Need Exhaust Clamp Help...C280 Sport
 

This is too strange.

My 2000, c280 Sport needs a muffler clamp that has totally rotted away. For a week or so it was rattling around and finally simply fell off.

No big deal, go to the local muffler shop and get another....NOPE! They tell me it is a dealer item only.

Go to the dealer, with pictures of the two pipes that need to be connected...NOPE!...never saw such a thing. Must be an aftermarket exhaust system. I tell them I'm the original owner and bought it from this same dealership. They check and sure enough..one owner..me...No Aftermarket exhaust system. But that doesn't help as they have NEVER seen such a connection on a Mercedes!

We spend an hour trying to find the part. It doesn't show up on any of the parts drawings....Nothing.

Here is a picture or two of the two pipes that need to be connected back together. Anyone have any idea where I can find the appropriate clamp. The car sounds like a tractor currently!

http://images14.fotki.com/v219/photo...5821361-vi.jpg

http://images46.fotki.com/v400/photo...0302366-vi.jpg

http://images55.fotki.com/v507/photo...5905984-vi.jpg

Thanks in advance!

anyone?

I havnt seen those clamps but a muffler shop should be able to cut off both ends and weld a piece in place easily. Or cut the ends off and use a band clamp if you could find one the right diamater.

Thanks, that is what I might have to do.

But it amazes me that no one has ever seen this type of connection on a Mercedes, but here it is!

I found some that look like they would work if you could find the right Dia. They are called v band clamps. They have some at Summit racing. An import place may have some. Vibrant Performance 1488C - Vibrant Performance Quick-Release V-Band Clamps. Look those up and Walker also makes some.

Thanks for all the help! Greatly appreciated. Looks like exactly what I need. Now I just need to figure out the size and place an order.

I had this problem and took vehicle to Muffler Man. The tech sawed a new clamp in half and placed it on the pipe and welded the clamp together again. This worked really well.

Thanks! I finally found a clamp at a tractor supply house that worked. Two pieces of laminated steel with two bolts that pulled the whole thing together. Worked great!

Now the old gal has a gas smell that I need to figure out where it is coming from......a 14 year old Mercedes with 180K is not fun sometimes!