Hi all,

I just want to share with all of you my experience with a new muffler on my 1992 400e with 73k miles.

A few days ago, I was installing my Bilstein HD shocks in the rear when I noticed a few small holes in my rear muffler. Great. Perfect time for a new free flow muffler.

Well I looked at Remus, Ansa, Supersprint, etc... but I was not sure they were going to give me the sound I wanted. I even though about going with Flowmasters, but I DID NOT want it to sound like a Mustang or Camaro.

The guys at the exhaust shop suggested a Magnaflow. I said what the hell, if I don't like it, I'll try something else. I picked out a street series S/S dual tip.

Well they got it installed and it looks great, see pics. But more important is the sound. I wanted a mellow rumble, but something that still was appropriate for a MB. If you have every heard a Porsche 928 with a 32v engine start-up and idle, you know that sound I was looking for. Well..... I got it!

The car sounds awesome. At idle, there is a slight rumble. But throw a few revs and you know that this is NOT an I6 or V6 Mercedes.

Normal city and highway driving is basically the same as with the OE, you can not really tell anything has been modified. But under mild to heavy throttle, you hear a sound that is music to the ears.

As far as performance, well it FEELS stronger in the upper RPM range. Even if there is no performance increase, I am happy with the results.

Total cost, $289. That includes new hangers and welding. The guys at the shop did an EXCELLENT job installing it.

If you are in need of a new muffler or are just looking to enhance the appearence/sound, you may want to look at Magnaflow. They are stainless steel and come with a lifetime warranty. I went with the #14801. I don't know how it will sound on a 4 or 6 cyl, but on a V8, DAMN that sounds good!

-David

http://www.geocities.com/mavandice/images/exhaust1.jpg
http://www.geocities.com/mavandice/images/exhaust2.jpg

Sounds great! (he he). I may end up doing the same thing to my '94 E420. I take it you didn't do anything else to the exhaust system--just muffler only? Had you considered it? Can you get a video/sound and post it??? TIA, Mitch

Mitch,

Only the rear muffler. They suggested that I may want to remove the center muffler if it was not loud enough. I don't think I will go that route. It sounds perfect the way it is.

I'll try and get a sound recording of it later today and post.

It would be nice to hear from any other 400e/e420 owners that have replaced the rear muffler with Remus, Supersprint, etc and hear what they say about the sound/performance. I have no regrets going with the Magnaflow.

-David

I have a Remus muffler on my 88 300CE. I decided to go with Remus because it's made in Germany by Sebring. Sebring is the same company that makes AMG mufflers.
I also was concerned about making my car sound like a hot rod.
At first, I was going to purchase the muffler from AMG, but they are a bit pricey. Once I heard about the AMG-Remus-Sebring connection I had to go with Remus at a fraction of the cost. Anyway, I am very satisfied with it, both performance and sound are awesome.

Vin

Sounds good- - - -
 

David,
Glad to hear (not yet) that your new muffler did the trick for your 400E. That also is the sound I'm trying to find for mine. Do you know who manufactures Magnaflow as I may also get one for the 190 as it's a little too loud as is? I
would need that one with a 3" inlet and dual outlet.

For an update, the rear end swap is still on hold as I get the motor rebuilt in the 190 and get the 400E back together.
It came out of the body shop this past Monday and looks great. The only one in the USA without a sunroof! The diet lost 50 pounds and up high for less roll. I've got a shop lined up to make the axles, so I'm still doing research for the project while forging ahead with the others. I'll keep you posted.

TobiasMB
4 MBs

Tobias MB,

Glad to hear the 400e project is coming along. Thanks for keeping me posted. Maybe when it is finished, I'll take a road trip down to Charlotte to check it out and give you a deposit so you can start mine. :-)

The Magnaflow homepage says they are a division of CarSounds Catalyitic Converters. Check out the website at http://www.magnaflow.com.

For your 190, you will probably need to go with the Race Series muffler to get a 3in inlet. I went with the Street Series since I only needed a 2.5in pipe.

