CLK-Class (W208) 1998-2002: CLK 200, CLK 230K, CLK 320, CLK 430 [Coupes & Cabriolets]

Engine HP

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Old Jan 20, 2008 | 02:06 AM
  #1  
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clk320
Engine HP

yo guys any ideas to tweak some hp and torque out of 320 engine? including an ecu upgrade?
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Old Jan 20, 2008 | 02:27 AM
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CLK320 / E500
ECU is all your going to be able to do to it without spending an arm and a leg. Which if you are thinking about doing just buy a 55.

Originally Posted by hiandy08
yo guys any ideas to tweak some hp and torque out of 320 engine? including an ecu upgrade?
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Old Jan 20, 2008 | 11:36 AM
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Originally Posted by hiandy08
yo guys any ideas to tweak some hp and torque out of 320 engine? including an ecu upgrade?

And if you don't want to go through all the bull with just the suggestion everyone will give to just go out and buy another car....I'll tell you that you can find S500 engines that you can buy for about $2k and have someone do the swap and you gain some HP at a fraction of the cost of installing a Kleeman SC $12k or any other crap that is so ridiculously over priced. My Brabus B9 tunning is like $3k and only gives you about 30 hp but an S500 swap will give you a much better gain and torque, like almost 90 hp. The car will become a little torque monster with that motor. But the choice is yours...

I may end up doing this swap because I like my car and would not like to buy another CLK and start all over again with parts, and besides if I were to go and put the time and energy into buying another car it wouldn't be another CLK.
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Old Jan 20, 2008 | 06:04 PM
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Originally Posted by CLK FAN

And if you don't want to go through all the bull with just the suggestion everyone will give to just go out and buy another car....I'll tell you that you can find S500 engines that you can buy for about $2k and have someone do the swap and you gain some HP at a fraction of the cost of installing a Kleeman SC $12k or any other crap that is so ridiculously over priced. My Brabus B9 tunning is like $3k and only gives you about 30 hp but an S500 swap will give you a much better gain and torque, like almost 90 hp. The car will become a little torque monster with that motor. But the choice is yours...

I may end up doing this swap because I like my car and would not like to buy another CLK and start all over again with parts, and besides if I were to go and put the time and energy into buying another car it wouldn't be another CLK.
if you were to do this will our v6 trannies be able to withstand the v8 power?
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Old Jan 21, 2008 | 12:35 AM
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Originally Posted by 3 bAn 2 PoW 0
if you were to do this will our v6 trannies be able to withstand the v8 power?

I have been told that we have the same tranny's as these S500's or that the bolt pattern and linkage are the same but usually when you buy one of these engines they will come with an S500 tranny attached as one whole assembly. I'm pretty sure you can use the 320 tranny but the gear ratios will be slightly different than the S5oo's. I was told that the S500's tranny is set for more torque because of the weight on a S500 and if it were used on a lighter CLK our cars will become a little torque monsters that are really quick and have neck breaking speed and torque. I have not seen a car in the flesh but I go to a local customizing shop where a guy that gets work done there has this set up and the car is supposedly very fast. The salvage yard where I can buy one of these engines has told me they have done it also and that it is reliable and very fast. This may be the cheapest mod I can do in order to keep me happy till after I buy a house and can focus on buying a different car in the future.

Last edited by CLK FAN; Jan 21, 2008 at 02:17 AM.
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Old Jan 21, 2008 | 01:28 AM
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clk 320 pioneer FB 90 Chrome Halo projector headlights
that sounds great ill look into that
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Old Jan 21, 2008 | 06:52 PM
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Is there much of an advantage to doing that sort of swap if you have a 430?

The 430 is an SOHC 3-valve. My old 500E had a twin-cam 4-valve in it. Are the 500's in question 3 or 4 valve heads?

Sounds like a really fun project but If I'm only going to get like 30 HP.. maybe a blower on the 4.3 is the way to go?

Geez.. and I told myself I'd not start modding this thing....
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Old Jan 22, 2008 | 01:46 AM
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Originally Posted by DCarrera
Is there much of an advantage to doing that sort of swap if you have a 430?

The 430 is an SOHC 3-valve. My old 500E had a twin-cam 4-valve in it. Are the 500's in question 3 or 4 valve heads?

Sounds like a really fun project but If I'm only going to get like 30 HP.. maybe a blower on the 4.3 is the way to go?

Geez.. and I told myself I'd not start modding this thing....
Given a choice between the M119 four-valve 500, and the M113 three-valve 500, I'd lean toward the M113. Stock CLK500's have posted quarter mile trap speeds in excess of 104 MPH. Also, factor in that a W209 based CLK500 weighs over 400 pounds more than a W208. Yeah, you'd probably notice the difference. The W208's ever so slightly higher first gear (3.59 versus 3.56), and a slightly higher final drive (2.87 versus 2.82) wouldn't be noticable, but it wouldn't hurt.

Although, for that much work, a half a liter more would make a BIG difference. The kind of difference where you have to really learn how to launch because the term "severely limited by traction" has new meaning.
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Old Jan 22, 2008 | 11:51 AM
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Originally Posted by MarcusF
Given a choice between the M119 four-valve 500, and the M113 three-valve 500, I'd lean toward the M113. Stock CLK500's have posted quarter mile trap speeds in excess of 104 MPH. Also, factor in that a W209 based CLK500 weighs over 400 pounds more than a W208. Yeah, you'd probably notice the difference. The W208's ever so slightly higher first gear (3.59 versus 3.56), and a slightly higher final drive (2.87 versus 2.82) wouldn't be noticable, but it wouldn't hurt.

Although, for that much work, a half a liter more would make a BIG difference. The kind of difference where you have to really learn how to launch because the term "severely limited by traction" has new meaning.
I still learning how to get off the line with the 430 without the ESP kicking in!

Oh.. I feel another slippery slope of auto modification just around the corner... Is the 500 more easily modified or is my big bump the 700 more cc?
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Old Jan 22, 2008 | 03:59 PM
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Originally Posted by DCarrera
I still learning how to get off the line with the 430 without the ESP kicking in!

Oh.. I feel another slippery slope of auto modification just around the corner... Is the 500 more easily modified or is my big bump the 700 more cc?
in reverse order,

The M113 500 and the 430 are basically the same engine. The 500 has an 8mm larger bore (although someone is probably going to mention the throttle body, ignition timing, fuel maps, and who knows what else, so let’s just say the "ME 2.8 430" is the same as the 500). As for power, I think the more noticeable bump is in torque. 339 versus 295.

For any vehicle, the launch is the tricky part. Once the car is moving, even a rolling chicane / back marker such as myself can hold down the loud pedal. I've seen paid alleged "professionals" whose "technique" is to power brake at 2500 RPM or so until they see green, and then floor it. That method allows Bosch to figure out the fastest way down the track. Even I'm faster than Bosch, so there's hope for everybody. The trick is in the driver discerning wheel spin. That's because even with ESP off, if there's wheel spin, the car will apply brakes to the spinning drive wheel. Applying the brakes will help redirect power to the other drive wheel, but brakes and low ETs don't go together. With the ESP on, things get worse – the power is dialed back AND the brakes are applied. "I think" the perfect launch is as much throttle as possible without lighting up the tires, followed by a meeting of the loud pedal and the floor board - again, without lighting up the tires (there's no sense in lighting the afterburners only to have Bosch hit the brakes). Of course . . . . ME 2.8 does have a dyno mode feature . . . . . . .

And my apologies to the OP, but your thread has been hijacked.
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