Drop-a-Daimler

I am very psyched. I finally got the OL to sign off on some "mod money" and I pulled the trigger tonight on an ECU and silencer for my 2006 C350 Sport. I ordered the Speed Innovations ECU from JLevi and the SuperSprint 2005 C320 Street muffler with the stock looking oval tip. I ordered the SI ECU with the 93 octane code. I asked them to take into account the K&Ns, deleted resonator and SuperSprint exhaust. Not sure if that makes a difference. And everyone I talked to says the 2005 C320 exhaust will fit on the 2006 C350 so my fingers are crossed. I am hoping this gets me close to 300 HP. I am especially jazzed to test the 29 ft-lbs of torque the SI tuning claims to offer. I am a big fan of torque. If all goes well I'll be 335i and M3 hunting next week.

rlee02135

nice!

MJ50

drexappeal

Only thing that is gonna get you hp out of all those is the tuning. Muffler = 0hp. Deleted resonator = 0hp. K&N Filter = 0hp.

I wouldn't go chasing down any 335's or M3's, unless you decide you want to get your butt handed to you Ask nlpamg (has an m3) and I guarantee that he'd kill AndySays' car (SI tuned 350) any day of the week.

splinter

Drex, you are starting to sound like me, (an old man) and you’re not even 30 yet. LOL! You are absolutely correct though; there will be no improvement in torque/horsepower.

That muffler looks pretty cool. IMHO, if it sounds good and increases the pleasure he receives from driving it, then there is no harm done. Besides, his OL gave him the green light. That’s worth some points right there!

Drop-a-Daimler

It's amazing how easy the ECU is to remove. It takes 10 minutes max and no tools required! I was pleasantly surprised.

As for hunting, I am not expecting the new ECU and muffler to feel like a supercharger or anything but I do hope to get a few ponies out of the combination. H*ll, for $1000 I better get something. I'd be happy with a 5% to 10% improvement. And if I get that, then it's going to be a whole new ball game out there. I've already pulled away from a 300C Hemi (340hp @ 4200 lbs, 5.8 0-60), an Impreza WRX (276hp @ 3200 lbs, 5.6 0-60), a Solstice GXP (260hp @ 3100, 5.4 0-60) and a 330i (255hp @ 3400 lbs). The car will already run 0 to 60 in 5.5 on a good day. I have gotten into it with a couple 335i's (300hp @ 3900 lbs), which are rated at 5.1 seconds, and they did pull on me late in the powerband but there were no a$$es being handed to anyone. Schit, the M3 is rated at 5.1 to 5.5 0-60 depending on who you talk to and 5.5 is exactly what MotorTrend got out of the C350 in their tests. And all the magazines are saying the 335i is tearing the V6 M3 up and MotorTrend only got 5.1 out of that. I've run side-by-side with my buddies '03 M3 (Ok, so it's got 60K on the clock). If I pick up maybe 8% that will put me over 290 hp and pretty close to 11 lbs/hp. The 335i is almost 13lbs/hp. It's going to be pretty dang close out there I think. I agree, still probably not enough but close enough to make it fun. Around here, where everybody and their mother drives a Beamer, it won't take long to find out. And if not, those MKB headers ought to do the trick!

Well now, that ought to stir up some schit! If it doesn't, nothing will!

Drop-a-Daimler

Sounds like you know how tough that one little step can be. I'm still paying for even mentioning it! After modding two track cars, uncounted street cars and another two motorcycles, she's a little "gun shy" when I start mentioning exhaust and hearers and springs and brakes and cold air intakes and fuel injectors and trick heads and crazy cams and ...

Drop-a-Daimler

Oh man, you're pissing on my Wheaties. I can dream can't I?!? Let's see, double platinum plugs are worth 2 hp, octane booster is worth 6, K&N is worth 5, removing the screen from the intake plenum is worth another 2, synthetic oil is worth 3. It all ads up if you believe every manufacturer's claim!

