MIKESV8

hello, on friday i will be getting my spark plugs and oil changed at a reputable indy shop for $500. am i paying too much? dealership wants $1,300 for both. it's the first time i've done this since buying the car. (20k miles later) also, i am doing these now along with changing my rear tires this month because i am doing (more than likely) the eurocharged ecu flash this month. my main question is this, is the flash worth it? i've seen threads talking about how it takes away the top speed limiter and how it does in fact give on average 25rwhp, BUT do you actually feel 25rwhp? does it really make a difference? i am asking this because this is the first performance mod. in my life and am clueless on power diference in a way. for those that have done the flash, please chime in. i don't care about increase in charts, i care to know if you actually felt the difference in power, not mentally.

02C32guy

That's a pretty good price considering the plugs, wires, filter, and oil would cost you about $250 to buy yourself (and that is with non-OEM wires).

MIKESV8

sweet. yes, they are OEM. i was specifically told they are. they're like eight something each.

MIKESV8

does anyone know anything about the flash difference?

rondocap

You should feel a bit of a difference, the throttle should be a bit livelier.

03'55AMG

You mean to tell us you haven't changed your oil in 20 THOUSAND miles??? Damn...

lboudreau

MIKESV8

i'm hoping. i really want to hear from someone who has just the ecu flashed with no other performance mods like myself.

ohlord

oil change are an under $120 do it yourself job.
plus a few cheap tools anyone can learn to use.

16 plat plugs NGK oem $32 for all 16 plus 12 bucks shipping
9qts 0w40 mobil 1 syn 60 bucks.
$12.60 for the proper fleece filter


For 500 bucks they are not doing wires and wires are not needed anyways.

Learn to diy. For mark my words you will be getting a call from the service writer at the shop telling you that more stuff is needed and that quote you got is out the window......

And yes if you actually got almost 30hp at he crank 25at the wheels you would feel it.
But you won't so don't expect it.

MIKESV8

thank you for your opinions. as far as performance goes, i'm really hoping someone with the flash will chime in here or PM me.

MountainStone

I agree with ohlord, oil changes on these cars are easy. I have changed my own oil on a dozen different cars, and this engine is the easiest by far.

For what you would pay someone else to change your oil once, you can purchase an oil extractor and filter wrench plus oil and fleece filter kit. Every oil change after that would be just the price of the oil and filter. It only takes about 20 mins to change your own oil and you don't have to get under the car, so you can do it anywhere.

So easy.

wawy

To your question regarding the flash - 25rwhp, to me, is pretty ambitious for a tune on the C55. Perhaps if the car was custom dyno tuned If Eurocharged can deliver that then more power to them and I will be getting one also . As for a 25rwhp gain and whether you can feel it? Perhaps, perhaps not. If you are thinking of going that route with Eurocharged (by all accounts a reputable company) I would question them on what Octane gas this was with (91, 93?), if this was in fact rwhp and if this has been replicated (with proof) on any other C55/SLK55s etc. From what I've seen and heard on here, the C55 is a tough customer when it comes to extracting a lot more power out of it via a tune. In any event, if you do -- then I would do a before and after dyno (same dyno, same operator if possible)...

MIKESV8

the car is in the shop getting the oil changed and spark plugs changed as i type this. i would love to do a before and after dyno, but i do not want to spend the extra X amount of $ on that. i believe that the ecu flash takes off the top speed limiter as well so that'll be a plus. i have gotten used to the performance of my 55 and will definitely notice a difference if i do get the power, that's what i will base my judging off performance off of. we'll see, if he works with me as far as dyno, i'll do it. great people none the less!

Newzchspy

I know what the answer is, BUT :

Newzchspy

Mike says:" i would love to do a before and after dyno, but i do not want to spend the extra X amount of $ on that."


*** if there's NO dyno done before and after ECU tune, then how will we ever know??? ***

Double popcorn!!!

mgiannetto

Michael,

For what it's worth (and it may not be worth much), I sent Eurocharged an e-mail a few weeks ago to inquire about their C55 tune. In the e-mail I asked a number of questions, including how I would get the tune done given I live across the country from them, etc... My e-mail went unanswered. Perhaps they were busy, never got to it, planned on getting to it, whatever. I don't know. My conclusion (perhaps wrong) was that if these folks did not want to invest the time to contract me to discuss the tune when I was willing to pay them $800, then what chance would I have of getting in touch with them in the event I had issues after the tune. It occurred to me that maybe for the C55 the tune alone was not all that helpful as Wawy noted in his comment - "the C55 is a tough customer when it comes to extracting a lot more power out of it via a tune."

