Hi, all. I've searched without success this forum as well as Club202 and benzworld for information on a high(er) performance exhaust system for the C43. There are alternative mufflers available but the consensus is that they only increase noise, not HP. Several owners have done their own modifications but there is no data on HP increase. So, I have several questions.

Which is better:
replace the two-into-one muffler with straight pipes and a Y while retaining the rear muffler?

replace the two-into-one muffler with glass-packs and a Y while retaining the rear muffler?

retain the two-into-one muffler and replace the rear muffler with a straight pipe?

Any advice or experiences are appreciated. Also, does anyone have any flow data on the pressure drops through the cats and the mufflers? Thanks again.

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Dan
1998 C43

Have you called Renntech? I spoke to them some time ago about C43s and they knew a lot about them. How do you like your C43?

Hello. Thanks for your response. I had understood from various posts in the MB forums that Renntech sold only mufflers. I'll have to call them for details.

Do I like my C43? Well, I used my brand new 2003.5 Infiniti G35 as trade-in on a 1998, one owner, local car, 30,000 mile, Starmarked C43. I have not regretted it (except that the left stub shaft seal on the diff appears to have started leaking, hmmm).

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Dan
1998 C43

I spoke to the Renntech people at length about the C43 and they basically said that there wasn't a whole lot one could do to it. They do sell and airbox which seems a lot less drastic to increase HP than altering that exhaust system.

I drove the C43 a few times and may still buy one, as there are a few out there with at least a year left of warranty for the mid to low 20s. I wasn't wild about it but it seemed to be a fairly practical car. The 1998 is said to have transmission issues but there are fixes for it.

When one of the front cat's in my C43 was killed by a large stone on the road, I got a custom exhaust made for my C43 by BMS racing in Denver, Colorado. Do a search on CKlasse or Tump43 on the Club202.com site and you will find pictures of this system and this system on my car.

I've had it on my car for 6 months now and I love it. It is a bit loud at first, but after the turbine muffler is coated with carbon it quiets down some. I lined the rear trunk with sound deadening material, replaced the stock ignition wires with Magenacor KV85 competitions and fitted a 1/0 ground cable to the battery. This quieted the system down the most and made the engine sound great at all rpm's except 1,500 to 1,650. Well worth doing.

The system consists of two metalic (maybe semi-metalic) hi flow race cat's (replacing the stock cat's after the header), two magnaflow glass packs (replacing the resonator) and a custom y-pipe leading into a dual tip outlet turbine SS muffler. The dyno's from BMS indicate a 20 hp gain. My experience indicates an incredible increase in acceleration over 3,000 rpm and speeds over 60 mph. I completely trounced another Black 99 C43 in a recent road race.

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Marc
C55: Evosport headers & UDP's; AMS crank; TVT thermo; phenolic spacers; Denso IK16's; EuroTech ECU; RennTech cf airbox w/ Green filters; Z06 catch can; Sprintbooster; Optima RedTop; Quaife LSD; AMG: shift paddles, 030 rear calipers & rotors; Rotera brake lines; Euroteck CF lip; "C63" rear diffuser; 18" SLK AMG Turbines (summer); 18" OZ Superleggera's (winter); K40 dual f&r radar w/ laser jammers; MB: digital climate control, iPod kit & mp3 CD changer; iTronic B/T for MOST.

Thanks, Tump. I'll check it out.

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Dan
1998 C43

Cyclocross:

MKB in Germany also makes a center y-pipe for the C43 (called the sound pipe) to replace the resonators (their contact info is on the AMG_Owners_Club.com public forum). You could combine that with two Random Technologies catalytic convertors and a Remus muffler and have about the same system.

MKB also makes a header for the C43 with two full race metallic pre-cat's in it. That alone, I'm told is good for 20hp but, it is very loud.

Replacing the main cat's with high-flow versions, killing the center resonator and changing mufflers should give you the best usable street performance upgrade. The OE cat's are very restrictive.

Marc

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Marc
C55: Evosport headers & UDP's; AMS crank; TVT thermo; phenolic spacers; Denso IK16's; EuroTech ECU; RennTech cf airbox w/ Green filters; Z06 catch can; Sprintbooster; Optima RedTop; Quaife LSD; AMG: shift paddles, 030 rear calipers & rotors; Rotera brake lines; Euroteck CF lip; "C63" rear diffuser; 18" SLK AMG Turbines (summer); 18" OZ Superleggera's (winter); K40 dual f&r radar w/ laser jammers; MB: digital climate control, iPod kit & mp3 CD changer; iTronic B/T for MOST.

There was a thread about a guy removed the pre-cats and noticed an improved hp gain from the butt dyno. They are very heavy as well. It seems to be the concensus. Free up the cats and get rid of the resonator. I plan on doing this to my 500. Cat-back sysem (custom) with no resonator and a performance muffler. Good luck!

Shaun

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