Performance Chip for CLK 430?
 

On the website www.chip-tuning.com they are offering a chip for most Mercedes. They claim a 20HP difference and a difference in torque as well. The price is $795-$100 from MBWorld.org. Does anyone think it is worth it? Has anyone installed a chip like this?

Thanks
dan

I had it for a couple weeks. It worked ok until something minor went wrong with it. Then it decreased my power by about 75%. I was running on 5 out of 8 cylinders, and my check engine light was constantly on. After several attempts to fix it, I was refunded.

Performance Chip
 

Thanks for saving me the headache.

Dan

Try getting a rentech chip.

B

Renntech Chip
 

Do you have a Renntech chip and if so, what kind of performance increase did you see and how much was the chip?

Thanks
dan

actually, i just talked to the rentech people at the la auto show. i was in heaven. it was the first time id seen any renntech stuff up close. i also saw a renntech new sl ...... they had a trailer with a shop in it. like the one that kit drives up into in knight rider. anyways, to stop babbling, the guy told me there was a special promotion for clk tuning fight now including chip, exhaust, and air box bolt on running about 3k. he told me that it would boost my power by an avg of 47 horses and increase torque by 40 lbs. thats clk55 power baby. :) check out the renntech web site.

B

hey byip...who did you talk to?..(more)
 

i'm going to the auto show this weekend and would be interested in talking to him/her as well. (although i'm pretty skeptical about 40 hp)

Be careful with Renntech. Thus far when it counted, their CLK GTR broke down, they blew their supercharged CLK's engine and their tuned E station wagon had problems as well. I also personally know of a Renntech CLK owner who brought their car to another tuner because the car was running so bad. Given the prices they charge, I assume they can do good work, however, every time I hear about Renntech, it is about one of their cars breaking down.... just a thought.

They do have the nicest trailor I've ever seen though! I would also be concerned about their "average" HP produced. Their site states:
HIGH FLOW AIR INTAKE $2,490
Power is increased 15 bhp and torque is increased 14 lbs.-ft.

STAGE 1 Performance Package (Hiflow Air Intake, Computer Software) $5,490
Power is increased 30 bhp and torque is increased 30 lbs.-ft.

STAGE 2 Performance Package (Hiflow Air Intake, Computer
Software, Sport Resonator, Sport Rear Muffler) $7,980
Power is increased 40 bhp and torque is increased 47 lbs.-ft.

----The closest to what you mentioned would be their Stage 2, which still doesn't hit 47bhp. Does it come with the resonator, or does their promotion just include a muffler?

To be honest, you can probably get the same gains that Renntech does by going to several other places, and spending less.

i dont remember the guy's name. but they have a whole pricing guide sitting on the table there and they will show you what the costs are and the hp gain. im a little skeptical about chips in general because 1) i dont want to void my factory warranty and 2) i dont want it to mess up they rest of the computer controlled electronics in the car. but yes, they did have the coolest trailer down there at the show.

B

.

The reason why that isn't an option is because your stock "chip" is saudered (did I spell that right?) to the board. Most companies open up your ECU and retrofit that portion of the ECU to allow removable chips.

Some companies will plug into your ECU and change the memory on the chip without removing the chip.

I chipped with www.upsolute.com
 

There chip works great! I noticed about a 20HP increase. I also got K&N air filter and now I get better gas mileage and I notice about a 30HP increase. I'm located in Illinois and I know the guy who chips the cars. They are a great price. I was there first CLK.

How do you know that you have gained 30 HP with a chip and K&N filter? Have you dyno'd the car?

After all of this CHIP talk,

I am getting myself a chocolate chip, a glass of milk, and go for a spin in my car...hohoho :)

.

Sorry to correct you but the CLK had a problem with the mass air flow sensor a MB part fixed with no problems. And there were no problems for the wagon in car and driver.

Any way the Air box and chip are on sale for 3495.00 through Feb.You can contact me if you would like more details.

STAGE 1 Performance Package (Hiflow Air Intake, Computer Software) $3,495
Power is increased 30 bhp and torque is increased 30 lbs.-ft.

STAGE 2 Performance Package (Hiflow Air Intake, Computer
Software, Sport Resonator, Sport Rear Muffler) $5,980
Power is increased 40 bhp and torque is increased 47 lbs.-ft.

Randy

The chip is just hardware that will allow the software to be changed. The process with Renntech requires that one have the ecu pulled and shipped to Renntech we install the new chip and software and ship it back to you. Three bay turn, the incress in HP is not the only change in performance. Top speed is changed power band is longer. The drivabilty is greatly improved!

Randy

What is important in Rentek chip? I think there are more better performance chip than Rentek.

Its renntech and your 7 years old on the post. You should search for your answers theres plenty on the site

install a chip?
 

correct me if I am wrong: I had my ECU "chipped" if you want to call it that. I removed the ECU and sent it to INMotion.com in Portland, OR right after they first opened for business. INMotion originated in Austria. Gunther, I think was his name, re-mapped/re-programed the ECU for $200 as a promotional. He didn't add a "chip" to the board. The performance increase was VERY noticable. I didn't dyno it, cuz I don't care, but I did get 26 mpg driving hard in city and road and 32 mpg driving easy.

Williams 707 just did a PowerChip installation on his 320 in Japan. PowerChip sent him the software I believe. No "chip" was added to my knowledge. Check out PC's website but I believe they claim mid 20s hrspwr and torque increase for around $800. You can get a sport or race exhaust from SuperSprint, Magnaflow just to name two, a hell of a lot cheaper than what I see bantered about here. Oh, and, I just installed a free flow intake custom made by a fellow in CA for $600 that, along with the "chip tune" makes my 320 run like a dream. I am sure Renntech has good products but are way too expensive IMHO compared to what you can get elsewhere. "The chip is just hardware that will allow the software to be changed." I am not buying that for one minute.

Honestly, these software prices are a complete joke. people are being robbed left & right. The most we charge is $500 and that's for our more aggressive race ECU program (high octane & etc). EVEN THEN, Its honestly not worth it unless you have ALL the hardware mods. These benz ECUs are so highly adaptive that you don't really need it until you push your stock ECU to the max and do all the major hardware upgrades:

- Headers
- high flow 2nd cats (and/or high flow primaries as well)
- crank pulley (accessory pulleys optional)
- K&N filters
- high flow catback for non AMGs, etc (AMGs DO NOT touch the catback, its the best), CLK430s: upgrade to CLK55 muffler

If you have not done all of those modifications already, don't waste your time with software. Keep in mind I SELL SOFTWARE and I am admitting to this. I could easily try and rip you off like 90% of the ECU tuners out there but I'm just being 100% honest. Save your money and upgrade the hardware, that's where are the REAL consistent power gains are going to be found.

Our stage 2 for the W208s just came out so you save even more money on header & pulley combo, contact for details

Hope that helps,
~AMS