Work in Progress Front Mount Heat Exchanger
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Work in Progress Front Mount Heat Exchanger
I decided to put in a bigger heat exchanger for my Kleemann s/c since it would get very hot and stay hot for long periods of time. As you all know cooler temps = more power and more consistent power. So anyways, I looked all over and couldn't find one that would fit perfectly. After alot of research I found an AFCO Pro Series dual pass heat exchanger made for heavily modified mustang cobra's. The inlet/outlet pointed toward the back of the car instead of out the side and this forced me to mount it off center. Th eheat exchanger was MASSIVE and I was forced to cut alot of the bumper out in order to put the bumper back on. Let me remind you that this is a work in progress and I will be ordering a custom heat exchanger with inlet/outlet on the side and thinner in order to fit behind a aftermarket bumper. THIS IS NOT THE FINAL PRODUCT! The 2 guys in the pics are friends that helped with the install. So after the install I can now lay my hand on the s/c after running the car hard. That was never possible before. Even after a quick pass the s/c would be burning hot before. It never gets "hot" the most it gets is warm. I cant wait to take it to the track and see the difference in times.
Also my eisenmann race exhaust should be here soon
Also my eisenmann race exhaust should be here soon
Last edited by blackbenzz; Dec 9, 2006 at 05:29 PM.
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Last edited by blackbenzz; Dec 9, 2006 at 05:39 PM.
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Ahmad that is a BIG difference and you will surely reap the benefits. Many on here will follow your path I strongly believe. We are talking nite and day here and surely that heat exchanger will make the Kleeman system wrk on your car more efficiently. I see low low 11's all motor no NOS in your future. Look out DEREK FSU!
That's right ! But this is not to mean any disrespect to DEREK at all. Derek has been the standard.
Malcolm told me he's building a CLS55 now and it's gonna be sic. Right now he has the fastest E55k known in the country:10.4 sec @ 142mph in the 1/4 mile. I've known Malcolm since the early to mid 90's. I remeber his modded ACURA NSX! He's also been in many mags ,Sports compact magazine,Turbo Magazine just to name a few.
Keep up the good work Ahmad!
PS the heat exchanger on your stck CLK55 bumper ddoes not look that bad. But after all this is a pic. Try the Carlsson bumper u have.
For Ahmad ALL MOTOR NO NOS! mid to low 11's Keep everyone posted. I believe you'll achieve it.Good job Bro. Hope to see the BEAST soon.
That's right ! But this is not to mean any disrespect to DEREK at all. Derek has been the standard. Malcolm told me he's building a CLS55 now and it's gonna be sic. Right now he has the fastest E55k known in the country:10.4 sec @ 142mph in the 1/4 mile. I've known Malcolm since the early to mid 90's. I remeber his modded ACURA NSX! He's also been in many mags ,Sports compact magazine,Turbo Magazine just to name a few.
Keep up the good work Ahmad!
PS the heat exchanger on your stck CLK55 bumper ddoes not look that bad. But after all this is a pic.
Try the Carlsson bumper u have.For Ahmad ALL MOTOR NO NOS! mid to low 11's Keep everyone posted. I believe you'll achieve it.Good job Bro. Hope to see the BEAST soon.
Last edited by ProjectC55; Dec 10, 2006 at 12:13 PM.
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2002 CLK 55 AMG Coupé
I take it the little black radiator next to the big shiny new one is the original Kleemann product. It does look too small for the job -- and a bigger one could have fit the original space and bumper, no? I am wondering if the only way to avoid heat soak with the stock Kleemann set up is to reduce boost.
Placing your hand on the compressor is not a bad test, but time at the track will tell if this the weak link in the Kleemann system. Please keep us posted.
Placing your hand on the compressor is not a bad test, but time at the track will tell if this the weak link in the Kleemann system. Please keep us posted.
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Unfortunately the tracks are closed for the season in my area. I tried going the week after I installed the heat exchanger but the intercooler pump relay went bad at the track and I obviously didnt want to run the car without the pump working. Maybe I can convince a track to let me make a few passes but I doubt it. Guess we might have to wait til next season for real numbers 
. Trust me, the numbers are there 
Maybe not low 11's but I think I may get kicked out the next time I run at the track and I think traps will be 120+! The baseline time to beat for my car is 11.7 @ 118.9
One other place that I think a major improvement can be made is the intake runner openings at the front of the car. They are so small! I'm just worried that if I make bigger inlets I may suck in small woodland creatures
Carl- Thanks for the kind words.
