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#1
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Noisy 300E Exhaust
I have a '91 300E with only 53K miles on it. The car is in perfect condition and has had frequent oil changes using Mobil 1 15W-50 and MB filters. It passed Arizonas emissions test last year with flying colors.
I recently had to replace the exhaust system because of a rusted weld. Everything back of the cat was replaced with genuine MB parts. After the new exhaust was installed, the sound of the exhaust has been somewhat louder than it should be. I've checked for leaks several times and haven't found any. My question is this... When the new exhaust system was installed, the mechanic hammered on the tail pipe of the cat trying to get the resonator off. Could that have caused some internal damage to the cat which results in a noisier exhaust? The loud exhaust note seems to be coming out the tail pipe and not at some point in the exhaust system. Thanks in advance. |
#2
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The cats are before the muffler and the resonator. You are probably OK. The W124 exhaust systems usually have a deep mellow tone. The cats don't affect this unless they are blocked.
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Jeff Lawrence 1989 300e 2000 Dodge Grand Caravan SE No matter what you fix, there will always be something else to fix.. "Warranty" is just another way of postponing the inevitable. |
#3
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I removed the center muffler on mine and welded in a "Y" pipe hoping for a little increase in sound. I can't tell ANY difference in the sound.
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#4
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Thanks for the reply Jeff. The exhaust was never as quiet as a Toyota or Honda but the new two piece exhaust system seems noisier than the original one peice system.
My only concern is that the cat was damaged but there is no indication that that happened. The car gets over 4K on a quart of oil and the economy and performance are excellent. I'm just going to forget about it. As an aside, the exhaust system is the first and only repair item I've had with this car. Other than Mobil 1 in the drive train, all parts and fluids have been M-B and I've still spent less than $200/year for maintenance including V-rated Continental and Pirelli tires and M-B batteries. |
#5
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That just doesn't sound right (so to speak).
Are you sure there isn't a leak somewhere. Try this: 1) Get an assistant 2) When the car is cold, start it, and have the assistant place a (gloved) hand over the tailpipe to seal it as best they can, while you crawl under the car to feel for leaks at each joint. If there are really no leaks, it will be very difficult for the assistant to keep a hand on there at all, and the car may even stall. Keep in mind that 'torquing' the exhaust about in the back during the install can sometimes cause things to break loose in the front, suchas at the headpipes. One last thing- some newer mufflers have a drain hole. I have no idea on MBs. These are supposed to extend the life of the muffler by allowing water to drain, but I have found they allow enough exhaust out to make some extra noise. I thought my new Audi muffler was defective! If the new one has this, and the old one did not, that could explain what you are hearing. 53k on a 1991? Do you ever leave the house? Selling anytime soon?
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1986 300E 5-Speed 240k mi. |
#6
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csnow,
Thanks for the Input. There are no drain holes and I'll try your method of covering the tail pipes while checking for leaks when I get the chance. I may simply take the car to a Mercedes dealer and have it checked out. The reason the 300E has only got 53K on it is that we had a 190D that was our daily driver and the 300E was used for long trips. I've thought about getting a new car but can't find anything worth spending $40K more for. Maybe the 2003 E430 but I'll have to wait and see. Meanwhile, my new daily driver is a golf cart:-) |
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