Need help with exhaust setup

[deejaykay2345]

This is my first time posting but been a member for a couple months. anyways. I have a 2000 C280. I just got a resonator delete done along with a magnaflow muffler (i don't know what kind just a basic one). to be honest it sounds like crap and i am very disappointed. it sounds nothing like this http://youtu.be/0BR4HRHr7Pc which i was hoping for. Any suggestions on what I should do without breaking my bank and buying supersprint or eisenmann? Should i go straight pipe (http://youtu.be/bj9d20eTn1M)?

[zmatt]

Did you have custom piping done or was the muffler just tacked on the end of the exhaust? the stock exhaust on 202's is very restrictive and probably contributes do it. I'm not a fan of magnaflow anyways, but if you didn't have a custom exhaust made I would start there. I have 2.5inch stainless going from the cat back and a high flow resonator and muffler.

[anf6789]

I have a full Magnaflow exhaust on my 1994 C280, though its the I6, not the V6 like yours, and it sounds amazing. Replaced both the rear muffler and resonator with magnaflow, along with an Intake. Very smooth and mellow, though much louder then stock. Look at my car in the members gallery, or search Magnaflow exhaust my thread should be there.

[deejaykay2345]

thanks for the response. i got custom piping done. It's 2.5" straight pipe to magnaflow muffler. what kind of muffler do you have?

[deejaykay2345]

appreciate the response. I got a complete resonator delete and went with just straight pipe. the guy that did my exhaust said give it a couple weeks to break in. was this true for you? I don't have a custom intake i just replaced the air filter with an high air flow k&n air filter

[anf6789]

Mine is custom piping as well. It will get louder after break in, though not by much. the packing just gets broken in. I have a SS magnaflow universal muffler with tips, and a SS magnaflow 14" round resonator after the cats.

[zmatt]

I have a vibrant performance muffler and resonator and yeah it needs to break in. It will get a little quieter and then louder once it's broke in. If it still sounds liek crap after a few weeks I would check the cats if they are clogged and check for exhaust leaks.

[deejaykay2345]

oh ok. do you have a recording of your exhaust?

[deejaykay2345]

i was thinking of installing evosport cats. right now it i can hear it at lower rpms but it isnt a deep noise sounds kinda ricey and at the higher rpms i get more engine noise than exhaust sound

[zmatt]

That's one of the reasons I don't like magnaflow. New cats will make it a lot louder. I don't have a recording but i have been meaning to have one made.

[deejaykay2345]

what do you think of the straight pipe exhaust i posted? its a 2.6 L m112 engine i have the 2.8 L m112

[zmatt]

wait wait wait. that's the issue, you have the V6. the older C280s use the M104 inline 6, a V6 wont sound the same as an I6.

I'm guessing your car sounds something like this but louder?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3rgz3e-R80

[97C28O]

I had an Magnaflow muffler on my car before, took it off cause the excessive drone was killing me. Droned throughout all RPMs, barely hear my music. and this was just an add on, remove OEM muffler. Its a I6

[chimchongdlight]

does anyone know of a hi flow cat and resignator i can add on when i do custom piping that will keep my car smog legal? im not sure about MBs but i remember in my old JDM cars, whenever i changed the cat and res, i failed with flying colors...i have had custom piping done just yet but will be in the future, my muffler isnt as close to magnaflow quality though, i got it off of ebay, but sounds pretty darn nice on my 96 c280, not sure if thats v6 or i6, if anyone knows and can clear that up for me, that would be awesome...thanks

[deejaykay2345]

you have the I6. the resonator helps silence the exhaust and has nothing to do with emissions. You could just use a high flow magnaflow cat idk how they cost but i'm planning to the buy the 200 cpi cat from evosport.com

[deejaykay2345]

i see. yeah its similar to that but louder at the lower rpms and once pass 4k you cant even hear the exhaust just the engine. i guess im just gonna save up for evosport cats and see how it sounds then

[97C28O]

Chim, there will be no high flow cat that will allow you to pass smog. OEM or nothing at all, the smell without one can be fixed with a high flow cat but it won't eliminate the smell.

and yea for the i6, low RPM is massively loud and the noise isn't what a MB is suppose to sound like..

[deejaykay2345]

Chim, there will be no high flow cat that will allow you to pass smog. OEM or nothing at all, the smell without one can be fixed with a high flow cat but it won't eliminate the smell.

and yea for the i6, low RPM is massively loud and the noise isn't what a MB is suppose to sound like..

Are you sure? I think high flow cats still allow you to pass emissions test. If they didn't pass emissions then muffler shops wouldn't sell them since it would be illegal to have. Unless you know something that I don't or I'm wrong

[chimchongdlight]

Chim, there will be no high flow cat that will allow you to pass smog. OEM or nothing at all, the smell without one can be fixed with a high flow cat but it won't eliminate the smell.

and yea for the i6, low RPM is massively loud and the noise isn't what a MB is suppose to sound like..

thanks man, yea i didnt think it could be possible, so should i just upgrade all my piping and keep the cat and res stock?

[chimchongdlight]

Are you sure? I think high flow cats still allow you to pass emissions test. If they didn't pass emissions then muffler shops wouldn't sell them since it would be illegal to have. Unless you know something that I don't or I'm wrong

muffler shops dont care whats legal or illegal man, theyre there to make money...lol especially when you talk about performance u know? its ur responsibility to keep ur car smog legal and know what your buying

[97C28O]

thanks man, yea i didnt think it could be possible, so should i just upgrade all my piping and keep the cat and res stock?


if you want to do that, I suggest making a complete new system so you van bolt on bolt off whenever you need to swap it. make hinges so you can just bolt right up

[zmatt]

From what i understand that's what most people in Cali do. Aftermarket shit has to meet CARB standards and it's an approval process. Now way in hell they will approve a custom exhaust. So you have to be ale to bolt yours back on.

[chimchongdlight]

yea it sucks out here

you guys mean bolt on and off from the stock cat to the aftermarket cat right? not the whole exhaust set up

[deejaykay2345]

muffler shops dont care whats legal or illegal man, theyre there to make money...lol especially when you talk about performance u know? its ur responsibility to keep ur car smog legal and know what your buying

in washington the laws are different, i just noticed that you live in cali. my friend has high flow cats on his g35 and he passed emissions. its illegal to sell products from wood stoves to catalytics that don't pass emissions or at least here in wa unless the car is for strictly off road use only. im pretty sure its the same in cali too