Cale, I found more info for you.

The 3.5-liter displacement is unchanged; in fact, it’s almost the same engine as before. The power increase comes from an increased compression ratio of 11.7:1 (up from 10.7:1) and a 7200-rpm redline, an improvement of 1000 revs. The compression ratio is achieved simply with newly designed pistons, but the extra revs required even more changes. A new, single-stage intake manifold made of plastic improves airflow at higher rpm. Lighter valves with sodium-filled valve stems and conical valve springs also help the high-rpm performance. Finally, the timing-chain sprocket has a slightly triangular geometry to reduce vibrations above 6300 rpm. A new air-filter design has changed the engine tone to sound more aggressive even though the exhaust is unchanged. The last SLK350 we tested—back when it was available with a manual—did 0-to-60 mph in 5.4 seconds. The 2009 SLK350 has a slightly taller final-drive ratio, but the horsepower increase should be good for a 0-to-60 sprint close to 5.1 seconds.

 

They eliminated the dual length intake manifold for a much simpler single length manifold b/c the dual length design ran out of breath at high rpms.This is very true because during my dyno tune Jeremy told me my car is starving for air up top. So if they jack up the rev limit it will slow the car down because it's starving for air.

 

You're preaching to the choir, Karo. I know you well enough to know you're just a softie. I'm not, personally, but that is probably why I am drawn to people who are - like you, Drew, and Trey.

Translation: Cale, Matt has made me see the light and we should all be friends.

I knew you were joking.. oh, and no arguments with loving stick shift.

 

(in my best sean connery voice)
sweet mother of god you've done it!

I'm so happy I could emoti-cry!

This was alllll I ever wanted, legit, exact information on qhat exactly was changed and why/what happened as a result. I'm sh*tting out rainbows right now!

Now if you can only find the EPC #s to correlate these too, I'll be in heaven

I hope you're happy too bc now of my annoying question you, Karo, too now know the answer to your engine's choking! (now the question if we can find it for less than 6 thousand dollars)

I would totally do the valves and springs, I don't know if I care enough about the vibration to go with new timing chain design. The compression ratio shouldn't account for enough of a increase to warrant tearing the crankcase apart, I wouldn't think. I looked up some generic values, and according to those, the increase wouldn't be but maybe worth 10-15 crank hp at best. A lot of work and money to get that.

Karo - I accept your apologize you monkey ducker. It's easy to get caught up in the moment. The problems with communication not being clear over text is also there. Like if I offered Matt a ride w/ my stick, and if he didn't pick up on the fact I meant to drive my car
It's best the 350 people stick together since we still have yet some innovating to do with our motors. Plus, I was prepared to pay Jeremy to tune out two of your cylinders for your next session with him

Matt - Yea, I've been getting beaten with the mbworld stick here lately and it's getting old. I'm glad Karo listened to you . So, sometime, you-me, a ride w/ my stick?

Mike - about time you stepped in.

Otherwise: I'm tired of arguing. I hope Eric ceases with the antagonism. I don't care who thinks I'm screwing up my car. If you have some cold hard facts to spew out and offer as advice, I'll listen. But there are also certain things that I really want to try for myself, especially if they haven't been done before. I'll acknowledge your advice, but just because I don't heed it doesn't mean I'm being a *****, just means Ive made my mind up.

And some more about me:
I'm book smart without a lot of common sense. If I ask a question, it means I really want to know. You'll know if I'm being sarcastic.

I'm digging the love that is STARTING to creep back in here!


Car update:

Shop called me, differential isn't a direct swap Going to call back in a bit to find out more why. Has to be mounting locations because he just eye balled it by the sounds of my voicemail. I'm considering having the ring gear and pinion changed, if they can guarantee me a noise free rebuild. not just any jack@$$ can swap gears. Specific tolerances involved or else it'll sound like Trey screaming from the inside of Matt's trunk on a Friday night.

 

Trey is coming to see me this Sunday night, so you might be on to something.

Cale - if you're ever in GA, do stop by and I'll show you how to work that stick like a man.

 

lol It will actually be more around noon if thats ok
I hope matt knows how to disable the emergency trunk opener button.

 

SHAT!

Just got back from speaking the my local MB shop foreman. Getting a chance to speak with this guy was almost as challenging as getting a one on one with the damn president. Anyway, I cornered the guy, and picked his brain.

First, my rear differential:
It doesn't fit because in 2006 they changed the goddamned housing. He also looked at my '05 housing I had in the box and noticed some changes they had even made to it from previous years to "increase the efficiency". Anyway. Moral to the story, an 06-07 differential is unique to those years, if it bleeds over into the w204, I don't know. Another thing, 06-07 shares the differential with the SLK from like years as well.
Conclusion: I need an 06 or 07 C/SLK rear differential. The lowest I'm getting is 3.27. That'll work for me. Now to talk my wife into letting me swap with her
On another note, basically 01-05 are interchangeable, minus the fact some of the hardware from particularly an 05 would be updated.

Bigger news, as to the SLK350. Not ALL SLK350s from 08-11 have the 305hp engine! GAH!! They must have an optional package that upgrades them to this. He said the only way he ever differentiates them is bc they have a red strip on the engine cover instead of silver. This is why the VIN from the 08 SLK I looked up didn;t have diff PN#s! He confirmed what Karo posted....valve springs, intake, valves, pistons, etc.
He had no way of finding a correct VIN# for the parts, easily. He did however spend some time looking at valvesprings and came up with this potential number, which was numerically higher than the # all the other 3.5Ls (maybe even m272s) share...
So Im thinking if I can find an SLK VIN that has this valvespring PN, we're in business!
A 272 053 07 20

I'm getting there!!