Neilbo75- Going down in boost is NOT an option, only way I'd go is up. There is very little heat as of right now. I'd even go so far as to say it runs cooler than my CLK430! I'm not joking about being able to put my hand on the s/c after running it hard. Its barely warm to the touch.
. Trust me, the numbers are there Maybe not low 11's but I think I may get kicked out the next time I run at the track and I think traps will be 120+! The baseline time to beat for my car is 11.7 @ 118.9 One other place that I think a major improvement can be made is the intake runner openings at the front of the car. They are so small! I'm just worried that if I make bigger inlets I may suck in small woodland creatures
Carl- Thanks for the kind words.
Neilbo75- Going down in boost is NOT an option, only way I'd go is up. There is very little heat as of right now. I'd even go so far as to say it runs cooler than my CLK430! I'm not joking about being able to put my hand on the s/c after running it hard. Its barely warm to the touch.
Last edited by blackbenzz; Dec 11, 2006 at 12:04 PM.
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Nope you don't wanna decrease the boost.That defeat's the purpose of the bigger heat exchanger. I'm imagining with a bigger heat exchanger the Kleeman k4 E55 would have totally ran away from Gustav's E63 M6. Good chance it is the Achillees heel in their system.
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My point is that the stock Kleemann set up is prone to heat soak. There seem to be two solutions : get a much bigger heat exchanger like Blackbenzz is doing or reduce boost.
Reducing boost IS an option, since Kleemann can change the pulley size. Going down to .35 bar or 5 pounds still leaves an estimated 450 HP at the crank if you also add the headers. That should be enough extra power to make the 208 CLK55 faster to 100 km/h than a V12 Aston Martin (DB9 or Vanquish S, both heavier cars). That's my bench mark.
Sure, more boost means more power, and Blankbenzz's set up is sure to win at the drag strip. But it also causes more supercharger whine, more traction problems ... and more heat. This heat exchanger is a great mod but I would also add an oil temp gauge to better monitor temperatures inside the motor.
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Like I said, this is not the finished product. I will be adding gauges as a safety precaution. The supercharger is relatively quiet. I cant hear it at all but I guess if I'm at wot you could probably hear it a little from outside the car. 450hp would've been nowhere near my goal. I have been looking at RAISING the boost and was going to do this before the heat exchanger but decided to get rid of as much heat as possible before I did that. I'm not sure if I will raise boost or not. I will probably port and polish the heads next (exhaust is already on its way but I dont expect much, if any power out of it. Just doing it for sound. If I dont liek the sound I will sell the muffler and do cutouts ).
).
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Sure, more boost means more power, and Blankbenzz's set up is sure to win at the drag strip. But it also causes more supercharger whine, more traction problems ... and more heat. This heat exchanger is a great mod but I would also add an oil temp gauge to better monitor temperatures inside the motor.
Last edited by ProjectC55; Dec 12, 2006 at 09:30 AM.
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Well Derek FSU and Malcolm don't seem to be havng any problems. Both own 10 second Kleeman pwrd E55K cars. I'm very optimistic about the whole setup. Especially when I know the SLR and CLK DTM use stck setups and I've never heard of heat being an issue. Both cars are running more boost than the stck setup(E55k) as well on the 5.5l blck.
Blackbenzz : IIRC when your car was Learso's he already had the exhaust moded? I seem to remember a post where he was asking how far out from the bumpers the chrome tips should be.
And funny thing about the S/C whine -- most people report it to be on the mild side but in your recent video of the drags it comes across the tarmac like a police siren. I gather it's more noticeable if one is outside the car.
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True, the 5.5 block can take boost levels signficantly beyond what Kleemann provides in its stock system. The stock AMG 55K motor on the E class already has more boost, then one goes on to K4 set ups, the CLK DTM and the SLR. Pretty soon we're pushing one atmosphere. But there is one caveat: the AMG55K, DTM and SLR motors were built for supercharging and have additional reinforcement and lower compression ratios. Our CLK55 engines are a bit different. By all means full speed ahead but going significantly beyond stock boost demands caution. Get the heads up from oil and transmission temp gauges -- I'm guessing AMG put them on the DTM for a reason. You might need additional oil and tranny coolers as well to avoid too much internal "heat soak".
