TheNewStandard

Hey guys!

I'm relatively new here and just inherited a 1999 ML430.
I know this is the wrong section, but I heard that when it comes to toying with the M113 V8, the CLK section was the way to go.

I don't plan on doing anything too crazy from a financial and performance standpoint, the motor now runs at 241k.
However I want to push it up in the 300bhp bracket.
I was looking at air intakes from K&N to boost power and from my understanding they also boost fuel mileage.
Additionally I was thinking of switching exhaust when I ran into this sick vid:

Any thoughts, tips, pointers on this?

ghiaguy

241k? I wouldn't push it. Really.

krazzz

Ditto!

jazzmammal

There's a lot of threads asking this question concerning the 430 engine and bottom line there's no real perfomance boost available without spending serious cash. Air filters, the Sprintbooster and other cheap tweaks like that give you minimal bang for the buck. If that kind of thing was really yeilding 300 hp, there would be huge threads talking all about it with detailed instructions. There isn't. If you don't have emissions issues where you live then a set of custom headers and removing the cats creating a flow through exhaust might give you an extra 25 hp but you don't want to know what a good set of headers costs for that motor plus the labor involved in fitting them. Then there's the issue of all the sensors with the emissions system and screwing with them throws all sorts of error codes. You have to pay a good MB tech who understands that stuff to bypass it and not mess with your engine computer.

Modern MB engines are pretty highly engineered already, best to leave it alone unless you're one of the real pros here with their own shop who really knows what they're doing.

Bob

TheNewStandard

Thanks for the input guys. I'll leave the motor alone then.
I figured I could use the performance intake to gain like 3MPGs but that might bring other problems and error codes. I pay the price for owning an SUV lol