Saprissa

big IF

Drop-a-Daimler

Agreed.

drexappeal

LOL...Nah, just don't want you to be unrealistic with it.

Believe me, I wish I could say my car is a m3 killer...but not even close.

FrankW

realistically K&N or any filter upgrade is probably more like 1-2hp at most unless your car allow the full intake upgrade like most JDM and BMW does. do you really put octane booster into your gas? I never really believe in that stuff since your ecu's not tuned for gas higher than 93. i didn't even bother to have mine tune to 93 since we can't get 93 in Cali. new oil...debateble.

you'll definitely enjoy the new tune for sure tho

Drop-a-Daimler

I was just kidding around about the spark plugs, air filters and octane booster really. No, I don't use it. It's just that there are tons of claims from manufactures and vendors about performance gains from their products and if you believe them all,and add them up, a lot of people think they are getting a lot of HP out of them. But in reality you get very little if any.

But I have dyno'd air filters on other vehicles and high flow filters can improve HP. But only if they are put on a system that was previously restricted and only if they provide a smooth and high velocity intake charge. So I don't usually expect to get more than a couple of HP out of an air filter change. But I do expect to get some ponies out of basic in-and-out modifications like headers, cams, cold air intakes, manifold upgrades and high flow cats, cat-back exhaust and open mufflers. Again, only if there were prior restrictions and only if the parts work together to improve the basic pumping efficiency of the motor. Slapping on a muffler will do nothing if the motor is restricted on the intake side. And vice-versa, a big cold air intake won't help too much with a restrictive set of cats or lame stock exhaust manifolds.

My plan is to try to open up the front and the back a little and change the programming to try to make the most out of it with an more aggressive, higher octane full/spark map. A little Vmax and rev limiter bump doesn't hurt either! My next step may be to open both ends a bit more with the MKB headers and the SuperSprint hi-flow cats.

With the MKB cam kit, the 3.5L is rated at 320 ponies. That would make it 400 lbs lighter and 20 hp MORE than a 335i. At that point it would be the 335i's getting their a$$es handed to them! That's what I'm talking about!

johnand

Have you driven a new 335i? You keep talking about horsepower when comparing your car to a 335i, but forget one important part........TORQUE. The 335i has 300ft/lbs at 1400rpms. stock Your car has 258ft/lbs at 2400 stock. That is a big discrepancy to overlook. Plus, I have seen a few dyno's of the 335i, and BMW is grossly underrating the power figures.

I am happy for you and don't want to spoil your fun. Just wanted you to stay realistic and keep it in perspective. Anyway, no matter what, I bet your car is fun to drive and will be damn quick.

drexappeal

MKB has some GREAT stuff (peformance and styling - well, no styling for the w203)! Only problem is it's VERY expensive. If you translate the amount to US dollars, it's almost better to think upgrade to C55 or if you're a w204 fan, C63.

Drop-a-Daimler

You're not bringing me down, I love these kinds of discussions. I agree wholeheartedly that the 335i biturbo is a beast. It's TQ is it's most impressive feature. It runs 105 mph in the 1/4 mile. That's a pretty good indication of it's power. But I am also not afraid. The MB 3.5L DOHC SFI VVT with 7 speeds and full TQ lock-up in every gear CAN take that on. I believe it. There is a lot under the hood to work with. The M272 E35 can make 350hp and 320tq without forced induction. It just needs to breathe better, have a more aggressive fuel/spark curve, some more lift and duration, the right overlap and the right exhaust with some good scavenging. I am not saying I am going to pull away from a 300hp/300ft-lbs motor with an air filter, muffler and a chip. But if the combination works and I get my 5 to 10% performance increase, then it will at least be a more fair fight. If I can make 290/280 and be almost 400 lbs lighter than the 335i, all signs in my magic eight ball say it will be close. Yeah, it's a torque factory but a 300 lb. weight advantage with variable resonance intakes and a close ratio 7 speed with full lockup are nice bennies to have tied to 290 hp.

