - Not bad for a tin box...Lousey Seats
Past Vehicles.....
1994 Dodge B-250 Van- GAS HOG..Succumbed to rust!
1989 Mercedes Benz 260E - Totaled but no one injured.
1977 Mercedes Benz 240D - Loved it, but SLOWWW! - Succumbed to RUST!
1976 Mercedes Benz 240D - Same as above! -
1975 Mercedes Benz 240D - Same as above!

shop ebay for the centre muffler, i've seen them there. i have bought genuine MB mufflers on ebay for less than aftermarket, but you have to be patient and look often, there are also lots of versions of some of the mufflers so you have to be careful researching which part # you need. i replaced the exhaust on my '87 300TD from front to back with all genuine parts. i ended up buying the rear muffler from the dealer rather than use aftermarket.

the dealer part will be pricey but for sure is a better made unit than ansa or eberspacher. eberspacher is decent but not as nicely made as the genuine. the OE dealer is probably made by gillett.

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punkinfair

Just to follow up on my post...

I ordered the correct one from the dealer...Bobby Rahal in Wexford, PA

$313.00 plus PA Sales Tax...not too bad but it is the correct one.

Warning: The one listed for the 1987 300D Turbo on the Autoparts Warehouse and other sites is the Bosal 278-195...it will not fit the 300D Turbo models...It is for the Gasoline Models (260E-300E)...ask me how I know...

The correct Bosal for the 300D Turbo is 279-335...usually unavailable and must be replaced in pairs...that means both the center and rear will need to be replaced. But keep this in mind...the center muffler is no longer available....

The Tenor Man

__________________
Currently Driving.....
1987 Mercedes Benz 300D Turbo - Daily Driver.
2004 Buick Rendezvous...Smaller than it looks!
2005 Mitsubishi Galant - Not bad for a tin box...Lousey Seats
Past Vehicles.....
1994 Dodge B-250 Van- GAS HOG..Succumbed to rust!
1989 Mercedes Benz 260E - Totaled but no one injured.
1977 Mercedes Benz 240D - Loved it, but SLOWWW! - Succumbed to RUST!
1976 Mercedes Benz 240D - Same as above! -
1975 Mercedes Benz 240D - Same as above!

I have an '87 TD and plan to remove the 'in perfect condition' center resonator. The rear I believe is rusted, but could be usable to someone.

For those considering this search and replace, a straight piece of pipe as replacement of the resonator will not make the car noticeably louder. Consider saving some money. Remember that the turbo is the first muffler, the 'cat like device' is the second, the resonator is the third, and the actual 'Muffler' is the 4th. All of this makes for one super quiet car. Losing one of the three down stream of the turbo wont make for much fanfare and if done properly should have zero effect on safety inspection given most diesels are exempt and the car is now 24 years old and considered an antique in many jurisdictions.

I appreciate those that wish to keep the car 'as delivered' from the mother land, but to those more practical owners, remember our "US Federal" standard cars are far more restricted than those delivered in Europe.

Enjoy.

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85 300D 3 pedal. Current project.
83 300TD (need rear wiper assembly dead or alive)
84 300SD Daily driver
85 300TD almost 400k miles and driven daily.
98 E300D *sold
86 300SDL *sold and made flawless 10 hour journey to new home.

A resonator is usually a straight-through device that cancels certain sound frequencies by cancellation, and really doesn't have any significant effect on the performance of the car. Removing it will often return that frequency, probably an annoying tone that will come through the floor, and won't improve your power nor mileage.

I've left them off on previous vehicles, and always regretted it when I couldn't escape the drone of the engine at some annoying RPM, ... not every car needs to sound like a Porsche 944 (hated it).

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Gone to the dark side

- Jeff

I know it's a different car, but I had a Lincoln Town Car (5.0 powered) that had a muffler and resonator after the cats. I eliminated both and received considerable aural pleasure as a result. The cats muffled the sound enough that it wasn't particularly loud, but it sounded very nice.

