Diesel Tuning

[sym]

....it will be interesting to compare mine, when its done, with your chip Greg !

 

[GrahamC230K]

Greg can't resist a product test................I'm sure you'll get a comparison.


One piece of info we are missing until tomorrow is where abouts in the power range this extra 15BHP is going to be.

Where existing peak power is, or perhaps at higher revs only?

Will be good to see how they compare.

 

[sym]

Interesting about Optimax.... I was advised to stop using it on my previous car after loads of ECU problems with the VTEC engine.... so switched to a diet of "even more expensive" Super Unleaded which really did make a difference !! Have been subjecting the Merc to a diet of supermarket unleaded so far (I know, I know), but might try a tank of optimax once the performance upgrade is in place, and see whether the difference is noticeable ... from what you are saying Greg, it sounds like it is !!

 

[GrahamC230K]

Originally posted by sym
Interesting about Optimax.... I was advised to stop using it on my previous car after loads of ECU problems with the VTEC engine.... so switched to a diet of "even more expensive" Super Unleaded which really did make a difference !! Have been subjecting the Merc to a diet of supermarket unleaded so far (I know, I know), but might try a tank of optimax once the performance upgrade is in place, and see whether the difference is noticeable ... from what you are saying Greg, it sounds like it is !!

Aparrently you need at least 3 tanks to see the benefit. I didn't but then I only pass a Shell garage every now and then so not like I could use it all the time anyway. If I stop at a shell, I get the optimax.

Funny I happened to pass one yesterday

 

[jimmy]

Originally posted by GrahamC230K
Sounds like your launch theory is good.


For our petrol engines does the level 3 maximum still apply or did the supplier offer different advice?

I have just found out that the petrol units are not adjustable, also they can supply a pulley kit for the C230K that, combined with the box gives a 42bhp gain.

The petrol units involve cutting one wire from the ECU so that the signal then passes through the box and is adjusted.

 

[Dieselman]

Jimmy

I am interested to know which ECU connections have to be made. I have considered adding a piggy back controller but have been put off by additional insurance costs and the risk of overfueling. You were right to keep the fueling to a minimum as blocked cats. are not uncommon on chipped diesels.

Can you please keep us informed with respect to MPG improvements in normal driving and different driving conditions. I know you should expect 5%ish.

If you want some real go at pod try fumigating the air intake with propane. 100% power increase should be possible but engine life will suffer at that output so be sensible.

Anybody got an old diesel they want to try this on?

 

[jimmy]

Dieselman,

There are five wires to connect to the wiring harness or connector coming from the ECU. The diesel units are piggy back boxes and can be easily disconnected from the supplied wiring loom.

1. Positive
2. Negative
3. Air mass meter
4. Pump output 1
5. Pump output 2

I have been out tonight and the car feels much livelier and a little pressure on the pedal gives a better result than before. I think it is better to squeeze the pedal rather than floor it if I want to go fast. Flooring it seems to overfuel it and produces a bit of smoke, not too much, but by squeezing the pedal you still get the performance but not the smoke.

The engine also sounds much better, I shall drive sensibly with the next tank full, I would hope my average to go from 28-30mpg to the mid thirties.

So propane is similiar to nitrous then? I was talking to somebody today who are working on developing a range of dump valves for diesel cars, I would not have thought that a dump valve would have much advantage with an auto.

 

[jimmy]

I shall leave it to Graham and Sym to tell you all about our exciting morning. But we learnt one thing, there are several ways to convert KiloWatts to HorsePower.

My car is claimed by MB to be 150bhp or 110Kw, that gives a conversion ratio of 1.3636. So my car was:

MB - 110Kw x 1.3636 = 149.996Hp
Standard - 117Kw x 1.3636 = 159.54Hp
Tuned - 139Kw x 1.3636 = 189.5Hp

The gargage where we got the rolling road tests said the conversion ration was Watts x 0.0013. So:

MB - 110000W x 0.0013 = 143Hp
Standard - 117000W x 0.0013 = 152.1Hp
Tuned - 139000Kw x 0.0013 = 180.7Hp

Various internet conversion claculators and Vinny have suggested the correct formula is to divide Kw by 0.746. So:

MB - 110Kw / 0.746 = 147.45Hp
Standard - 117Kw / 0.746 = 156.83Hp
Tuned - 139Kw / 0.746 = 186.33 Hp

This is all a bit academic as there is clearly a vast improvement on power, however does anybody know the correct conversion factor from Kw to Hp?

 

[simonl]

according to this:
power converter

it's W x 0.00136 = HP

 

[GrahamC230K]

Originally posted by simonl
according to this:
power converter

it's W x 0.00136 = HP

That would be correct I believe, it proves itself.

MB Claim for the C230K

193 BHP.

This is 142 KW.

142000 x 0.00136 = 193.12


Just to add that I did not get the Tuning box Jimmy is offering (although they do look good products - form an orderly queue) and have decided not too.

 

[jimmy]

Hey nice picture in your sig Graham, are you gonna tell us more?

We know the C230K is supposed to be 193Hp, so what was yours.

So, going back to conversions. Based on the conversion factor of 0.00136, my car has gone from 159Hp to 189Hp.:bannana: :bannana: :bannana: :bannana: No wonder it feels so much faster, and it doesn't smoke too much does it Sym....Graham? (alright just a little when I floor it.)

