BiTurboBenz

I have never driven a CLK500 and was curious if the 5.0L sounds the same as the 5.5L.

If they sound different, how so?

RJC

500 has a nice but subdued growl where the AMG's is much more pronounced mostly due to the AMG muffler(s).

BiTurboBenz

So if you throw the AMG exhaust on a 500 it will sound the same?

RJC

Not exactly but I'd imagine pretty darn close...

55 ON IT

I would assume the 500 sounds similar to the 430. Nice v8 growl, but not the 55 roar.

RJC

Yup

SL BRABUS

430 and 500 growl........55 roar........and Brabus 6.1 meow meow....... :p

Thericker

Nope...I had the dealer order the AMG quad tipp S55 cat back set up for my S500 and after install, a few weeks later spotted a brand new S55 in the parking lot, got right next to him they sounded exactly the same at idle, and medium throttle..I'll bet at WOT the 55 must sound better though due to the blower But when I open her up it sounds BADASS! I've ordered an HPS :v blower :v it will be installed in about 6-8 weeks I'll be happy to record a sound bite and some video, if one of you guys can help me host it...I don't have a clue how to upload or transfer video images, or sounds to this site...

Thericker

Nope....500 Sounds just like the 55 w/AMG exhaust

Stiggs

What are you saying....the Brabus is a P-ussy!!!

J/K

ProjectC55

Silly thread, but all M113 engines(AMG non AMG) will sound the same.4.3,5.0,5.5L.From C43 to CLK55. This thread is dumb. Even non AMG cars with M113's will all sound the same.Diff between Non AMG and AMG cars is the exhaust.

BiTurboBenz

I disagree, and so does the rest of civilization

akbro93704

They will sound similar of course because they're all basically the same engine design but different displacements. They don't sound the same though, due to the differences in sound deadening material and exhaust tuning. AMG cars have more aggressive exhaust systems with an American muscle car growl and the 4.3 and 5.0 liter V8's have a smoother more refined sounding exhaust. The V8's in the S430, S500 and E500 don't have a tuned exhaust thus no noticeable exhaust sound. The engine's themselves sound almost identical(excluding the supercharged V8's), probably could only tell the difference if you were comparing them side by side.

ProjectC55

I think we're saying the same thing.Read my post again. An M113 motor is an M113 motor.If they all had the same exhaust AMG or non AMG ,4.3L,5.0L,5.5L they would all sound the same.

ProjectC55

What part of civilization are you from bud! Read my first post again carefully!

ProjectC55

Here you go! I agree.Put the same exhaust on each car and you could never tell the diff.

akbro93704

ya, we did pretty much say the same thing, I guess I read through your post once and had in my mind what I thought it said and never read it again. sorry

AMG///Merc

They wouldn't sound exactly alike, even if they all shared identical exhaust systems. The two influencing factors are the differing displacements and the different cams (Different duration equating to a change in exhaust pulse frequency, as well as slightly different timing). Most likely they would sound similar enough to where it might not be easy to tell the difference, but there's no question that they will sound different...


Best regards,
Matt

scovit

Here's my take....from my experience. Startup engine sound less powerful. I used to own an 05 CLK500. Tempered low exhaust sound at idle. Cruising exhaust sound non-existant. One exhaust pipe.....not a sport-tuned car.....seemed to be not that much fume push from the pipe. With a modded exhaust system you would probably get better push but not as much as a 5.5 liter push and at highway speeds it would not really be all that noticable.

I now have a C55. Very powerful startup sound. Also much deeper exhaust sound at idle. At the low end and at higher speeds measurable sweet exhaust sounds but never, ever overwhelming. dual exhausts provide more feedback and greater fume push in the back.

I should point out that both MB cars have very characteristic MB sounds just like to me all BMW's have similar sounds......

Conclusion: No matter what mods you do, the 5.5 liter will always sound deeper and "richer" than the smaller 5.0 liter. It's all about displacement.

ProjectC55

Yes and No Matt.The difference you might hear would be very very slight especially at WOT.As you can see I did the conversion from a 4.3L to a 5.5L motor in my car and I'm telling you they sound exactly the same,at idle. At wide open throttle I get more TQ obviously and it sounds a tad and I stress a tad more aggressive..Even on the dyno we had two C43's a CLK 430 and my car one after another and even the CLk at WOT sounded only a tad different.The 5.0L motor at WOT I'm sure would sound exactly like the C43 at WOT.It's not like the 5.5L cams are so radical that you hear an extreme difference because if that were so I'm sure you would hear it at idle.

AMG///Merc

As I specified in my post, the difference is going to be negligible and my point was really just to explain that they won't sound identical, especially at WOT as you stated. In addition to cams, displacement is a factor as larger displacement equates to more fuel/air mixture (Obviously), and therefore more energy release which I have to think has some bearing on noise. But again, I completely agree that the difference is going to be very subtle...


Best regards,
Matt

ProjectC55

The pistons are the same bore however the cranks are different as are the length of the rods(5.0 vs 5.5L).Very Very slight diff in displacement.But a difference none the less hence the 25-30 hp and 70 ft-lb TQ difference

Yes. The newer AMG's have an entirely different exhaust than your 05 CLK 500 and the older CLK55.The displacement issue is a very small thing in my opinion when it comes to how these cars sound.I still say the difference in sound mostly comes from the exhaust. Edit:Cams and displ between the 5.0 and 5.5L motors vs the 4.3L motors as well.Sound difference will be subtle.

ProjectC55

I'm a lil late but

PTE

I've been thinking that my 03 CLK 5.5 AMG exhaust is not throaty enough for my taste. So I went a did a sound measurement last night , With a B+K sound pressure meter. I did it in (A) weighted scale and a slow response. Which is close to what the human ear senses . Please note that it takes about a (3) decible (db) change for the human ear to know the change is sound pressure.
This is on the stock AMG exhaust with a single 2 pass AMG rear Muffler , with is a little throatier than the stock CLK 500 .
All the testing was done on a new Mcadum paved road. Idle in gear was 46dbs / 70 mph @2500rpm ,5th gear 65.3 dbs
The rest is in manual shift mode and 3rd gear.
2500/60.2dbs---3000/62dbs---3500/65dbs---4000/68dbs
4500/70dbs---5000/78dbs---5500/78.5dbs---6000/77.6dbs
Hope that helps. I will be installing a new Carlsson Muffler and will remeasure for hp & sound pressure increases

Chappy

My experience with the "beefiness" sound of M113 motors. Most, if not all of the differences are due to the way the exhaust is tuned from the factory:

Quiet/Less Beefy progressing to a very healthy sounding exhaust note.

CLK500 (W209)---->CLK430 (W208)---->E55 (W210)---->CLK55 (W209)---->CLK55 (W208)---->C55 (W203)---->SLK55 (R171).