Hello all, just sayin hi, new to the Benz world-but not new to German cars. Currently rock a 01.5 Audi S4. Car breaks down too much so I have decided to get rid of it and buy quality. I have a friend of mine who has a '00 CLK430 and I love it, so much so I have decided I would like to find a black 2002 for myself. From what I have read about, comparing the two cars, the Benzy is much cheaper to modify than the Audi was, what brands would you guys recommend to use for a chipped or re-flashed ECU, an under drive pulley, and a set of lowering springs?

To use an under drive pulley on this car, while also having a sub beating, does this cause too much strain on the alternator?

Also, are there any header companys for this engine, and header-back exhaust systems?

Thanks guys!

 

Bump already?

 

Welcome, Are you related to the company/EuroTech that sells rims?

If you use the search function on this forum and benzworld.org you will find answers to most of your questions plus many many DIYs repairs and issues unique to the w208.

Its Sunday and I have time on my hands. There was a long heated discussion wrt to underdrive pulley kits between, will call him EvoDude from Evosport, and an engineer and former factory race team mgr, will call him Dude. EvoDude claimed Xhrspwr gains using his kit but could only back it up with one picture of a dyno print out. Dude used some convincing math and engineering experience to say that there was no way you can get Xhrspwr with smaller pulleys on the ancillary units like the power steering, air conditioning compressor, alternator and squirrel cage. Further stating that underdrive pulleys will contribute a small gain when done in conjunction with other mods when building a racing engine.(but race cars don't have air-conditioners) A high rev four banger could realize the most gains he said. if my memory serves, there was a couple other scientific types that sided with Dude. I think the discussion raged on for many pages wrt an underdrive crank pulley also. IMHO: to reduce the diameter and weight of the crank pulley a small amount and keep it within usable/dependable specs, compare that with the enitre weight of the rotation mass, i.e. engine, transmission, drive shaft, differential and axles; I'm no engineer but common sense tells me it ain't gonna make much of a difference. The jury is still out unless there are some current users on this forum that want to jump in with their testimonals to support EvoDude. I bumped into a website today selling underdrive kits, minus the crank pulley, don't ask me where, that said they would not sell an underdrive crank pulley because it was a waiste of time. Dont have a clue about the alternator issue and you mondo stereo.

Lowering springs: Discussed at length on this forum: H&R, Eibach, Brabus, Kleemann and on and on. depending on the maker and the kit you can lower the car from 1.2" to 1.9".

Chip tuners: Powerchip, Speedtuning, INMotionsusa. there's probably more but thats all that come to mind. I used INMotionusa and was very pleased.

Headers, I think the only maker of long tube headers is Kleemann, maybe Brabus,but with that said, your O2 sensors and primary cats will go bye-bye and you won't be legal in California. And, I have heard there are mucho probems getting them to fit. Not my personal experience.

Ghostrider, on this forum, has fabricated some short tuber headers for the V8 that will bolt on to the existing exhaust system with no problems and he's in the process of making a couple of sets for the V6 for me and my broham Williams007. If you are out there Mel jump in with the hrspwr gain you got on your 430.

And: a shameless plug for another forum member VIPclk320 has fabricated, on his own, front and rear strut bars and a cold air intake to replace the stock air box which I and many others have.

 

Nope, not related. Didn't know there was a EuroTech rim company....

Cool thanks. I have searched the forum a little bit, but I keep getting redirected to different posts that are related to the V6 and not the V8. I tried googe'ing? different mods but only got them pertaining to the W209 and not the W208.

I don't live in Cali, so legality is definatly not an issue, I was going to gut my precats and remove the main cats on my Audi before I decided to sell it lol. So looks like i'm mainly going to be doing ascetics instead of performance...new to me.

 

Kleemann will install their headers which eliminate the first set of cats that eliminate the O2 sensors then remap the ECU to higher standards that eliminate O2 readings. Pretty pricy. I exchanged several emails with the Kleeman shop in Colorad Spgs and they quoted me $1500 + $600 for labor. Ghostrider's headers are around $950 + shipping. Chip tune and cold air intake made the biggest diff in performance on my V6. then the front and rear strut bars flattened out the turns. contact VIPclk320. If he makes you a deal on all three mods don't pass it up.

I don't have one but I am told Springbooster eliminates throttle delay big time. Williams007 will attest.

https://mbworld.org/forums/clk-class...strut-bar.html