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

Performance Upgrades

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Old Feb 1, 2008 | 10:32 PM
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duke7399's Avatar
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2003 CLK55 AMG
Performance Upgrades

Just wondering what performance upgrades are there for a clk430 benz.
I've done my suspension and cosmetics, just want to spicen up the power. I can get an ECU upgrade for it and i know Bekkers offers an underdrive pulley kit for it. But is there anything else that i could do other than Renntechs or Kleemans supercharger kits?

Please Help
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Old Feb 1, 2008 | 10:35 PM
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CLK320 / E500
Welcome to the site, but do a search in the forum and you'll find a lot of answers. This question has been discussed a lot.

Originally Posted by duke7399
Just wondering what performance upgrades are there for a clk430 benz.
I've done my suspension and cosmetics, just want to spicen up the power. I can get an ECU upgrade for it and i know Bekkers offers an underdrive pulley kit for it. But is there anything else that i could do other than Renntechs or Kleemans supercharger kits?

Please Help
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Old Feb 1, 2008 | 10:38 PM
  #3  
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2001 Kleemann CLK 230K, 2006 CLS 350, GTR R35
a set of headers and ECU will be a good start.
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Old Feb 2, 2008 | 11:43 AM
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2003 CLK55 AMG
Thanks guys. But i really need specifics. I'm a mechanic, and i'll be doing all the labor. I just need specifics in parts.

AMG 55 cams fit, but at the same time to benefit from them u should do Valves, Injectors, Fuel Rail, Fuel Pump etc.
I was also reading that thread and i got a little confused. If i plan on keeping my car N/A, i should go with the N/A AMG 55 cams. Right?

I'm also looking into changing the Ring and Pinion gears in the Diff. What about light wait drive shaft? Does one exist, or do i have to custom build it?

Wait about and underdrive crank pulley. The Bekkers kit doesn't come with one, but comes with everything else.

Fine, i know Renntech makes Headers for the car, but without forced induction, u might get too much back pressure making ur car sound better but perform slightly slower.
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Old Feb 2, 2008 | 02:34 PM
  #5  
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From: San Diego/ LA
W208-CLK430,W204-C240
Originally Posted by duke7399
Thanks guys. But i really need specifics. I'm a mechanic, and i'll be doing all the labor. I just need specifics in parts.

AMG 55 cams fit, but at the same time to benefit from them u should do Valves, Injectors, Fuel Rail, Fuel Pump etc.
I was also reading that thread and i got a little confused. If i plan on keeping my car N/A, i should go with the N/A AMG 55 cams. Right?

I'm also looking into changing the Ring and Pinion gears in the Diff. What about light wait drive shaft? Does one exist, or do i have to custom build it?

Wait about and underdrive crank pulley. The Bekkers kit doesn't come with one, but comes with everything else.

Fine, i know Renntech makes Headers for the car, but without forced induction, u might get too much back pressure making ur car sound better but perform slightly slower.
get the Evosport underdrive pully. I heard that they 're the best. In addition, spring booster is reli useful on CLK430 , way better respon.
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Old Feb 3, 2008 | 02:30 AM
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2002 CLK430
Originally Posted by duke7399
Thanks guys. But i really need specifics. I'm a mechanic, and i'll be doing all the labor. I just need specifics in parts.

AMG 55 cams fit, but at the same time to benefit from them u should do Valves, Injectors, Fuel Rail, Fuel Pump etc.
I was also reading that thread and i got a little confused. If i plan on keeping my car N/A, i should go with the N/A AMG 55 cams. Right?

I'm also looking into changing the Ring and Pinion gears in the Diff. What about light wait drive shaft? Does one exist, or do i have to custom build it?

Wait about and underdrive crank pulley. The Bekkers kit doesn't come with one, but comes with everything else.

Fine, i know Renntech makes Headers for the car, but without forced induction, u might get too much back pressure making ur car sound better but perform slightly slower.
The 2001/2002 CLK55 and CLK430 fuel pumps are the same part – 000 470 78 94. Since the pumps are the same, I have serious doubts about the fuel rails being different. As for the injectors, "I think" they're the same on a car with Bosch ME 2.8, but I've never checked the part numbers. I have no idea what they are on an ME 2.0 equipped car. I haven't checked the part numbers because I have a slightly different approach – a dyno pass with the A/F numbers will tell if the injectors are an issue. Aside from giving a good baseline, a dyno run could save (what might be) needless injector swapping.

If the valves are different, so is the seat. This means for valves, the head is going to a machine shop for additional seat work. At that point, I'd opt for the shop matching the manifolds, possibly some blend work, and a valve job using my existing valves. It would take something odd to get me to that point though. Until someone could show me some evidence that I would see a big improvement, I'd leave the existing heads on the car. The machine shop funds could go toward a 55 block.

2000 was the last year for ME 2.0 with the 69 mm throttle body. The 2001 and later cars have a 74 mm throttle body. The throttle body may be a bigger issue than the injectors. I don't know what's required to fit a late TB. It could be a direct fit for all I know.

Cams for engines that see boost have far less overlap which translates to no power in the upper rev range in an NA engine. An NA engine should use NA cams.

I don't know anyplace that sells light weight driveshafts for MB. I know several that sell them for Rx-7's. But to be honest, Rx-7 didn't benefit much from them. I think the CF driveshaft for the Rx-8 is for show as much as anything.

Lastly, headers (unless they’re inferior to the factory log pipes) don't produce more back pressure. If the tubing is too big it can kill velocity and savaging along with it, but back pressure won't be an issue.

IHTH
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