So I passed on the tune and decided to go in a different direction.

As I said, there is a lot of speculation in my comments above, so don't put a lot of stock in it. At best, it's just another data point.

If you go for the tune let us know how it works out.

MIKESV8

haha newz is really getting a kick out of this. unless someone THAT HAS ACTUALLY DONE THE TUNE WITH THE C55 chimes in and tells me of their experience, i will be doing the tune either next week or the week after and i will make a thread called "c55 eurocharged ecu tune results" so that future members can easily find out if they ever wanted to do it. i'm paying ALOT less than that mgiannetto, but still though, value is value and i respect everyones opinions.

MIKESV8

oh and the guy who did my oil and spark plugs ended up giving it to me for $400 so i saved $100 which means if they give me the dyno for $100, i'll take it.

amgen

I´ve done the flash on my C55!!


I wrote this in another thread:


"I was uncomfortable with the "throttle lag" in my C55, especially
when going round corners and roundabouts.

Then I got the Kleemann software and the problem disappeared!!

Plus that power comes on more brutal after gearchanges than
original. (At full throttle.)
Plus that power in 2:nd gear feels more strong than originally (is
it reduced from factory for little slower 0-60 mph so it won´t
compete with other AMG-models??)
Plus v-max is taken away.
Plus a little better mpg than originally (5-10%?)."


That said, it´s not a HUGE increase, but it´s a notable difference,
especially with the "throttle lag".

I talked with Kleemann about this software and they told me that
there are a lot of restrictions in the original software and they´re
taking them away, besides changing fuel and ignition.
Straight after the update I was curious about the "new" performance
but couldn´t really feel it straight away (it started to snow as well).
But some days after I could start feeling it, it´s called adaptation!!

Today I´m very happy with the software and I will NEVER get it detuned!

I went with Kleemann instead of other smaller tuners because in my
opinion they got a solid reputation.
It took more than 2 hours to flash it and I wasn´t allowed into their
shop while doing it...

Finally they told me that different C55´s react different to this tune.
If that´s a lot of b-s or a hedge for their part, I don´t know.

You must drive on RON 98 or higher, equivallent to US 93.

(367 hp is the original output. They said approx 380 with the software.
I had a Kleemann guy testdriving it before and after and he claimed
390-400 hp in mine.. They further told me that with headers too, they
had measured 410 hp on another car.)
I don´t care, it feels better and that´s all that counts for me!!!
The car is now more fun to drive than before.

PS. Before I did it, I found an old thread here on mbworld that convinced
me to go for it, that was the trigger. DS.

Best of luck, whether you go for it or not!

//Peter.

wawy

+1 on the customer service from Kleemann

MIKESV8

Awesome! Did you make a thread or just chime in somewhere? I'd like to see the thread.i guess there is a noticeable difference and eurocharged claims even more power than that! ANY downsides?

amgen

I just chimed in, in the "SprintBooster"-thread...

No, no downsides.

The driveability is improved. And when flooring it!!


As I said, no HUGE improvements, but noticeable.

I´ve read loads of threads of different impressions
of different tuners before I decided to go with Kleemann..
I´ve googled my eyes red in this subject.

Only mods I´ve done is K&N´s and deleted the resonator
a couple of weeks ago, great stuff too soundwise.

(BTW, maybe you should change the threads name??)

//Peter.

amgen

Of course I can´t find that old thread that trigged me to do
the tune...

But it was a US or Canadian guy who had done the Kleemann
ECU software, AND the TCU as well. Back in 2007?

I talked with Kleemann about the TCU too but they told me
that the AMG software is fast enough and they didn´t recommend
me to do the TCU. Probably something about wear and tear I guess?

//Peter.

MIKESV8

i have the same mods on my car, do they factor them in when they do the flash? it's supposed tto take about an hour on my car they said and i'm lucky because i just drive to a local dealer, do the flash on site and be on my way what flashes were they comparing on that thread if you remember?

mgiannetto

Michael,

Sounds good. If I were local to Eurotune (which you are) and I could drive in to their shop and have them do it on my car, I likely would have gone that route. There is no substitute for being able to stare the tuner directly in the eye should there are any issues or if you are unhappy. Eurotunes reputation on these boards is quite good. Prop's for getting them to discount their web site price.

There will always be guys who discount the value of the tune if they don't have dyno numbers before and after. That is a valid opinion and they are certainly entitled to it. Like you I am as interesed (if not more so) in the seat of the pants feel and driveability. If it improves the response and allow better access to the power the C55 delivers then I'd say go for it. Whether you can "prove it" to someone else is ultimately not the driver of the decision.

Keep us posted on how it goes. Best of luck.