I can presume that my car is performing better before the tuning box because of the K&N filter and it has allowed the tuning box to take greater advantage of it too. Yes I am very happy.

 

[GrahamC230K]

Originally posted by jimmy
No wonder it feels so much faster, and it doesn't smoke too much does it Sym....Graham? (alright just a little when I floor it.)

I would say it smokes a "fair" amount, when booted. But not at all otherwise. From other new cars on the road I would not say it is disimilar to other performance diesels (did I just say that - Jeremy Clarkson shoot me!).

Originally posted by jimmy
Hey nice picture in your sig Graham, are you gonna tell us more?

We know the C230K is supposed to be 193Hp, so what was yours.

Well as you ask Jimmy (we did not rehurse this I promise!):

The story is - Tuning box wiring diagrams delayed - I wanted to use my booked Dyno run regardless - to see what I had as standard.

The results were:

130KW at the wheels.
30K transmission losses

= 160KW Engine Power...................

which rounded to the nearest decimal place is 218 BHP.



I must just have a corker!

We checked and there is not a Piggy Back type ECU chip in place on my car, so there you have it.

EDIT: Car standard as far as I know, standard (probably dirty) paper air filter, Tesco's 95 RON unleaded.

 

[sym]

...... very interesting day.... as Jimmy has said - no wiring diagrams yet for the petrol tuning boxes. . . . so install will be completed at a later date.

I had my Car Dyno'd as well after Graham was smiling all over his face and trying to work out how his car had 218 BHP !

Unfortunately - I was not so lucky ... mine was showing 10% below the MB quoted power ... at about 122 BHP

Tried popping Jimmy's K&N filter in to see if this made any difference - the car was slightly more responsive, but not massively so. I'll be ordering one anyway as it should last much longer than the stock MB part.

We then popped back to Jimmy's little terraced house .... damn - it was so tiny - there was hardly room to move there - we'll post some pictures later so you can see.... however he had cleverly managed to fit in a powered ramp (as you may have seen from his previous post).

One new set of spark plugs later, supplied and fitted very quickly and professionally by Jimmy,and the car feels much much smoother - smoother idle, and smoother power delivery - looking at the old plugs, it was clear that they had been in there for QUITE some time !!

I also decided that it would be rude to turn down Jimmy's invitation for a ride on his ramp, so we lifted the car and had a look underneath. After a frenzied search for spring pad location, we also found that two of the hefty bolts holding the transmission to the engine had worked their way loose - one of them was milimeters from dropping off !! Anyway - some thread-lock ,and a very obscurely sized spanner later, this problem was swiftly corrected.

So ... will wait to get my new air filter, and the tuning box installed, and will then put it back on the Rolling Road - will be hoping to see an improvement !

Thanks to Jimmy for his mechanic skills and use of garage & ramp... and as for you Graham.... get that grin off your face !! 218 BHP - I don't know !!

 

[GrahamC230K]

Don't forget your new plugs Sym.

 

[GrahamC230K]

Originally posted by GDC200

I think Graham has the fastest W202 on this site...unless someone knows better?

I think Alps AMG C36 might just kick my ass, but non AMG powered perhaps.

 

[jimmy]

Originally posted by GDC200
Well done guys! Thats been a lot of fun for you all and us! Graham WOW!!! Sym, before my chip I got 136 on the dyno ie MBs figure BUT I was already using a K and N, New Plugs and Optimax to get up to the claimed figure! So dont be too hacked off with 122bhp by the time you've done your plugs, fuel, filter and chip it will be alright!

I think Graham has the fastest W202 on this site...unless someone knows better?

So do you think Optimax is any better than Supermarket fuel?

I wonder what Grahams car would have been like if it was running Optimax.

 

[sym]

......easy on the old Optimax graham ... we wouldn't want to strain the engine now that we know what its really capable of eh' ! (Hope you've declared the Optimax to your insurers Greg )

 

[Steve_Perry]

Originally posted by GDC200
I think Graham has the fastest W202 on this site...unless someone knows better?

I'm sure K's turbo would give Graham a good run for his money and I thought Alps has a C36?

*EDIT* You guys are posting fast today Must have been all that fun you had on the rolling road

S.

 

[jimmy]

Originally posted by Steve_Perry
I'm sure K's turbo would give Graham a good run for his money and I thought Alps has a C36?

*EDIT* You guys are posting fast today Must have been all that fun you had on the rolling road

S.

We neeeeeeeeeed the chat room back.

I'm sure K's turbo would give Graham a good run for his money and I thought Alps has a C36?

Don't under estimate a 190bhp Turbodiesel.

I want to go to the pod.

 

[Steve_Perry]

Originally posted by jimmy
Don't under estimate a 190bhp Turbodiesel.

I want to go to the pod.

:bannana: :bannana: Hehe Jimmy I wouldn't... I'd be worried, my stock C240 only has 170bhp as stock and wouldn't match your diesel for torque either.


Would be interesting to see the spread of performance figures for exact model cars tho'... E.g. Shudes car, Graham's and all other C230K, or, mine with Wheelie's car and Fuzzer's ex. C240, if only to see if MB generally under-quote their power figures or to see if some people are lucky with 'gem' cars like Graham

S.