EDIT: Anyone with an 05 or under want a 3.47 rear differential? :-)

 

Try this: WDBWK58F69F190163

See the attached pdf of an Ebay listing. Scroll down to the engine and see if that is the red stripe you are looking for.

 

I just heard angels sing. I looked up, and it was MW_ATL floating above my couch with a halo over his head.
to you sir. that's the prettiest red stripe i've ever seen.
notice how the ebay auction doesnt even seem to ackowledge the fact they have the beefier SLK.

Off to EPC with this VIN I go!!!

 

HELLS YEA!

Thanks to MW, I was able to match up the unknown valvespring PN# to the VIN# of the slk350 w/ the red engine stripe that MW provided!!!
I'll go through later and write down the different PN#s for all the components and post a new, virgin thread with the true differenes w/ PN#s. Then on to find the costs for all the parts (online and some help from my friend at the wholesale parts dept locally

Thanks goes out to Karo and MW and my local shop foreman for decoding this mystery!

 

I couldn't wait.
I haven't saved anything yet formally.
However, my smile grows larger as I find the different part numbers, so far:
rocker arms, cams, valvesprings, intake manifold... the cool part? are the bolts, retainers, accessories in general that go with the complimentary parts on the c350 are all the same! So you get to buy the main parts and reuse the rest

 

Im such a pig in mud right now. Can't wait to get priced out at the wholesale parts counter. better yet, find one of these thats been smashed into a million bits minus the heads and intake manifold

 

I'm in all day meetings and I come back after the drama!!!!!!

 

I meant more in the characteristics of the engine not the transmission. Things like tq curve, engine responsiveness, power band.

After driving a torquey american v8 and a high revving japanese engine. I think the amg engines seem to have the best balance between tq, rev's and powerband. I would say the n54 engine from BMW is a really close second but i like the idea having a car with hand built engine.

But at his point in my life, i would take japanese reliability any day of the week. I got tired of keep throwing money into the car to just to keep it alive.

I know for a fact my next german car will have warranty..lol.

 

Cale,

Sorry man, the 11hr work days are killing me and the fact i'm mostly just hanging out in the c32 forum.

I already emailed you my thoughts on e-arguing. I fell into that trap early in the forums and since then i learned my lesson..its a giant waste of time.

I simply came in and said my peace and clear up any HID information.

Other then that, i dont really care since i dont even own a w203 anymore. I mainly login to check out the c32 forum, since people on there seem little bit more closely knit group and to see how some of my other forum friends are doing.


Anyways, good luck in your endeavors.

 

sorry, but that is f-ing retarded.... red stripe on the engine cover vs silver????? we're not talking about Brabus.

that shop foreman is an idiot.

 

No he is actually right. Those models looked like this from factory.

 

Here is proof.

http://reviews.cnet.com/2300-10863_7...tag=mncol;thum

 

Frank, I sort of thought that at first too, but a quick look at eBay and one popped up with the red on the engine cover. If I had not read his post first, I would have thought "what kind of s**t is that. And on a blue car too, how tacky."

I threw out the VIN, and he says it seems to match. First I've heard, or even seen of such, but I have heard of stranger things.

 

Sorry Frank, this is when you insert foot in mouth. EDIT: Thought I better say this was said jokingly before I get anyone else freaking out on me. Nonetheless, on the other hand, it takes a pretty SMART foreman to know the only noticeable difference with the 'power' packaged SLK is the red engine stripe!

EPC doesnt lie either. Compare that VIN to a regular SLK.

 

Mike, we're supposed to have had a truce, so I hope you don't read this the wrong way. If you do, oh well.

If you're comparing your GS-R (I think that's what it was off the top of my head) to your C32, then even you should admit to this being a completely unfair comparison. You're taking the Honda B-series engine, a very mature and evolved platform and comparing it to one of the first Mercedes-AMG engines, and a supercharged one at that. Yes any comparison can be made, but unfair comparisons like this can be made the other way as well. How about we compare the 5-speed Mercedes gearbox or even the 7G to the same era Honda or Toyota gearboxes? Not very favorable for the Japanese. Both engine failures and gearbox failures essentially cripple a car, so I'd put them at about the same level.

Maintenance and upkeep are also huge factors in the longevity of any given car. Of course statistically there are bad apples, but a large majority of cars leave the assembly line without the disposition to have a major failure. From that point on, as things age, weaknesses appear which can be simple defects, all the way to design flaws. The better an owner knows the workings of his or her vehicle can largely avoid many failures. Take the w203 for example. Largely a well engineered car, however we do know that there are parts that tend to fail prematurely. Luckily almost all of these items are easily replaced or repaired, and some of us have even had the fortune to avoid these issues.

Having a car in warranty is always a good idea. Peace of mind. If you look at the reliability ratings for the past 10 years, most cars sold today are very reliable. Mercedes has specifically improved quite a bit, and if memory serves me correctly they are well within the top 10 now.

 

Was I the only one that caught this????

Makes you wonder.

 

I don't disagree that the AMG engines are very smooth, but I don't think a Corvette isn't smooth. The new Camaro isn't very smooth though and neither are the Mustang or the SRT8s. I'm not really a Japanese or BMW fan though (I've never had the chance to drive a 335i yet though, so I can't comment on that particular car).

Just a side note, the Z06 and ZR1 engines are hand built.

 

I'm only going to say this once, and I'm not ever going to argue about it, but you really should do every single last modification to the engine if you're going to go down this particular route. Doing parts of this and not others can be very harmful to your engine.

I'm trying to give you good advice. Read back and tell me one thing I said that was grossly wrong or harmful in anyway. This is all while you've actively attacked me, called me names, and made me out to be the bad guy.

 

i stand corrected.