C36 AMG, C43 AMG (W202) 1995 - 2000

Been driving with the custom airbox setup

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Old Jul 27, 2017 | 01:58 PM
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05 c55 silver, 98 Imperial Red C43
Been driving with the custom airbox setup

Many of you know that one of our members here(speed43) has been making custom air boxes for our cars.

I got an air box plus the shaved elbow from him a while back but I just got around to fully experiencing it recently due to some suspension issues and I finally got a new MAF sensor.

First off I have to say that there is still some sort of an issue with my car because off the line it struggles. It wont even do a burnout but its been like this before these mods/new parts.

Despite this, once the car hits past 2kish rpm........wow

Cruising down the highway in D, not in 4th or anything else.....its a lot of trouble.

Slight touch of the pedal and the car acts as if you are doing 40 mph and are in third gear. Instant strong pull. The car goes from 65mph to 100 effortlessly with only mm of throttle input. Im not blowing things out of proportion, if I just move my foot even by a hair, its instantly translated into a pull that I can feel throughout my body and the car goes from 65 to 80 in a matter of seconds.


This car has definitely never been this responsive. I haven't done any all out pulls so I dont know how it really feels all out or how it compares to other cars but honestly this is because there is no need.

Just cruising is loads of fun, instant torque.

The mod was well worth it and I would recommend it to anyone.

I will be getting some pictures and possibly videos soon.

Also its worth mentioning that I have a 5.4 swap in my car. I cant comment on improvements on the 4.2 setup.

Pic of the car as it sits right now(I raised it)
Attached Thumbnails Been driving with the custom airbox setup-20170721_190014.jpg  
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Old Jul 27, 2017 | 02:09 PM
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looks great! thanks for sharing the review.
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Old Jul 27, 2017 | 02:45 PM
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your machine looks damn good! sounds like a good mod as well!! def something to look forward to when i get her up to daily par.. what suspension you dropped on??
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Old Jul 27, 2017 | 05:04 PM
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05 c55 silver, 98 Imperial Red C43
Originally Posted by IBowlC63AMG
your machine looks damn good! sounds like a good mod as well!! def something to look forward to when i get her up to daily par.. what suspension you dropped on??
Thanks

The car had bilstein sport shocks with H&R sport springs.

I recently replaced the shocks with new stock shocks and put higher spring pads in. Still have the H&R sport shocks in.

Im thinking about raising it more. I'll be a baby hauler so I need it as smooth as possible.
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Old Jul 27, 2017 | 10:20 PM
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Pj, thanks for the review on the air box. You should really tighten the throttle cable for your low end issue. If that don't help I will be surprised. But if you tighten that cable your car will do burn outs. And the throttle response will improve even more.

For those of you guys that have emailed I thank you for the interest. And as long as you could be patient I will be glad to mod a box and elbow for you. I recently moved and it's been a pretty long process. But now I'm good to start again. When you email please let me know which car you have and where you live. I get emails from other Mercedes owners as well so the more ​info I get the better. Thanks.

Geo3617(@)gmail.com
​​​​​
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Old Jul 28, 2017 | 10:56 AM
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05 c55 silver, 98 Imperial Red C43
Originally Posted by speed43
Pj, thanks for the review on the air box. You should really tighten the throttle cable for your low end issue. If that don't help I will be surprised. But if you tighten that cable your car will do burn outs. And the throttle response will improve even more.

For those of you guys that have emailed I thank you for the interest. And as long as you could be patient I will be glad to mod a box and elbow for you. I recently moved and it's been a pretty long process. But now I'm good to start again. When you email please let me know which car you have and where you live. I get emails from other Mercedes owners as well so the more ​info I get the better. Thanks.

Geo3617(@)gmail.com
​​​​​
Im gonna try messing with that but I think the problem is in these. See below.

The y shaped cable that connects those valves came off once when I was driving and the car dipped in performance really noticeably and my check engine light came on.

So the problem I have is that the one on the left is bent in the direction where I put the red line inside the red circle. I accidentally bent it when I was working in my engine bay.

I think until the air starts circulating through those, the car struggles because its not able to suck in as much air from the start.

Im afraid to bend the little nipple back coz it might crack. Im looking to get a new one.
Attached Thumbnails Been driving with the custom airbox setup-t2ec16hhjgqe9nomcsrjbqnuyo6-ug-60_57.jpg  
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Old Jul 28, 2017 | 04:16 PM
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Us non N. America 43 owners don't have those objects
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Old Aug 8, 2017 | 10:35 AM
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Im so retarded

My car was in W mode this whole time.