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Whoever said there's nothing more expensive than a cheap Mercedes never had a cheap Jaguar.

83 300D Turbo with manual conversion, early W126 vented front rotors and H4 headlights 401,xxx miles
08 Suzuki GSX-R600 M4 Slip-on 26,xxx miles
88 Jaguar XJS V12 94,xxx miles. Work in progress.
99 Mazda Miata 183,xxx miles.

I'm already annoyed that my turbo seems to give its most shrill sound with the cruise at 75mph, ... just doesn't go away. Why the hell anyone would want to make one of these fine cars sound like a ricer with a fart-pipe I don't know, actually without the muffler they sound more like a tiny diesel Dodge, and I even less want to mimic a vehicle sold by the worst automaker in Detroit.

Have I pissed anyone off? Probably. I'll get over it too.

__________________

Gone to the dark side

- Jeff

Different strokes for different folks. Some like their vehicles quiet, others not so much.

I've heard straight-piped 617's, but never a straight-piped 603. I like the sound of the 617, but I can't bring myself to cut up my nearly mint condition (gotta love Texas cars) exhaust system.

One time I was driving a dump truck on a project and the muffler came off. The truck had a DT466 International and sounded SWEEEET. I could have easily fixed the exhaust, but I didn't because it sounded so good.

__________________
Whoever said there's nothing more expensive than a cheap Mercedes never had a cheap Jaguar.

83 300D Turbo with manual conversion, early W126 vented front rotors and H4 headlights 401,xxx miles
08 Suzuki GSX-R600 M4 Slip-on 26,xxx miles
88 Jaguar XJS V12 94,xxx miles. Work in progress.
99 Mazda Miata 183,xxx miles.

The main reason that I have replaced the rear muffler with a Mercedes Benz part is because Pennsylvania has an annual safety inspection and most inspection stations do not allow an altered exhaust system...and the MB part fit perfectly the first time...

The Tenor Man

__________________
Currently Driving.....
1987 Mercedes Benz 300D Turbo - Daily Driver.
2004 Buick Rendezvous...Smaller than it looks!
2005 Mitsubishi Galant - Not bad for a tin box...Lousey Seats
Past Vehicles.....
1994 Dodge B-250 Van- GAS HOG..Succumbed to rust!
1989 Mercedes Benz 260E - Totaled but no one injured.
1977 Mercedes Benz 240D - Loved it, but SLOWWW! - Succumbed to RUST!
1976 Mercedes Benz 240D - Same as above! -
1975 Mercedes Benz 240D - Same as above!

Heck, seeing as how it is turboed have a muffler shop bend/build you a straight pipe. The turbo quietens it down alot. One of the wildest ones I have ever seen was a straight piece of exhaust pipe attatched to the down pipe going straight to the back. It did not have a bend in it. I don't know what it sounded like but if it was the dual overhead cam 190 then it probably sounded pretty soulful. Needless to say it was the first point of contact when the car went over big bumps and stuff.

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Jim

They don't allow aftermarket exhaust at all? That doesn't sound right. Even California allows exhaust alterations, but they give you more hoops to jump through than say Nevada, where as long as you leave the original cats in the original location, you are fine on emissions inspection. Or better yet, if you live in one of the 14 out of 16 Nevada counties that doesn't have emission testing, there is no inspection at all.

__________________
Whoever said there's nothing more expensive than a cheap Mercedes never had a cheap Jaguar.

83 300D Turbo with manual conversion, early W126 vented front rotors and H4 headlights 401,xxx miles
08 Suzuki GSX-R600 M4 Slip-on 26,xxx miles
88 Jaguar XJS V12 94,xxx miles. Work in progress.
99 Mazda Miata 183,xxx miles.

In FL a turbo is not considered an exhaust muffling device. FYI for those in FL. But we do not have any form of inspections (wish we did).