Blackbenzz : IIRC when your car was Learso's he already had the exhaust moded? I seem to remember a post where he was asking how far out from the bumpers the chrome tips should be.
And funny thing about the S/C whine -- most people report it to be on the mild side but in your recent video of the drags it comes across the tarmac like a police siren. I gather it's more noticeable if one is outside the car.
Blackbenzz : IIRC when your car was Learso's he already had the exhaust moded? I seem to remember a post where he was asking how far out from the bumpers the chrome tips should be.
And funny thing about the S/C whine -- most people report it to be on the mild side but in your recent video of the drags it comes across the tarmac like a police siren. I gather it's more noticeable if one is outside the car.
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Blackbenzz : IIRC when your car was Learso's he already had the exhaust moded? I seem to remember a post where he was asking how far out from the bumpers the chrome tips should be.
And funny thing about the S/C whine -- most people report it to be on the mild side but in your recent video of the drags it comes across the tarmac like a police siren. I gather it's more noticeable if one is outside the car.
And funny thing about the S/C whine -- most people report it to be on the mild side but in your recent video of the drags it comes across the tarmac like a police siren. I gather it's more noticeable if one is outside the car.
I'm not upping the boost YET. I'm going to look into port and polish heads first. I was going to up the boost to 10 PSI the firts month I got it 
Now that I have made several 11s passes (was expecting a best of 12.2 based on other peoples runs) I am content and a little more sane.I've heard Malcolm's FMIC adds 40-50whp. I dont doubt it. If I was to gain a similar result I expect to be sub 11.5 and after the heads I may not be allowed at the track anymore
The 55k motors are lower compression and built for boost. I think 7PSI is very safe and conservative. May strap on a bottle like DerekFSU did for a few passes (try to get the 208 into the 10's)and then never use it again. Only time and the thickness of my pockets will tell.
Last edited by blackbenzz; Dec 12, 2006 at 05:42 PM.
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FMIC meaning ??
Whatever it is, you and this Malcolm guy are defintiely on to something. Am I right you broke the twelve second barrier without drag radials?
Do us wannabes a favor and don't port and polish until after you have track tested the heat exchanger mod. We are using your car as a guinea pig to see what mods work best and if you combine too many mods at once the results get blurred.
I am now wondering, if I go with the Kleemann set up should I pester them for a bigger heat exchanger? However it has to fit the stock 208 AMG bumper. Could a larger one have fit in there?
The Ford Cobra GT500 is a boon for gaining F/I tuning info and maybe scoring some deals on parts. The motor is almost the identical size to our 55s albeit with an iron block and DOHC. In fact, the whole car is similar in size : "compact" adults can actually fit in the back, unlike Corvettes or Vipers. In a recent Motor Trend test, the 500 HP Mustang predictably could not match the Z06 or Viper in ultimate performance but the editors ranked it second on account of its practicality and terrific value for money - $45K list price. Ouch, we Benz owners had better cultivate the refinement side of our rides. It the Kleemann blower really is quiet inside the cabin, that's a good start. The GT500 got criticized for its "AM radio" supercharger whine (8.5 pounds boost).
Whatever it is, you and this Malcolm guy are defintiely on to something. Am I right you broke the twelve second barrier without drag radials?
Do us wannabes a favor and don't port and polish until after you have track tested the heat exchanger mod. We are using your car as a guinea pig to see what mods work best and if you combine too many mods at once the results get blurred.
I am now wondering, if I go with the Kleemann set up should I pester them for a bigger heat exchanger? However it has to fit the stock 208 AMG bumper. Could a larger one have fit in there?
The Ford Cobra GT500 is a boon for gaining F/I tuning info and maybe scoring some deals on parts. The motor is almost the identical size to our 55s albeit with an iron block and DOHC. In fact, the whole car is similar in size : "compact" adults can actually fit in the back, unlike Corvettes or Vipers. In a recent Motor Trend test, the 500 HP Mustang predictably could not match the Z06 or Viper in ultimate performance but the editors ranked it second on account of its practicality and terrific value for money - $45K list price. Ouch, we Benz owners had better cultivate the refinement side of our rides. It the Kleemann blower really is quiet inside the cabin, that's a good start. The GT500 got criticized for its "AM radio" supercharger whine (8.5 pounds boost).
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FMIC = Front Mount InterCooler
I did run an 11.7 on Toyo RA1's.
