M113 Performance (NA CLK55)

[SteveX]

Hi Guys,

I've already had a chat with SavMan and a few others in the MB circles, but just wanted to register on here, say Hi and get some other opinions too in the mean time

I've got a CLK55 (W209), and I was thinking of upgrading to a 63 next year, however, I've been thinking of late that I really do love my CLK, and, instead of throwing another 10k at a car perhaps two years newer (but true with the 6.2 engine), that I may just have a play with mine for a bit. I'm currently running the 63 brakes, and the car has a pretty massive spec and a lot of nice designo options to boot, and I think it would be difficult for me to say goodbye.

I've been looking into a SC conversion, but this isn't going to be an over-night thing, realistically by the time I source a decent s/h charger, so all the research and get all of the required parts and fabrication together it's going to take some time, so in the interim I am doing a few bits and pieces to keep me occupied and interested.

I've just had the secondary cats removed this week and replaced with stainless pipes, the car sounds much nicer, not booming or loud, but just a nice V8 sound under acceleration. I've just put new filters in and 'modified' the intake as well (the intake will change later of course), and I have been putting out the feelers for a EC map or others (but I am getting little response on this at the moment). I heard West-Tuning at Thruxton is good also, I've dropped them a line.

I've seen that headers are quite popular, and I've also seen the Renntech carbon airbox (although I've seen many mixed reviews on this). The box certainly isn't worth the retail for a butchered stock intake glued up, but could be a temporary option I guess while I am weighing things up if I saw one for the right price (I could always sell on later when it is no longer needed?), I've seen some people say does give some improvement, and others saying that a modified stock intake is just as good. Anyhow, I wondered what the thoughts were about this intake on this side?

Apart from the standard exhaust, intake and remap, is there really much else that can be done short of waiting for the bolting on of a charger? Are headers worth while?

Anyhow, now I've registered I'll have a poke around the site, and hope to chat with you guys some more in the future.


Cheers!

 

[Deleted member 37751]

Welcome to the forum Steve.

Someone might prove me wrong, but it could be worth looking into dropping a second hand S/C '55 in as opposed to supercharging your own engine.

Whichever route you do take, I'll be watching with interest.

 

[Howard]

Speak to Olly at PCS , he'll supercharge your 55 for you , he did his own c55.

Spend the money you'd add to the sale of your car on getting the SC fitted professionally as its a big job.

Dropping a 55k engine in is an even bigger job and extremely unlikely to end up working properly

 

[SteveX]

Cheers guys, I have heard of Olly, I think he was a chap Paul mentioned who had done the SC conversion like you said.

The only others I was aware of was Paul and Acid @ MSL.

It's a pretty big undertaking for sure, I am pretty handy with spanners but I hear the biggest problem is getting the damn thing running once it is all in!

I did hear a story of a chap fitting a Weistech kit and having to get his car on the boat to Germany as no one could sort it out over here, the last thing I would like for sure is a large pile of parts

 

[SavMan]

Hi Steve, welcome to MBClub. On the intake it would be worth having the stock intake checked for pressure drop before investing in a new one.

 

[BenzedUP]

Welcome to the Forum Steve.

Think you are the chap i've been chatting to re the Renntech CB box

Hope you enjoy your stay here, would love to see images of your AMG.

Jo.

 

[Rashman]

Hey Steve
Welcome to the forum. I'm sure you'll fit in well here.

Great to see another proud CLK owner.

Regarding mods, you can't go wrong with speaking to Paul, Acid or Olly.

I'm sure they will help feed your modding bug

 

[Rashman]

...

I did hear a story of a chap fitting a Weistech kit and having to get his car on the boat to Germany as no one could sort it out over here, the last thing I would like for sure is a large pile of parts

ooer....

 

[BenzedUP]

Steve, Here is a thread you might find helpful re the Renntech box:
Renntech CF Airbox Installed - Review - MBWorld.org Forums

 

[SavMan]

Cheers guys, I have heard of Olly, I think he was a chap Paul mentioned who had done the SC conversion like you said.

The only others I was aware of was Paul and Acid @ MSL.

It's a pretty big undertaking for sure, I am pretty handy with spanners but I hear the biggest problem is getting the damn thing running once it is all in!

I did hear a story of a chap fitting a Weistech kit and having to get his car on the boat to Germany as no one could sort it out over here, the last thing I would like for sure is a large pile of parts

Not a 100% but think you are referring to a Kleemann one that was done a few years ago when the guy had to take it to Denmark

 

[SteveX]

Cheers for the welcome and info guys

Yup the same names keep cropping up, so it's nice to know who the experts are in the MB tuning world over here I dropped PCS a line too the other week, just waiting for their tuning division to come back to me. I've also got Acid in the loop too.

That is indeed me Jo, I am like a kid at a sweet shop at the moment wanting to get some goodies for my clk lol.

Trying to stay focused though on what I want to do, although I am not the most patient of people

Interesting on the pressure drop test Paul, how would that be conducted? I'll do a bit of googling to see what I can turn up in the mean time.


Cheers!

 

[SteveX]

Here's a few pics, I included the W208 I got up together late last year, but I gave the it to my father a few months back to have some fun with :

 

[SteveX]

Oh, and not MB, but though I would show the wifes little shopping cart while I was posting up some pics:

She won't let me tune it up though, as far as I got into the essesse conversion was a BMC filter, that's all she let me do and only because the old one needed changing.

Oh well.

 

[Deleted member 37751]

Really like the colour of your 209, what's it called?

 

[SteveX]

Really like the colour of your 209, what's it called?

Thanks, I really liked it to, haven't seen another MB the same colour. It's official name is Designo Varicolour 4, attractive name I know lol.....

I have seen it mentioned elsewhere in the aftermarket as another name though; Cashmere Pearl.

 

[sjmaxwell]

Hi Steve and welcome from another Steve with a CLK55!

I may have another re-mapper to put in the mix if all goes well tomorrow (if it don't then I won't!) :bannana:

 

[SteveX]

Hi Steve and welcome from another Steve with a CLK55!

I may have another re-mapper to put in the mix if all goes well tomorrow (if it don't then I won't!) :bannana:

Cool, let us know

 

[BenzedUP]

Looks v nice Steve, nicest clk55 colour I've seen, not seen any in that colour!

 

[Cerbera]

Out of interest what was the air box mod that you did?

 

[SteveX]

Out of interest what was the air box mod that you did?

Since the renntech box is a gutted stock box, with tracks, fins and all other bits removed, the stock lid cut off and a carbon lid glued on to increase the upper size by one inch, I gutted the stock box, smoothed it all (apart from the bottom filter boxes) then I extended the seal on the top part of the intake.

Whether it worked or not who knows

I did a secondary de-cat at the same time, and the car goes well, but there's never anyway I would tell any difference without getting it mapped (which I am planning on doing).

If I had a spare AMG intake, I'd dremel the lid off totally and epoxy a band around it to extend it by more so it was the same dimensions or a bit larger than the renntech, but the 55 is my daily driver, and I don't have another box to spend time playing with.

If someone does have a spare one, but all means let me know a price and I'll experiment some further.


Cheers,