reelgr

I am planning on ordering a c63 soon. And after reading some users post about problems with CEL and other misc issues after they flashed, I'm thinking it might be best to leave it stock for a guy like me.

I go to the track maybe a couple times a year, but with the c63 I'm sure a little bit more, but not much.

The 500+ hp would be a nice mod and maybe worth the hassle, but just curious if many of you decided not to mod...

MHP

No CELs and no issues here.

MNL ICE

i switched to stock.... so decided no more ecu upgrade, unless ^^^ MHP lowers the price

MHP

If there's interest we can do another Board GP although the discount won't be as great as the initial one. If we can get 5 C63s to commit we'll go $3990 instead of $4500 for complete custom driveline tuning (v2 ECU/TCU).
With the amount of time we spend coding, especially the TCU portion, we simply can't go any lower.


Thanks
Andy

GMW

MHP

I've been following most of your progress on the C63 and am very impressed with what you offer and have achieved. I just have a few questions:

1) What is the lowest Octane rating that I can use safely with the stock chip and with your tuned chip

2) Is the C63 gearbox the exact same one in the CLS63 or E63? The reason I ask this is to know if it is originally designed to handle up to 500hp from the factory and will therefore still live a long life if i were to bump the horsepower back up to around 500hp. I had a bad experience with an '98 Audi A4 1.8T that was chipped from 150hp to 200hp and the gearbox lost 2nd gear at around 40,000 miles, plus some pinging in hot weather and at higher altitude.

3) How does higher altitude affect your tune? Hp loss? What minimum Octane rating do you need as the altitude climbs? to prevent pinging or knock.

Thanks for the great work you are doing keeping us all informed!

MHP

Thank you! It's been a fun road so far.

We tune per your specific octane request. We also need to know all driveline mods, and the elevation the vehicle is most often driven at. Stock 91 octane.

Yes the trans (W7A700) is identical. TCU tuning actually extends the life of the trans as quicker shifts equate to less heat building up between gears--next to excessive rpm nothing kiills transmissions faster than heat.

Being a N/A motor even a tuned 63 is certainly not immune to the thinner air found at higher altitudes. That being said you're still going to make as much power as possible from driveline tuning and the difference will remain night and day vs. stock.
The higher the altitude, the lower the octane rating of your fuel can be (ie you can only get 91 in CO, AZ, etc). There's around a 15-20rw difference between a 91 and a 93 octane tune on an otherwise stock C63/63.

Thanks again!

Andy

MHP

Not meant as a threadjack but if you're interested in complete driveline tuning, backed by proven results that don't throw a CEL/MIL we're currently running a C63 GP:

https://mbworld.org/forums/c63-amg-w...-1-1-5-gp.html

reelgr

What is the process of the getting the tune done?

Is there someone locally where we take our car and have it back the same day?

MHP

Not with our tuning. Our calibrations are 100% custom and therefore require 5-7 days turnaround time. You simply remove the ECU (TCU is controlled by the ECU with 63s) and FedEx it to us, we custom code it and FedEx overnight it back to you.
The removal is super easy and takes less than 3 minutes. You need a 10 metric socket to disconnect the battery in the trunk (under cover on pass side) then pop the hood and unclip the 3 retaining clips holding on the plastic HVAC cover (pass side firewall). Underneath you'll find the ECU. At this point you just pull horizontally on the clips holding the 2 large harness connectors to the top of the ECU and they pop right off.
Now pull up on the ECU and it will pop out along with 4 plastic ball and socket screw in pegs. Unscrew the 4 pegs from the ECU and it's ready to ship/flash.

Thanks
Andy

reelgr

easy enough... i'll def consider it when getting the car in early 2009.

MHP

Sounds good. Congrats on the purchase and enjoy the car, they're excellent platforms to tinker with.

Timeless

I think an ECU tune for the C63 is a no brainer seeing as it was the one de-tuned to begin with.

I am sure you will see ECU tunes for them get to be around $1500.00 in the near future. It only costs so much right now because it is the new car on the block.

MHP

There are canned ECU tunes available right now for less than that. Custom tuning on the other hand will always cost more due to the time involved.