I dont know about waiting on the port and polish, winter is downtime and perfect opportunity to get it done. Plus its not like I just go to the track, make one pass, and get my best time. Even the smallest modification and I have to relearn how to launch the car.
Kleemann wont give you a bigger heat exchanger but you can get one made to fit behind the OEM bumper thats bigger than Kleemanns ( I will be gettiing a custom one eventually).
The Kleemann really is quiet from inside the cabin. I try really hard to hear the whine but I dont. You can hear the air rushing in though, kinda like a vacuum cleaner lol!
I did run an 11.7 on Toyo RA1's.
I dont know about waiting on the port and polish, winter is downtime and perfect opportunity to get it done. Plus its not like I just go to the track, make one pass, and get my best time. Even the smallest modification and I have to relearn how to launch the car.
Kleemann wont give you a bigger heat exchanger but you can get one made to fit behind the OEM bumper thats bigger than Kleemanns ( I will be gettiing a custom one eventually).
The Kleemann really is quiet from inside the cabin. I try really hard to hear the whine but I dont. You can hear the air rushing in though, kinda like a vacuum cleaner lol!
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2002 CLK 55 AMG Coupé
Toyo RA1s rule!
I was going to go with Michelin PS2s when changing to 18 inch wheels but damn the Toyos are cheaper and also come recommended by Kleemann. Any drawbacks?
11.7--on street tires! You da Man. Kleemann LSD helps on the launch but it's clear you have exceptional driving skill. And sure, practice makes perfect.
I was going to go with Michelin PS2s when changing to 18 inch wheels but damn the Toyos are cheaper and also come recommended by Kleemann. Any drawbacks?
11.7--on street tires! You da Man. Kleemann LSD helps on the launch but it's clear you have exceptional driving skill. And sure, practice makes perfect.
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Toyo RA1s rule!
I was going to go with Michelin PS2s when changing to 18 inch wheels but damn the Toyos are cheaper and also come recommended by Kleemann. Any drawbacks?
11.7--on street tires! You da Man. Kleemann LSD helps on the launch but it's clear you have exceptional driving skill. And sure, practice makes perfect.
I was going to go with Michelin PS2s when changing to 18 inch wheels but damn the Toyos are cheaper and also come recommended by Kleemann. Any drawbacks?
11.7--on street tires! You da Man. Kleemann LSD helps on the launch but it's clear you have exceptional driving skill. And sure, practice makes perfect.
) I actually have PS2's sitting in my basement because I wanted more grip (they will go back on for the winter even though the 55 probably wont go anywhere). The RA1's are alot stickier than the PS2's and you can drive on them daily (I do). I highly recommend them. They arent cheap and dont come in many different sizes. I'm running 275/35(?)/18 Hope that helps.
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02 CLK55, 07 E92 335 ProCede
Yes, I have thought about this before. Unfortunately a raccoon apparently really liked my Carlsson front bumper because he jumped out to give it a hug on the highway. I have been trying to contact Felix at Europassion to order 2 more but I cant get a hold of him. That is the future plan though. I also need to get the new heat exchanger as well.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/98-02...QQcmdZViewItem
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02 CLK55, 07 E92 335 ProCede
Ya, have to agree with you on the fitament....even europassion's bumpers need alot of prep and work, i don't think i'll ever do it again.....a few members meshed the upper of their amg bumpers and the lower portion of the "Carlsson RS" bumper, to assure perfect fit.
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Dont mean to bash the thred by the way man !! It is looking sick Wanna sell it? 02 s500 30,000 miles ??? Trade lol I just purchased that bumper I have a good body guy so im sure it will work out . That euro passion guy hasnt responded in like 4 months soo whatever .Seriously man that car is amazing I have been talking to kleeman for a while now and after that video I think im just gonna buy the dam thing
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Dont mean to bash the thred by the way man !! It is looking sick Wanna sell it? 02 s500 30,000 miles ??? Trade lol I just purchased that bumper I have a good body guy so im sure it will work out . That euro passion guy hasnt responded in like 4 months soo whatever .Seriously man that car is amazing I have been talking to kleeman for a while now and after that video I think im just gonna buy the dam thing
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Rims are amazing people wont stopp buggin me bout them the car is winterized right now yea man thats my offer !!! my clk 55 and the s 500 for yours with the exhaust and fmic .Just sell the s 500 when you get it and buy another blower lol
