Should I paint my new muffler?

[FC]

I ordered a new muffler for my 190E and it came in but it is just bare steel. The current, thoroughly corroded muffelr was a brand new MB muffler installed in 2001.

I could just say "F-it" and let the new one be since I don't plan to keep the car around for more than a couple of years, but will it help avoid premature corrosion if I just give it a coat of high-temp paint?

Any other options? Should I just leave it a lone?

Thanks guys. :D

(I'm leaning towards just leaving it alone)

[JST]

I ordered a new muffler for my 190E and it came in but it is just bare steel. The current, thoroughly corroded muffelr was a brand new MB muffler installed in 2001.

I could just say "F-it" and let the new one be since I don't plan to keep the car around for more than a couple of years, but will it help avoid premature corrosion if I just give it a coat of high-temp paint?

Any other options? Should I just leave it a lone?

Thanks guys. :D

(I'm leaning towards just leaving it alone)

Mufflers typically rust from the inside out. I am not sure that a coat of paint would do much for you, other than make it look nice.

[clyde]

The car is old. It's a beater. You're waiting for it to die.

Paint it bright red like all the ricer rear drum brakes. That shyt would be da Hotzzzzzzzzzzzz!!!!!!!!!!

[lip277]

If it can't be seen after it's installed, then there's no point to paint it. (It's an OE muffler, right?)

I painted the tail end of the muffler I installed on the 2002 just because you can see it from behind the car. Even then, I just painted the rear facing 'end' and tube coming out and doing the turn to the right rear corner under the bumper.

I just used an aluminized primer that looks pretty decent but isn't too shiney to look fake or forced.

I think on the Mercedes, I'd just leave it alone regardless.

[FC]

If it can't be seen after it's installed, then there's no point to paint it. (It's an OE muffler, right?)

I painted the tail end of the muffler I installed on the 2002 just because you can see it from behind the car. Even then, I just painted the rear facing 'end' and tube coming out and doing the turn to the right rear corner under the bumper.

I just used an aluminized primer that looks pretty decent but isn't too shiney to look fake or forced.

I think on the Mercedes, I'd just leave it alone regardless.

I'll just leave it alone. The muffler should outlive the car's services to me anyway. I'll be putting it on in the next couple of days.

It looks like a piece of cake... just insert the pipe, hang the rear end on the rubber rings, and put a ring clamp. Should take less than an hour. :D

[blee]

If it can't be seen after it's installed, then there's no point to paint it. (It's an OE muffler, right?)

I painted the tail end of the muffler I installed on the 2002 just because you can see it from behind the car. Even then, I just painted the rear facing 'end' and tube coming out and doing the turn to the right rear corner under the bumper.

I just used an aluminized primer that looks pretty decent but isn't too shiney to look fake or forced.

I think on the Mercedes, I'd just leave it alone regardless.

I'll just leave it alone. The muffler should outlive the car's services to me anyway. I'll be putting it on in the next couple of days.

It looks like a piece of cake... just insert the pipe, hang the rear end on the rubber rings, and put a ring clamp. Should take less than an hour. :DIt's not much trickier than that in reality. Just watch for stuck pipes during removal, and be sure to get a good seal during installation. No big whoop.

[FC]

If it can't be seen after it's installed, then there's no point to paint it. (It's an OE muffler, right?)

I painted the tail end of the muffler I installed on the 2002 just because you can see it from behind the car. Even then, I just painted the rear facing 'end' and tube coming out and doing the turn to the right rear corner under the bumper.

I just used an aluminized primer that looks pretty decent but isn't too shiney to look fake or forced.

I think on the Mercedes, I'd just leave it alone regardless.

I'll just leave it alone. The muffler should outlive the car's services to me anyway. I'll be putting it on in the next couple of days.

It looks like a piece of cake... just insert the pipe, hang the rear end on the rubber rings, and put a ring clamp. Should take less than an hour. :DIt's not much trickier than that in reality. Just watch for stuck pipes during removal, and be sure to get a good seal during installation. No big whoop.

Thanks blee!

[Jason C]

Mbr, just skip the small steps and take the big leap:

http://www.nerdherd.com/motorcycle/dcp/gm-crx1l.jpg

:twisted:

[FC]

Mbr, just skip the small steps and take the big leap:

http://www.nerdherd.com/motorcycle/dcp/gm-crx1l.jpg

:twisted:

:lol:

[FC]

Here are a couple of pics of the old versus new. Notice just how badly it has corroded. The end was so bad it just broke off simply by trying to unhook the opposite end.

http://members.roadfly.com/mbr129/Dsc00876.jpg
http://members.roadfly.com/mbr129/Dsc00877.jpg

[FC]

blank post. :D

[blee]

LOL. What kind of clamp are you going to use to install this thing?

[FC]

LOL. What kind of clamp are you going to use to install this thing?

I suppose I could order the MB clamp, but I'll probably just go to the local autoparts store and get a generic one.

First order of business is to buy myself a good dremmel tool and cut the remnants of the old clamp. Right now it is fused to the remainder of the exhaust in a corroded state akin to a part retreived from the Titanic.

That hardest part will be to smooth out the 80mm section that will be inserted on to the new pipe without braking it (it is corroded also, though not as bad).

[blee]

It looks like the muffler slips onto the exhaust pipe. You can use a plain "U-Clamp" to install it. You'll risk crimping the pipe, of course, and you'll probably have some problems if you ever need to remove it. Most speed shops (and some parts stores) sell band-style clamps, which are more expensive but provide a better seal. They're basically sheets of steel that are rolled around the tubing and held in place with bolts.

http://www.jegs.com/images/products/28935620_large.jpg

[FC]

It looks like the muffler slips onto the exhaust pipe. You can use a plain "U-Clamp" to install it. You'll risk crimping the pipe, of course, and you'll probably have some problems if you ever need to remove it. Most speed shops (and some parts stores) sell band-style clamps, which are more expensive but provide a better seal. They're basically sheets of steel that are rolled around the tubing and held in place with bolts.

http://www.jegs.com/images/products/28935620_large.jpg

If I do a good job, I really don't see why I'd ever want to remove it. But if the band style works fine, I guess I can give it a shot.

The MB part is a C-clamp (reminiscent of a shower curtain clip) with of course the corresponding hardware (bolt, nut, a couple of washers, etc).

If it seems like going with a generic one will cause any trouble, I'll just get the MB one. I hope they have one in stock.