slk320 Resonator

Are you sure you really need one? It is possible that one of your muffler mount broke off and cause the rattling noise. MB exhaust system are super duty and they usually last 9 years or so.

The only aftermarket unit I would buy are Eberspaecher (which is OEM) and ANSA...

Well....I think so. Took it to a local muff shop and put it on the rack. Everything seems solid and there's a distinct sharp rattling sound coming from the area of the resonator on the passenger side I think. Looks like the MB part is probably the whole ball of wax since it's a one piece pipe rig coming off the cat converter.($$$) Car has 59K on it, but all the exhaust sys and clamps still look brand new. Muffler guy beat around on the pipes with a hammer and couldn't find any thing loose. I'm assuming that the resonator is full of little tubes with some packing of some kind to break up the sound. I'm thinking one of those tubes has come loose and is vibrating against something in side there. Logical??

None of the parts sites I was able to google up showed the resonators as an available part :( I'll google up Eberspaecher later today.

Thanks! Eric

I would remove the resonator

Thought about it. My concerns are:

1. excessive noise
2. change in backpressure resulting in backfire or popping between the gears.

How was your experience with the above? Still looking for parts! e.

Not logical. Inside the resonator is two pipes or 4 pipes depending on how many pipes goes in and how many goes out.

Muffler guys are not the expert... they are there to make sure you buy a new muffler. Go to a MB specialist. I am willing to bet that a rubber mount fell off and allows the muffler system to swing around. and that would shake the connection loose at the cat and cause rattling noise.

MB muffler in my experience last around 130,000+miles

I have not done it yet, I was hoping you would tell me :)

This guy did it on an SLK32. Mine is a lowly 320, no turbo.

My sense from reading the article is that the only change is a bit more throat to the exhaust (you are not removing the muffler, just the resonator).

As soon as I need exhaust work (mine is a 2001 and only has 40K on it). If it was a "tractor" and I had a choice between replacing and removing the resonator, I would definitely try removing it first. My personal taste tells me mine could easily be more throaty and still not even close to obnoxious. I also think at speed the increased sound would go away almost completely as it does with the resonator.

I am also thinking there is little to no backpressure on the exhaust now, so I would not expect any problems or even the computer to notice the difference.

I would also be soliciting experience and opinion as you are before doing it, which is why I posted that link.

FYI in case you have the same problem. Someone suggested that the "resonators" were actually 2ndary catalytic converters. Went to the dealer and sure enough. Good news about that is that they are covered under the EPA mandated 8 yr 80K warranty. Hope this helps someone who may have the same trouble. e.