The muffler is a mirror finished Stainless Steel. Here is what it looks like. I am probably going to paint the body black just so it blends in better. But that will have to be next weekend. The dealer called me yesterday and my 500e swaybars came in!! So I'll be doing the front this weekend. I'll attempt the rear IF it is possible to do it without dropping the rear subframe, I heard it is possible. But if not, I'll have my shop do it later next week.

Later!

-David

http://www.geocities.com/mavandice/images/rear3.jpg

Ooops. I messed up on the url. There was an extra (.) in there.

http://www.magnaflow.com

-David

Magna Flow
 

I have a Magnaflow on my 1998 Chevy 454 Dually pick-up, and it is EXTREMELY deep sounding. Sometimes at low trottle you can't hear the rumble but you FEEL it. The nice thing is that it's not loud and obtrusive. Just perfect. Anyways...I also have a 92 400E and considering doing the muffler work on it as well. I just never thought about Magnaflow for it but now I might consider it. I would have to go with the oval dual tips though, and surely not upturned.


PB

400e exhaust
 

I have a Remus muffler on my 500E, and I have had the center resonator changed, now Mustangs run and hide, what
a noise from 3,000-6,000 rpm!!

David Hendy
'92 500E 65k miles

I just had to compliment the appearance of your 400E. It is beautiful, and I imagine it sounds great and is a joy to drive. Happy motoring!

Magnaflow Exhaust
 

dsantos,

I was curious about the way your exhaust tips stick out from under the car. Just by looking at the actual Magnaflow muffler, the tips are not curved to exit the rear of the car right underneathe the cut out on the rear bumper. Therefore, your tips are actually more towards the center of the car right? You can't really tell by the pics but does this look funny in actuality? Just wondering because I may do the same to my car but I would prefer the tips to exit like stock. Thanks.

Jeff L.

dsantos
 

I can feel the excitement you are feeling. Not only that but what a beauty.
I have an'87 300E and at about 90,000 miles I had the mid-muffler removed and replaced with a 3" Y pipe to the rear muffler. That gave me a very throaty, mellow sound. I LIKE IT.
The old tub has 170,500 miles now and the rear muff doesn't want to give up the ghost, for then I'll opt for a less resrictive muff as you did.
I'm concerned about to choice, for me, in the S.S. construction. If I can get 170K miles from OEM material, then why the S.S. considerring the cost difference. They do offer S.S. tips for that appearance.
I don't want to do away with a good original muff, it has become a game now trying to see just how many miles I can get on typical replacement parts i.e mufflers.
Happy Trails Beep Beep from mellow Houston.
Donald
yours look sharp

Donald,
If I understand correctly, you just replaced the middle muffler with a 3" Y pipe and kept the ORIGINAL muffler? You just weld the pipe in?

jdoc7,

You are correct, the tips are inboard by about 6-7 inches. It does not look funny at all. Since this is a 1992, the exhaust cutout in the bumper is on the very bottom side, so you can't really see it from above or behind.

I had the exact same thoughts when I was having them install it. So I had the shop remove my original muffler and tack weld the magnaflow and bring the car down to the ground. No one said anthing and just let me look at it for about 5 minutes. I looked from EVERY angle, told them it looks fine and to make it happen.

Donald,

I went with the SS because thats what they had. I am the second owner of the 400e. I purchased it last year. It only has 73k on it now, so I have no idea why the original only lasted that. The holes in the original were pretty small, they just got bigger when I "inspected" them with a large screw driver. ;-)


Thanks for all the comments. The car looks stock for the most part. The paint and body are in EXCELLENT condition. Looks showroom fresh inside and out.

So far I have done:

Clear front turn signals
94-95 clear rear turn signals
euro headlights from a 94+ (hood upgrade soon)
Magnaflow muffler
Bilstien HDs
500e sway bar (front only, rear next week)
K&N
Superchips EPROM

-David

Superchip sells an EPROM for the '92 400E? I don't see it list on their site.