It rips off the line now when I put it back to S mode even with traction on.
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Old Aug 8, 2017 | 10:58 AM
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Originally Posted by PJmak
Im so retarded

My car was in W mode this whole time.


It rips off the line now when I put it back to S mode even with traction on.
No problem, we all learn a lesson or two from time to time
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Old Aug 8, 2017 | 11:05 AM
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I figured it out thanks to this post

https://mbworld.org/forums/c36-amg-c...cond-gear.html

Also now when downshifting to 1st, the car is perfectly smooth, it doesnt shift violently.
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Old Aug 8, 2017 | 03:46 PM
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Originally Posted by PJmak
Im so retarded

My car was in W mode this whole time.


It rips off the line now when I put it back to S mode even with traction on.
hey glupco

your car shifts better in S-mode and is acting funky in W-mode?
there migth still be problems with your tranny in W-inter mode?
see how your car acts when it's slippery in winter?

report back when you have fully tested the new eirbox if you notice real horse kicks in the groin with the new box or if there's only placebo feelings?

hopefully you'll have a massive kick in the groin from the TQ and the modded airbox !
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Old Aug 8, 2017 | 03:58 PM
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Originally Posted by kowalski
hey glupco

your car shifts better in S-mode and is acting funky in W-mode?
there migth still be problems with your tranny in W-inter mode?
see how your car acts when it's slippery in winter?

report back when you have fully tested the new eirbox if you notice real horse kicks in the groin with the new box or if there's only placebo feelings?

hopefully you'll have a massive kick in the groin from the TQ and the modded airbox !
Theres definitely a massive hit to the groin lol. The box+elbow make a good noticeable difference.

When going through gears manually and slowing down downshifting from 2nd to 1st, you can really feel it. It doesn't do that when in S mode.
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Old Aug 8, 2017 | 05:22 PM
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Originally Posted by IBowlC63AMG
your machine looks damn good! sounds like a good mod as well!! def something to look forward to when i get her up to daily par.. what suspension you dropped on??

Btw I am sorry for not getting back to you on the parts you wanted.


I am super busy and unles the parts are in my garage, its hard to find time. I will do my best to get you some pics.

I have some parts in a different storage location.



I would highly recommend the air box btw. My car breaths so much better and the difference is noticeable throughout the whole rpm range. Its probably the best performance mod for the money considering how much custom air boxes can cost for our cars.
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Old Aug 8, 2017 | 10:54 PM
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Originally Posted by PJmak
Im gonna try messing with that but I think the problem is in these. See below.

The y shaped cable that connects those valves came off once when I was driving and the car dipped in performance really noticeably and my check engine light came on.

So the problem I have is that the one on the left is bent in the direction where I put the red line inside the red circle. I accidentally bent it when I was working in my engine bay.

I think until the air starts circulating through those, the car struggles because its not able to suck in as much air from the start.

Im afraid to bend the little nipple back coz it might crack. Im looking to get a new one.
Those have nothing to do with intake air or performance. They are diverter valve for the secondary air injection. Those are plumbed to the exhaust not intake. Air pump pushes air through them, into the exhaust, to speed up warm-up process of catalytic converters. You could block the whole system off and performance will not change, it will just set a code and turn the light on but not change the way it runs at all.
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Old Aug 9, 2017 | 12:45 AM
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Thanks benzslo, it was worth a try I guess.

My car definetly has some sort of a vacuum leak somewhere. Im no expert, it just feels like it
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Old Aug 9, 2017 | 01:32 AM
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Just throwing an idea on the table, but have you checked the MAF?
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Old Aug 9, 2017 | 10:36 AM
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Originally Posted by DRBC43AMG
Just throwing an idea on the table, but have you checked the MAF?
Yea. I got a new maf last week. The symptoms are still there even tho the performance improved noticeably
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Old Aug 9, 2017 | 10:44 AM
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Guess you've got most of us stumped for a solution...
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Old Aug 9, 2017 | 10:51 AM
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Originally Posted by DRBC43AMG
Guess you've got most of us stumped for a solution...
Yea I had a new maf and trans mount put in. engine mounts should still be fairly new.

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