My wife's 1981 300SD is a very early model (serial number ....000588). Lately she has noticed a chug-a-chug-a-chug... sound especially when it is pulling. I thought it was the rear muffler and had her to ride me around in the trunk. The noise seems to be coming from forward of the location of the rear muffler which leads me to suspect the center muffler. It tends to get quieter as the engine warms up.

Has anyone else experienced this problem, given these symptoms?

The center muffler is the one which came on the car and the car is 31 years old with 276,000 miles. All the hangers are in good shape.

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Tom Evans
69 280SE 91K (wish I still had it)
73 220D 98K
78 300D 134K
78 300D 185K
81 300SD 301K (still have)
82 300SD 321K (still have)
84 300D 268K
84 6.2 Diesel GMC Suburban 225K (a whole different story!)

I replaced my original center muffler this summer, prod. date 1977. It blew out at the pipe weld on top.

Inspect the flex pipe at the turbo.

I had the exhaust system replaced on my SD, from the flex pipe back to a new Ansa muffler. I straight piped (no center mufflers, reduced weight) it back to the rear muffler, all's well.

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83 SD

84 CD