Case in point: this month's MotorTrend picked the G37 over the 335i and toppled BMW's seat at the pinnacle of the Sport Coupe throne. The G37 ran 0-60 in 5.4 and the 1/4 mile in 14.0@100. And it was picked OVER the 335i which ran 5.1 and 13.5@105 because of it's similar performance (???) yet its $39K price tag was $8K lower than the Beamer. But when MotorTrend tested the 2006 C350 they got 5.5 seconds 0-60 and a 1/4 mile of 14.1@100. And the C350 was $2K less than the Infiniti and $10K less than the Beamer. And the C350 pulled .87g which was more latteral acceleration than BOTH the G37 Coupe (.85g) and the 335i Coupe (.86g). The 3.5L can do it, it just needs some coaxing. Ok, so the 335i smashed everyone in the slalom. I'll readily admit the 335i is faster and is a very powerful sport sedan, I just think it can be taken in stock form. Sadly, who drives stock these days?

You are right about that! I called them about their ECU. They claim 305hp and 290tq. When you convert the Euros it was $3000 USD with shipping! SI ECU was 12hp less but it was also $2300 less! SI had the most hp/dollar. WTF? But their headers and cams are calling me. I'll spend the bucks for good headers. I've seen good shorty headers ALONE pull 25hp on a small naturally aspirated motor. I changed the header pipes on my bike and got 15 ft-lbs on the dyno, same day. That's money well spent when the stock exhaust manifolds blow.

Drop-a-Daimler

Here's the C-Class' story when it comes to BMW ...

johnand

Glad to see so much enthusiasm I think your going to need at least 340hp and 330ft/lbs to keep pace with a stock 335i. Dyno's I have seen show 270-280hp and 290-310ft/lbs to the wheels on a bone stock 335i. That equates to roughly 350hp and 360ft/lbs at the crank. Obviously BMW is hiding the true potency of the 335i. The 335i drivetrain is phenomenal, but the exterior and interior are just plain fugly IMO. That is what kept me from getting one. Just couldn't get past the looks.

I think you have a shot with your planned mods to keep pace, if not slightly edge one (335i) out. But that is assuming a stock 335i. Once the 335i starts becoming modded, I think your fighting a losing battle. Forced induction will always have the advantage there. But, if you do keep pace with a 335i, you will get much respect from me. My dad owns one, and I never turn down his offers when he hands me the keys

sanf

if no go against the 335i.. take the driver out in a hot dog eating contest...

Drop-a-Daimler

I just love a good challenge and doing the sleeper thing and being the underdog. I agree the 335i is underacted but I think a lot of the MB motors are too. And the big weight advantage on the C-Class is worth 30 - 40hp you don't need to keep up. Yeah, you get a lot more bang for your buck when you start hopping up a turbo or an S/C. A pulley here, a new fuel map there, or just a new blow-off valve. They can net 20% increases for a few hundred dollars! It's not fair.

drexappeal

Good job on the research! Hope you enjoy the SI tune. When you decide to get bolt-ons, I would have your ecu re-flashed to recognize those because it would open up your car even more.

From what I've heard and read, MKB is the "M" in AMG...but that could be all rumor. Needless to say, many people in Europe have commented on MKB's reputation and products.

I wish they made a super aggressive kit for the w203 like they have on the w211!

MJ50

wow... i never knew...
can anyone confirm? i always thought M from AMG is "motorsport" or something similar...

Drop-a-Daimler

You mean this guy?

Drop-a-Daimler

I'm liking those MKB headers more and more!

FrankW

270-280rwhp dyno from the 335 are mostly from the manual tranny, buy yea, it's still very underrate consider they "only" rated 300 by BMW. In reality the engine is pushing around 320-330. recently drove one on a test drive. the thing is quick indeed.