Thanks
Andy

paulGT3

I would love to jump on MPHs deal LOVE to. I want to say I have 500 hp
in the worst way. Wed at 7AM I have double flexible fusion on my back
at Kerlan Job. I have to put all my pennies in one box right now.
I think he has put alot of research into this so I encourage those
who can to get this upgrade.

MHP

Thanks for the kind words Paul and best of luck with your surgery. Take care of yourself!!!

Timeless

I agree with that 100%.

However, if a sub $1500.00 tune can get you to the same HP that other 63 models have stock (507 correct?) plus a minimal gain of around another 10-15, then people will have to decide if yours costing another $2500.00 roughly is worth the remaining gains possible. At that point it seems it is TCU gains mostly.

MHP

Some tuners have proven with older 63 ECUs that they can get up to the highest HP/TQ spec of a production 63 that is true. However due to new software implemented in the past few weeks/mos I don't believe many if any other entities can tune an ECU with immobilizer and scrambled code (happens every few mos and places the tables needed to be modified all over the place).
Things are only going to get better in 2010 when everyone goes encrypted. We already have the '10 software.

Ol'School

reelgr,
congratulations on the new car

MHP,
I really enjoy your technical contribution in threads .. always very informative and interesting to read.

jrcart

You are correct, the C63 is very "de-tuned" to begin with. That being said I don't think you will find any worth while ECU tunes for any 63 for $1500.00 any time in the near future, the C63 is new, but the 63 powerplant and 7speed tranny has been driving around on public roads for nearly 30 months and tuners have been trying to tune them since day 1. Even the tuners out there that are not offering TCU tuning with their ECU tuning are charging twice that much ($1500 you quoted). Not to speak for Andy/MHP but not only can his tune bring your C63 up to par with an SL63 or CL63 output, it can go well beyond that. Tell him how you want your car tuned, from mild to wild and he can give you what you are looking for, not many other tuners offer that kind of custom tuning, they pretty much offer an off the shelf, blanket ECU. MHP can fine tune shift points, raise rev limits, eliminate top speed limiter plus lots more. You are driving a $65,000+ car, why would you want to bargain hunt for something as important as your ECU?

docmfg

Is there any way the dealer or MBUSA can detect the software flash? Can you guarantee they can't detect the tune. Not only am I worried about the original warranty, but am also worried about the extra cash I laid out for the extended warranty?

MHP

Dealerships don't have the hardware necessary to see the changes made via our tuning.

MHP

As always, well stated Jim.

Timeless

I agree...you get this for $ 2,195.00 http://www.powerchipgroup.com/intera...sp?pid=Mer0368 .

No one is arguing that MHP's tune is far superior when you include the TCU aspect. However, it is almost twice as much money. I can vouch that PC is a safe tuner. They stay on the safer side of tuning. PC would get you to a stock CLS63/S63/E63 for half the price. MHP will get you slightly beyond that as well as tune your TCU for twice the price.

Someone that is looking to do $4k in upgrades might rather do an ECU tune plus headers or exhaust as opposed to just an ECU tune alone.

We aren't all made of money like JRcart.

MHP

I guess you haven't been following the objective dynos of their newer 63 tuning.

We don't get you "slightly beyond" what the ML/S class 63s make, unless you consider an extra 20rw+ from a N/A motor with 2.5" exhaust vs 2.75" in all other variants to be rather insignificant.

$4k in the C63 market buys you a Renntech ECU only, or Renntech headers only, or a brand X tune and CF airboxes--good luck making 400rw+. Basically, for $4500 (v2 ECU/TCU or actually $3990 right now during our GP) you will not go any quicker/faster or make more HP/TQ safely.

To realize the value you're getting you simply have to drive one of our tuned cars.

docmfg

Ok. But how about MBUSA. Let's say there is an engine or transmission failure. They would likely send out a rep to see the car. Do you think they could possibly see the change in code? Could there possibly be some hidden code that sends off a red flag if any thing is changed or tamnpered with? Sorry for the paranoia. And btw, great work!