W201 190e 3.2 M104 exhaust options?

[MightyE30]

Hi all, Im looking for a little guidance on exhaust options (I've found the build thread from my car in 2012 by Carat who looks to still be an active member so fingers crossed haha!).

Its a 190e Sportline with a 3.2 M104 and 722.3 gearbox, in incredibly good condition having just been fully restored underneath all bar the exhaust which is getting ready. I thought whilst I have it up on axle stands doing the K1 and K2 actuator mods on the gearbox I'd sort the exhaust as well.

I know the rear section is a standard 190 back box but there has obviously been some modifications made to mounting points and also where the cat branches into the centre silencer. Not too fussed about stainless so would anyone have any thoughts on whether this is a standard E320 exhaust and if I but an OEM replacement do I just need to modify the section between the cat and the mid silencer on the new setup to make it fit again, or is there a better option? I was thinking perhaps a custom given its a 1990 so I presume I can just loose the cat if I wanted, does that effect the engine/ECU in any way?

Thanks in advance.

 

[poormansporsche]

My old car. I had a straight pipe fitted but was too loud. Carat swapped it over for a box from something or the other that fitted in the gap when I got him to fit the 3.2. Can't remember what it was from (a 210 or something)

 

[ChipChop]

The internet says any car manufactured before 1st August 1992 (pre K reg) can pass an MOT without a cat. Even if one was fitted from the factory.

As an aside did all w201's have OE cats? My 190d 2.5 had a cat fitted when i got it back in 2011. Deleted when a stainless system was fitted.

Very nice w201 btw.

 

[carat 3.6]

My old car. I had a straight pipe fitted but was too loud. Carat swapped it over for a box from something or the other that fitted in the gap when I got him to fit the 3.2. Can't remember what it was from (a 210 or something)

The center section was w210, the front was w124, w201 rear section.

 

[carat 3.6]

Hi all, Im looking for a little guidance on exhaust options (I've found the build thread from my car in 2012 by Carat who looks to still be an active member so fingers crossed haha!).

Its a 190e Sportline with a 3.2 M104 and 722.3 gearbox, in incredibly good condition having just been fully restored underneath all bar the exhaust which is getting ready. I thought whilst I have it up on axle stands doing the K1 and K2 actuator mods on the gearbox I'd sort the exhaust as well.

I know the rear section is a standard 190 back box but there has obviously been some modifications made to mounting points and also where the cat branches into the centre silencer. Not too fussed about stainless so would anyone have any thoughts on whether this is a standard E320 exhaust and if I but an OEM replacement do I just need to modify the section between the cat and the mid silencer on the new setup to make it fit again, or is there a better option? I was thinking perhaps a custom given its a 1990 so I presume I can just loose the cat if I wanted, does that effect the engine/ECU in any way?

Thanks in advance.

Good to see the car's still around. It's a shame Brett wouldn't let me put the manual gearbox in with it, but then I understand with London's traffic.

My advice: Go with a full custom stainless system, no cat. Where the twin downpipes merge there is an 02 sensor, from there back use a single 60mm pipe. A large resonator box in the middle and a glasspack silencer on the rear.

 

[MightyE30]

Good to see the car's still around. It's a shame Brett wouldn't let me put the manual gearbox in with it, but then I understand with London's traffic.

My advice: Go with a full custom stainless system, no cat. Where the twin downpipes merge there is an 02 sensor, from there back use a single 60mm pipe. A large resonator box in the middle and a glasspack silencer on the rear.

Excellent thank you mate... sounds like a plan

Also fantastic work on the engine swap, it still runs and drives absolutely spot on and its a very tidy job in the engine bay. I was planning on pulling the bits together for a manual swap later down the line, it looks like there are quite a few decent options for bolting up to the m104 and I've done the same on my E30 325i so fairly confident, from memory of when you installed it, do you think its doable with the engine in the car, accessing the top flange bolts etc?

 

[poormansporsche]

When I get the time I will post the story of how this car came to being . Off the top of my head though the engine has actually done 35k less than the car is saying......

 

[MightyE30]

When I get the time I will post the story of how this car came to being . Off the top of my head though the engine has actually done 35k less than the car is saying......

That would be great thank you mate, I read through the original thread on here from 2012 (although the pics have all gone now) which was really interesting, suffice to say its increased in value a bit from the price you originally bought it all that time ago haha.

 

[poormansporsche]

That would be great thank you mate, I read through the original thread on here from 2012 (although the pics have all gone now) which was really interesting, suffice to say its increased in value a bit from the price you originally bought it all that time ago haha.

A year or so after selling it I offered Petr twice as much as he had paid for it to buy it back and he refused

9 years later it was worth 4 times as much

It's insanity that we were to only bidder on eBay at £450 for the car originally !!!!

The maddest thing was though I bought a pair of NOS 3 Door Cosworth Recaros for £250 had the centres retrimmed to match the sport line cloth and bunged them in. If I'd just left them as is and stored them in the loft they probably would be worth thousands now !!!

