I had an out the back muffler on my wifes wagon, dealer replacement even. Back was always sooty and my wife and I argued for atleast a year about if it was smokey inside or not. Never knew why until we got second wagon.

__________________
http://superturbodiesel.com/images/sig.04.10.jpg
1995 E420 Schwarz
1995 E300 Weiss
#1987 300D Sturmmachine
#1991 300D Nearly Perfect
#1994 E320 Cabriolet
#1995 E320 Touring
#1985 300D Sedan
OBK #42

The middle muffler is the restrictive one. I've done several exhausts on 124's and 123's where I removed the diesel cat, muffler, and left the back muffler. Interior noises remain about the same, but it's louder outside. And there definately is a faster spool.

However, when I did a turbo on mine, I made my own downpipe and did a 3" straight. Not loud at all inside, and sounds like a baby cummins.




Don't even bother with a cherry bomb. I had one, it was raspy as hell. It resonated more than a straight that dumped in front of the rear tire.

I'll watch the back- if it gets sooty, it gets changed. If I hear of more people that agree the resonator is restrictive, maybe I'll remove that also. I need more than one person who says the resonator removal is warranted.

Ditto that on the cherry-bomb. I've heard others say they hate the sound and wouldn't put one on a tractor - but I like their sound...

__________________
1984 300 Coupe TurboDiesel
Silver blue paint over navy blue interior
2nd owner & 2nd engine in an otherwise
99% original unmolested car
~210k miles on the clock

1986 Ford F250 4x4 Supercab
Charcoal & blue two tone paint over burgundy interior
Banks turbo, DRW, ZF-5 & SMF conversion
152k on the clock - actual mileage unknown

I find some of this discussion amusing seeing that I have been down this road before. Unless everything I have read on exhaust theory is wrong the resonator adds very little back pressure. A big empty can is less restrictive to flow than an a container with baffels. I know that the w126 muffler is more a little more restrictive and muffles more than the w123's because it was the luxury car. I have no Idea about how a w124 stacks up in comparison.

About 3 people I know that have removed the resonator have spent good money putting it back in. They just got sick of the low drone at certain speeds, and not one has complained about any perceived loss of power.

As far as glass packs go, I have added a cherrybomb. When new it did muffle the volume of the exhaust quite a bit. I know this because when messing around trying to get the exhaust tip positioned right I pulled it off with the car running because I didn't have the clamps tightened. Even now packed with soot, it still quites the exhaust down quite a bit. I know because I checked it after I lost my tip last year when I backed into a snow bank. As far as the cherry bomb making my car sound raspy??? never!!! This is partially due to the fact I still have my resonator but it is also due to the fact I have a muzzled cali car

__________________
green 85 300SD 200K miles "Das Schlepper Frog" With a OM603 TBO360 turbo ( To be intercooled someday )( Kalifornistani emissons )
white 79 300SD 200K'ish miles "Farfegnugen" (RIP - cracked crank)
desert storm primer 63 T-bird "The Undead" (long term hibernation)

http://ecomodder.com/forum/fe-graphs/sig692a.png

Well, part of my deal is I want to unbolt the exhaust at the rear downpipe flange and set the entire stock piece aside untouched. Then install the straight pipe (with a new flange) from the downpipe back with the Cherry Bomb.

VERY quick & inexpensive exhaust mod, and if I don't like it I can go back to stock easily and quickly.

__________________
1984 300 Coupe TurboDiesel
Silver blue paint over navy blue interior
2nd owner & 2nd engine in an otherwise
99% original unmolested car
~210k miles on the clock

1986 Ford F250 4x4 Supercab
Charcoal & blue two tone paint over burgundy interior
Banks turbo, DRW, ZF-5 & SMF conversion
152k on the clock - actual mileage unknown

One week plus and the tailgate is not sooty at all, and I very much prefer the sound/performance of the muffler-less wagon.

Did you have any clearance issues? I recently replaced the flex pipe on my W123 Frankenbenz (3.0L turbodiesel in a MT 240D, other mods as well....) and I was worried about the gap between the starter and chassis. I figure the 2.5" ID flex pipe probably is close in OD to 3" pipe. Also, why no flex pipe on your system?

(I ran sans exhaust from the downpipe back for a while, and the loss in power when I reinstalled the factory exhaust was very notiable and depressing... so I'm thinking of doing a 3" for myself in the near future)

I'm going to go with either a turbo,or glass pack.Getting tired of making noise,I'm not going to put stock heavy mufflers back on.

__________________
1999 w140, quit voting to old, and to old to fight, a god damned veteran

Well, I wouldn't go with a "turbo" muffler or a flowmaster, they robbed a significant ammount of power when I tried them. You want a straight-through design. A cherry bomb will do fine if you have a turbodiesel, mine just didn't sound good because mine was a N/A. The longer the muffler, the quieter it will be, also a turn out helps resonation to a minimum.

BTW: I do have a flex pipe connecting the downpipe to the system. There is just enough space to keep it from hitting the starter. However, a longer positive battery cable is needed.

Just because the muffler has "turbo" in the name does not mean its made for turbo engines. Flowlackers aren't any better.

"turbo" muffler:
http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?autofilter=1&part=SUM%2D630130&N=700+115&autoview=sku

muffler for turbo:
http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?autofilter=1&part=MOR%2D94051&N=700+115&autoview=sku

Flowmasters do wonders for a N/A V8, but not so for turbo setups, especially diesels.

Paint still show very little, certainly no more than before the move.

Hey thanks for the info.

__________________
1999 w140, quit voting to old, and to old to fight, a god damned veteran

Speaking from experience the 300TD tailpipe should face out to the side, not straight back. If it points straight back you WILL get nasty diesel exhaust leaking into the cabin. There is low air pressure created by the shape of the body that will trap the exhaust behind the vehicle. when you open the windows at 30mph and above the decreased cabin pressure while suck the exhaust inside. My wagon came with the exhaust pipe facing back from the PO who must have had it worked on by muffler shop that didn't know what they were doing. Once I changed the direction of the tail pipe the exhaust leak problem was gone. Finally got rid of the exhaust problem with my 300TD Turbo Wagon
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/members/revans-albums-exhaust-picture860-exhaust1a.jpg