W212 E63 '15 wagon vs saloon - secondary decats?

[sixthree]

Hi all!

I was down at PCW exhaust mods today who suggested doing a muffler mod on my wagon rather than the resonator mod. Really nice chap and the work (especially the welds) were very clean although I wasn't 100% sure what exactly the mod was inside the silencer.

During the install he noticed the (what I think) are the secondary cats just in front of the resonator towards the engine side. He was a little perplexed as he doesn't remember them ever being there on any of the e63 saloons he's done in the past. I'm now thinking that they aren't there on saloons?

Can anybody help me out? I'm dying to know if I can at least make my wagon sound a bit louder without going down the downpipe and sportcat route.

The mod he did btw has increased the volume a bit although weirdly inside the cabin it sounds a bit quieter and I get less of the low speed stock rumble? I might be overthinking it.

Your comments and thoughts are appreciated!

 

[sixthree]

OK did some further digging...

Is it possible that maybe somebody before me put on an M156 part? Looking at an exhaust parts diagram that little secondary cat is present just before where it meets the resonator

 

[AMGeed]

I can confirm there is no secondary cat on a E63 saloon or wagon.
It's always possible someone put in an M156 part but I'd question why?

My 64 E63 saloon sounded really nice with just a resonator delete.

 

[sixthree]

oh wow....

Well that confirms it then . I'm guessing the previous owner had a nice set of downpipes on it and then removed them before the sale and put on a secondhand set of M156 pipes.

It has been boggling my mind why it was so quiet this whole time. What a joke! I can't believe it.

 

[Rich764089]

I can confirm there is no secondary cat on a E63 saloon or wagon.
It's always possible someone put in an M156 part but I'd question why?

My 64 E63 saloon sounded really nice with just a resonator delete.

^ This.

Nice mod without being too obnoxious.

 

[sixthree]

So my options are either....

1. Keep the stock M156 downpipes
2. Get a correct set of secondhand M157 downpipes
3. Aftermarket downpipes and sportcats
4. Aftermarket cat-less downpipes

Option 1 sucks btw and I do not want option 4 as the MOT hassle and smell isn't worth it for me.

So that's option 2 or 3....

What do you all think?

 

[AMGeed]

I'm surprised the M156 downpipes, remember from a n/a 6.2 engine, actually fit a 5.5 Biturbo engine.!
Those secondary cats are withholding sound that a M157 system doesn't have.
How about removing the cats and straight piping them, remove the resonator but leave the mufflers alone.
That's the route I'd take. It should sound wonderful.

 

[sixthree]

Yeah it's super weird and annoying having the double muffling and power robbing effect!

I guess I getting the secondaries removed is a good starting point and probably the cheapest! I've already done the muffler mod by PCW and the resonators we left stock as he felt this is a better option between the two if you are only doing one.

How easy is it for the downpipes to come out? Fiddly?

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

How easy is it for the downpipes to come out? Fiddly?

It depends how handy you are with the spanners and what facilities you have.

It’s probably not a job for an amateur mechanic on the driveway, access will be very limited and depending upon how long they’ve been there - and whether they’ve ever been off the car - then the complexity can spiral pretty quickly, and not the type of job to back out per way through.

It shouldn’t be too difficult for someone who’s done it before, has a workshop and all the right tools available.

 

[DanE350cdi]

No3 for me

 

[TrueSpirit]

Number 3 might be the option I'd take. Let know as I might do that on mine. I've already installed an iPE cat back exhaust but with windows up it doesn't sound that loud ! The cabin is a little too well insulated IMO. My c63s sounded much much louder in cabin

 

[sixthree]

That sounds like an expensive exhaust! Do you like it? I hear the standard exhaust is pretty straight through as it is and PCW just removes (I think) the sound deadening from the little canister inside the larger muffler. It is a tad louder than what it was but with my two sets of cats who knows haha. Honestly....I have the worst luck

 

[badgx]

^^^X3 post3, start off with resonator delete and see how you get on, should be enough and will keep the neighbours happy.

If you want it to sound ferocious as in the video below, then the exhaust will need complete straight through build with h pipe configuration. You will also be able to hear the turbo spooling, does sound really nice but the cold start is horrendous.

So really depends on your personal goal.

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[TrueSpirit]

The main change apart from the sound being more pronounced is the turbo whistle is now very prominent. The E class suffers from the sound insulation in the cabin and people outside the car probably enjoy the sound more than I do
Badgx's video is what I want my car to sound like when it grows up

 

[badgx]

The main change apart from the sound being more pronounced is the turbo whistle is now very prominent. The E class suffers from the sound insulation in the cabin and people outside the car probably enjoy the sound more than I do
Badgx's video is what I want my car to sound like when it grows up

Thats the thing it never grows up drove into work last Tuesday, noticed I was surrounded by battery cars, Tesla in front of me blocking my way, on the left a Hyundai Ion, on my right a little Zoe taking up the overtaking lane and some other blob shaped looking car behind me.

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[sixthree]

Thanks for the input lads. I gotta say I just need that G63 sound for the E63. Want to hear that spool, hear that low down angry grunt.

 

[sixthree]

^^^X3 post3, start off with resonator delete and see how you get on, should be enough and will keep the neighbours happy.

If you want it to sound ferocious as in the video below, then the exhaust will need complete straight through build with h pipe configuration. You will also be able to hear the turbo spooling, does sound really nice but the cold start is horrendous.

So really depends on your personal goal.

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Is this with no cats? Or jus straight from the cat back?

 

[j dog]

Is this with no cats? Or jus straight from the cat back?

How did you get on in the end mate?

 

[j dog]

I'd be interested to know your results thanks!

 

[sixthree]

I haven't done anything since getting the backboxes modified. Still need to do resonator and I still have secondary decats (god knows why). Mercedes recently told me all looks stock and in order but I don't think they really know. I suspect that maybe I have the cats from a M278 engine?