 

[carat 3.6]

Excellent thank you mate... sounds like a plan

Also fantastic work on the engine swap, it still runs and drives absolutely spot on and its a very tidy job in the engine bay. I was planning on pulling the bits together for a manual swap later down the line, it looks like there are quite a few decent options for bolting up to the m104 and I've done the same on my E30 325i so fairly confident, from memory of when you installed it, do you think its doable with the engine in the car, accessing the top flange bolts etc?

You need quite a few long extension bars to reach the top bolts, but it is doable in the car. Easiest way is to remove the fan and it's shield, that gives you enough room to drop the back of the gearbox down and reach the bolts. Just be aware that auto box is not the lightest thing in the world, so be ready for it when it comes loose...

Your options are the merc 5 speed from the 190, bolts in but is terrible to use. Or the later 6 speed, which requires a gps speedo and custom mounts but is THE box to use on a N/A m104.

 

[carat 3.6]

The maddest thing was though I bought a pair of NOS 3 Door Cosworth Recaros for £250 had the centres retrimmed to match the sport line cloth and bunged them in. If I'd just left them as is and stored them in the loft they probably would be worth thousands now !!!

Those were a work of art, sportline trim suited that car. The only thing that looks better than that is the Recaro fade out.

 

[MightyE30]

A year or so after selling it I offered Petr twice as much as he had paid for it to buy it back and he refused

9 years later it was worth 4 times as much

It's insanity that we were to only bidder on eBay at £450 for the car originally !!!!

The maddest thing was though I bought a pair of NOS 3 Door Cosworth Recaros for £250 had the centres retrimmed to match the sport line cloth and bunged them in. If I'd just left them as is and stored them in the loft they probably would be worth thousands now !!!

Haha... I think 90's cars in general are on the up, I've just paid 24 times what you picked it up for on Ebay but very happy with it, its honestly mint, everything's new underneath, paints fantastic and not a spot of rust anywhere. Im just sorting a bit of flaring on the 2-3 gear change with new actuators and putting the dash back to OEM, new trims, shifter, remove the double din stereo and other bits that have been modified.

I'll take some decent pictures once its out of the garage

 

[poormansporsche]

I have a visual reminder of that car every day.

I bought a mint leather rear seat that came with 2 knackered front seats. I chopped up the front seats to make runners for the Alfa GTV Recaro seats that may or may not still be in the car. Whilst chopping I had a angle grinder kick back incident and the grinder got caught in my jeans and chewed up my leg resulting in a trip to A and E, 12 stitches later ........ (Don't worry I deep cleaned the blood whilst the seats were out)

I fitted the double din, I think the car may have already had the "taxi console" , can't remember exactly.

I take it the bumpers have been resprayed at some time as when I sorted the Cossie kit (£250 quid complete with arch spats !!!!!!! ) I sprayed them with a air brush, took me weeks !

 

[190]

As an aside did all w201's have OE cats?

No they didn't until at least 1990 which is why when I was looking for a used 190e back in 1994, I bought an 1989 model without a cat. According to MB's own figures the addition of a cat made the car slower and more thirsty.

 

[MightyE30]

I have a visual reminder of that car every day.

I bought a mint leather rear seat that came with 2 knackered front seats. I chopped up the front seats to make runners for the Alfa GTV Recaro seats that may or may not still be in the car. Whilst chopping I had a angle grinder kick back incident and the grinder got caught in my jeans and chewed up my leg resulting in a trip to A and E, 12 stitches later ........ (Don't worry I deep cleaned the blood whilst the seats were out)

I fitted the double din, I think the car may have already had the "taxi console" , can't remember exactly.

I take it the bumpers have been resprayed at some time as when I sorted the Cossie kit (£250 quid complete with arch spats !!!!!!! ) I sprayed them with a air brush, took me weeks !

Ouch... sorry to hear that mate! Its actually got a really nice clean black 109 leather interior with heated fronts now, still has the chequered Sportline door cards though which my OCD can't live with the miss match so will probably swap those out for matching black leather at some point.

The whole cars had a windows out and body kit off respray fairly recently by the looks of it as its a really good job, no edging anywhere. Only bit that hasn't been repainted is the roof which is still very tidy but I'll probably get it done to match the rest of the super glossy finish on the car

 

[poormansporsche]

Good luck finding a set of decent black door cards, they are the only bit on the 190 that are crap quality and they all warped away years ago, actually made of cardboard !!!! I couldn't find a set 10 years ago hence why the sport line ones are still there. I ended up dying a cream set black for one my other 190s.

 

[MightyE30]

Just incase you'd like to see the car now, Ive posted some pics My new 190e M104 3.2 Sportline blue/black build | Members Gallery

 

[optimusprime]

Such a nice car .I would get a stainless steel silenser made up ..i had a price for my M103 at £500 ..but found a shop to repair my stainless steel silencer that was split on the expansion box .I do have a new centre box doing nothing [ pic was before i purchased it ] the m104 sileencer is same as the m103 might fit 190e

 

[optimusprime]

The m103 and m104 use same silencer so might fit the w201