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I want some more power, the main reason is I want to do this is for towing. It tows perfectly on flat road, but if there is a long step uphill (like several miles of 7-8% degree uphill), it will slow down to 40-45mph with engine revving at 3000-3500 RPM.
I did some research and it seems that there is not much you can do to ecu tune 2012 GL450? (I am in US).
This is my impression after searching some previous posts on this forum.
But at the same time I also find some website (like this one) still says that they can do ecu for 2012 GL450 which will have a torque gain of 100. But that page also said the engine is M278, and I think the M278 is for 2013 and later models?
Thank you for your inputs.
Last edited by deeperblue; 06-25-2015 at 05:41 PM.
The M278 is an 8 cylinder TT engine. If the engine for the 2014 GL450 is the same as the 2015 model, you have a TT V6. Take a look at the RennTech web page for the ECU tune labeled SKU: ECU:54.166.GL450BT, which would be for the engine type you have. They claim to be able to get you up to 501 HP @ 4900 RPM; 576 LB-FT @ 4100 RPM. I have to imagine other companies like EuroCharged and OE Tune have to offer something similar as well. Hope this helps.
I am sorry that I made typos in my original post. My GL450 is 2012 model, I mistakenly typed it as 2014. Now I have corrected it.
I will go to RennTech's web page to take a look. But if anyone has any experience/feedback about 2012 Gl450 ECU tune, I would love to hear it.
Originally Posted by PaulE550
Hi deeperblue,
The M278 is an 8 cylinder TT engine. If the engine for the 2014 GL450 is the same as the 2015 model, you have a TT V6. Take a look at the RennTech web page for the ECU tune labeled SKU: ECU:54.166.GL450BT, which would be for the engine type you have. They claim to be able to get you up to 501 HP @ 4900 RPM; 576 LB-FT @ 4100 RPM. I have to imagine other companies like EuroCharged and OE Tune have to offer something similar as well. Hope this helps.
I have to agree with BlownV8 and VentoGT. If your engine is NA, then there isn't much you can do with it. I certainly wouldn't spend the kind of money most tuners want just to get a negligible improvement in performance. In the end, you would be dissatisfied with the results. Realistically the only true option you have to get appreciably more performance would be to trade up to a newer vehicle.
I want some more power, the main reason is I want to do this is for towing. It tows perfectly on flat road, but if there is a long step uphill (like several miles of 7-8% degree uphill), it will slow down to 40-45mph with engine revving at 3000-3500 RPM.
You're missing an easy and nearly free way to gain about 125 HP!
From the HP chart at the engine tuners, your engine is putting out about 200 HP at 3000-3500 RPM. Downshift to get it up to 5000 RPM. You'll be at about 325 HP. That should be more than enough to get you above 55 or even 65.
As an aside, I'm pretty sure the engine would prefer to run at partial throttle and higher rpm than full throttle and lower rpm.
As another aside, that looks like a pretty nice engine. Real flat torque curve, which leads to a nice linear power curve.
Anyone know why the sudden drop in torque and power at 6100 rpm? Does the engine do something like retarding the timing or leaning out the fuel mixture to make an effective rev limiter?
Last edited by eric_in_sd; 06-30-2015 at 05:44 PM.
$1500 for a handful of hp and lb/ft doesn't seem like it's worth it to me, but hey it's not my money!
The main reason I would do it is not to improve the 5500 rpm performance, but to fatten out the torque curve at 2500 rpm. The engine spends a lot of time at that speed and you'd notice smoother low end acceleration. It's kind of weird Mercedes didn't tune that out of there.
Thank you very much for the information.
But I am wondering, should I let the engine run at at such high RPM? (like 5000 RPM) for a extend period of time? Would that hurt the engine?
Thanks.
Originally Posted by eric_in_sd
You're missing an easy and nearly free way to gain about 125 HP!
From the HP chart at the engine tuners, your engine is putting out about 200 HP at 3000-3500 RPM. Downshift to get it up to 5000 RPM. You'll be at about 325 HP. That should be more than enough to get you above 55 or even 65.
As an aside, I'm pretty sure the engine would prefer to run at partial throttle and higher rpm than full throttle and lower rpm.
As another aside, that looks like a pretty nice engine. Real flat torque curve, which leads to a nice linear power curve.
Anyone know why the sudden drop in torque and power at 6100 rpm? Does the engine do something like retarding the timing or leaning out the fuel mixture to make an effective rev limiter?
Thank you very much for the information.
But I am wondering, should I let the engine run at at such high RPM? (like 5000 RPM) for a extend period of time? Would that hurt the engine?
Thanks.
I guess it depends on what you're talking about. Hours and hours at 5k rpm? Maybe. Maintaining speed while climbing a single hill? Nope. Besides, you'd likely be at part throttle. The engine will be happier at higher rpm and part throttle than full throttle and low rpm. Lower speeds mean slower oil pump, slower water pump.
5k rpm just isn't all that fast. Plus, isn't this supposedly a German engineered engine, built to run all day long at redline?
06-25-2015, 04:52 PM
Normally aspirated, forget it.
