Parts Catalog Accessories Catalog How To Articles Tech Forums
Call Pelican Parts at 888-280-7799
Shopping Cart Cart | Project List | Order Status | Help



Go Back   PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum > Mercedes-Benz Tech Information and Support > Diesel Discussion

Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 03-31-2014, 04:42 PM
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Barrington, RI
Posts: 5,874
Why clamp exhaust instead of weld?

Got my OEM rear muffler and clamp for my 92 300D....not going to mess with it myself but am just going to take to exhaust shop.

Just curious: why, by design, does MB have exhaust components held together with clamps? Is there something in the production process or some other reason why this was done as opposed to welding?

The shop will do whatever I want but I'm sure will recommend welding. Just wondered what MB's rationale might be.

__________________
14 E250 Bluetec "Sinclair", Palladium Silver on Black, 153k miles
06 E320 CDI "Rutherford", Black on Tan, 171k mi, Stage 1 tune, tuned TCU
91 300D "Otis", Smoke Silver, 142k mi, wastegate conversion

19 Honda CR-V EX 61k mi
Fourteen other MB's owned and sold
1961 Very Tolerant Wife
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 03-31-2014, 06:23 PM
Registered User
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 3,941
I've never heard of any car manufacturer welding exhaust components, other than maybe a custom shop piecing together a header. The reasons:
1) Ease of assembly.
2) Ease of repair
3) Cost of replacement parts If they had welded it together, you'd be replacing the entire exhaust at this moment.

For these same reasons, a shop would be nuts to weld your exhaust, especially if its a new piece going on an old pipe.
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 03-31-2014, 06:58 PM
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 7,534
Partly welded exhaust has been common on American cars since the 70's. Depending on how the car was assembled, at least the tail pipe was welded to the muffler and sometimes the pipe just ahead of the muffler too. When any part of this welded assembly needed replaced, it was usually a replace all 3 parts. Sometimes a pipe could be cut and muffler installed. The factory prewelded system eliminated the need to adjust pipes to fit and is much faster to install.

As for what to do now, If the joint needs to come apart to take suspension apart don't weld.
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 03-31-2014, 07:16 PM
SirNik84's Avatar
Registered User
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Sacramento, Ca
Posts: 1,470
It doesn't really matter on a car with IRS. The exhaust is more or less flat other then the down pipe to the engine. From what I have seen MB has a down pipe section that goes from the turbo/exhaust manifold to just the rear of the transmission. then there is a flange. Then a second section that goes the rest of the car. The pipe is just bent so that it is in the right place when hung.

Most import cars are welded with flanges around different assemblies (down pipe, catalytic converter, down pipe, ect) Most domestic cars used different sections of pipe that are sleeved and clamped together. You'd think the welded and flanged exhaust systems would be harder to repair, but not really. The sleeve and clamped connections are clamped so tight, then rust, making it so you can't unsleeve them for service. This is why all exhaust shops weld, because they have to cut out sections of exhaust that will not come apart.

I bet your exhaust shop will weld as needed and will reuses the stock flanges and leave them in their current locations.
__________________
1983 Toyota Tercel 4WD Wagon - 1984 Mercedes-Benz 300SD 4-Speed(My Car!) 2005 C230 Kompressor 6-Speed Manual
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 03-31-2014, 08:25 PM
Registered User
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 3,941
A repair shop may use an oxy torch to cut away a rusty sleeve. And flanges are easily separated and rejoined. But if I ever saw a tech welding an exhaust component onto one of my cars, I'd put that torch where the sun don't shine. It's an irresponsible act of vandalism.

Reply With Quote
Reply

Bookmarks

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On




All times are GMT -4. The time now is 09:49 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Search Engine Optimization by vBSEO 3.6.0
Copyright 2024 Pelican Parts, LLC - Posts may be archived for display on the Peach Parts or Pelican Parts Website -    DMCA Registered Agent Contact Page