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SL500 Exhaust Note Change

Big Janner

MB Enthusiast
Joined
Mar 27, 2017
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2,523
Location
Essex
Car
2016 GLc 250D Sport Premium Plus in Dark Blue
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Apologies if this is in the wrong place, I couldn't find anywhere related to exhausts

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My SL sounded a bit throaty, nothing loud, but, just not right.
Took it to my local car mender, who fixed a small hole in the exhaust. The result, an SL that sounds just as MB intended.

Now, I don't want to sound grumpy, but, the only way I can describe the exhaust note now is; 'Mercedes Mute'.

Can you offer any suggestions for brightening the note a tad. I don't want her to sound like a Mustang or a Camaro, the SL isn't an American muscle car.

What would be nice is something subdued when cruising, but pushes out a more noticable 'growl' when the throttle is prodded

Thanks in advance for your help

John
 
Get a secondary CAT delete and replace them with an x-pipe. No drone, not too loud but the V8 then sounds much better.
 
Remove the centre muffler (aka 'resonator') if your car has one.
 
Remove or open the secondary cats and gut them and reweld them.
Taking them out and replacing with an x-pipe does make for a better sound.
The gutted cats sound boomy to me.
 
Cheapest fix unplug that hole again [emoji38]

Sent from my SM-G955F using Tapatalk
 
Get a secondary CAT delete and replace them with an x-pipe. No drone, not too loud but the V8 then sounds much better.
This ^

Get a reputable place to do the job and you'll have no trouble with future MOT's either
 
As long as you don't remove both sets of CAT's you wont have any MOT worries otherwise anyone with an aftermarket exhaust would fail the MOT.
 
As long as you don't remove both sets of CAT's you wont have any MOT worries otherwise anyone with an aftermarket exhaust would fail the MOT.
Wrong. Any tampering with the standard exhaust (even if it passes emissions) is an instant MOT failure. It is just that sound pressure is not part of the MOT and nearly all MOT testers are less concerned about you dicking around with your exhaust system than they are making sure you have legal tyres/lights and brakes that work. Passing a car with substandard brakes can land a company director in jail, but passing a car with a noisy exhaust on the other hand will not.
 
Wrong. Any tampering with the standard exhaust (even if it passes emissions) is an instant MOT failure. It is just that sound pressure is not part of the MOT and nearly all MOT testers are less concerned about you dicking around with your exhaust system than they are making sure you have legal tyres/lights and brakes that work. Passing a car with substandard brakes can land a company director in jail, but passing a car with a noisy exhaust on the other hand will not.
So I cant remove the secondary CATs on my standard exhaust but I can fit an aftermarket exhaust with only 1 pair of CAT's?
 
Technically any cat delete is illegal on a '92ish> car but in practice it's up to the tester. A jobsworth might cause you trouble even if it passes emissions but in my experience it's unlikely.

Butchering the cats and making it obvious probably isn't a great idea.
 
I still cant get an answer on this, should all cars fitted with an aftermarket exhaust fail the MOT?
 
There is nothing specific on that, so it’s not a fail.
 

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