CLK_63_Black

...just finished with the installation of a custom rear diffuser... Still needs some minor work (i.e. paint, etc.) as it got scratched and patch-painted through the process. It took a long time to figure out the logistics of this darn diffuser and to get it properly fitted, but it was finally done. Huge headache!! A lot...and I mean...a lot of work... But in the end...well worth it... I'll try to post more pics in the upcoming days so you can also see the interior with the racing Sparco bucket seats. Rims...HREs with titanium bolts. A few more things that I plan to do in the near future...Long Tubes Tri-Y, and an ECU Tune. Currently, I have open down pipes... Very...and I mean...very very very loud!!! But the HP gains for not having mufflers, resonators, and 2 out of the four Cats...are great!! I have not had the chance to dyno car yet but will do once I find free time. About a month ago, I smoked an SLS... We did three runs from 40MPH to about 100MPH...and in all three runs I left him behind the distance of about 5 cars!! The other driver couldn't believe it. Quite frankly...I couldn't believe it either. In the past...on near-by highways, I have smoked a Lamborghini Gallardo, Ferrari F430, and a 2008 Porsche 911 turbo. The other drivers seemed to be very surprised that they got smoked by a Mercedes... Little they knew that it was the CLK Black Series! Truth is that my car pulls much harder compared to how it was before I did those exhaust changes (rather removal of OEM exhaust components). The again...mufflers, resonators, and cats are choking points. Keep in mind...I have not had an ECU remap as of yet. Well...then again, I have also found a way to shed 180 pounds (lbs) off of the car's 3911 lbs curb weight. I've had mine weighed on a scale about couple weeks ago...it came to 3731 lbs. I am working on gettting the car down to 3500 lbs. Enjoy these two pics... I'll try to post a few more in the upcoming days... Cheers!

JamE55

Not trying to doubt you or anything but you were able to beat an SLS, Lamborghini Gallardo, Ferrari F430, and a 2008 Porsche 911 turbo with your current setup and you're not even running a LTH or a tuned ECU? So you engine setup is stock or what? I mean besides the open down pipes and not having any mufs of res.

Also your setup looks somewhat familiar from another member who was selling his CLK with the same wheels? Anymore pics of the rear diffuser? What size are your wheel setup?

PaulWdz

I find it very hard to believe that you beat any of those cars. F430 is much lighter with almost same power, same for Gallardo....and the turbo 997 is faster as well. The mods on your BS don't amount to much as the major restrictions on the M156 motor are the intake and stock log exhaust manifolds. Without an ECU tune and headers you are pretty much stock. And even shedding 180 lbs you are still almost 700 lbs heavier than then F430.
I realize you are very happy with your BS, but please be realistic.

SMP

I've been beaten many times by, lets just say, mechanically inferior hardware ... once in a 25 mph residential area, countless times at a light and too many to count fly-bys on the FWY ... but they all had one thing in common ... I didn't even know I was in a race

PaulWdz

There is that variable, too !! LOL

Vic55

Bro those damn honda accords are messing with you too?

CLK_63_Black

LMAO!!! It's all in the torque my friend!! I am not trying to be sarcastic or anything. But if you check the torque figures for both cars...then you would find the answer. The CLK Black with the OEM set up would give you 465 ft·lb at 5250 rpm. Where the Ferrari F430 just 343 lb·ft at same rpm (5250 rpm). The CLK Black would give you 80% of its torque at 2000 rpm, where in the F430 you have to be at 3500rpm to give you 80% of its torque. Numbers speak loud...and I can't be any more realistic than that!!! When you are on a highway cruising at 40MPH and there comes a Lamborhini Gallardo or a Ferrari F430, be rest assured that you can smoke either one of them from that point on up. Same goes for the Gallardo, which gets only 376.2 lb.ft @ 4500 rpm. Neither car can match the torque figures of the CLK Black torque. They get smoked!! Now...if you plan to do 0-60...things may change because the weight issue is thrown into the equation and the weight becomes a little more important when taking off from stop...which as I mention once I get the weight down to where I want it to be...jejeje...you get my point... But like I said...once you reduce weight off of the CLK Black...then the rest is history. AMG shop is known as "Masters of Torque" for a good reason!

CLK_63_Black

I am sure they did know they were on a race...cause we did more than just one run. Let's start with the Gallardo...two runs. I even had my wife in the car. The guy was just by himself. After both runs (from 60MPH to about 120 MPH)...the guy pulled aside and was very surprised...gave thumbs up...and then asked what kind of Mercedes that was. I am sure he knew he was on a race run. Same with F430...3 different runs on same highway (I-95) headed North Bound this time... Both, Gallardo and F430, i had a slightly different setup as I was not running open down pipes. I had straight pipes asides the front cats which are still there. I also had X-pipes. The 911 turbo was from one traffic light to another in fort Lauderdale...say the equivelant of 4 regular size city blocks. The guy pulled aside and he was looking at the car trying to figure out how that was possible. Torque...torque...torque!!!

CLK_63_Black

Correct! I know it sounds strange, but the OEM torque of CLK Black is more than enough to smoke those cars I mentioned with closed eyes. I know cause I did it...I've seen it with my own eyes...and yes I am not blind. No LTH and no tune as of yet. Just performance air filters and open down pipes...with 180 lbs off of the car. I am looking very very forward to do the LTH and the tune and see how much different the car would be. I did notice a substantial difference going from regular OEM exhaust to open down pipes. But keep in mind...here in Florida...no emission requirements and no smog tests. Amen for that!!! As far as noise...I am used to it by now and yes...it is very very loud. That thing roars very very very loud! Everytime I go through my garage...it sets off other car alarms left and right. LMAO.

CLK_63_Black

LMAO!!! After they got smoked by the CLK Black, they might as well remove the Ferrari and Lambo badges and place a Honda one. Jejeje

ecampbell

First off, I love my black series but.....I have to call bull on that unless they didn't know they were racing.

You have a modified exhaust and without tuning, the gains are simply because the OEM exhaust is very heavy and you have reduced the weight which is accounting for the performance. Just some hints but rather than looking at ti nuts, you are better off spending the money on perhaps cleaning up the intake system. While I agree torque is important, my dodge dually puts out well over 1,150 pounds...do you think I would beat a bone stock clk bs in a drag race? You also have to look at gearing at the f430 is at the very least equal to and with its transmission and the 430 way ahead.

CLK_63_Black

The three runs with the SLS were with a different set up. I had straight pipes (asides the 2 front cats still in place). At that time, I also had X-pipes. The F430 and and 911 turbo where while I had mufflers and 2 cats on (no resonators and no rear cuts). With my straight pipes, I was also running X-pipes. Now, i removed everything...no pipes passed the front sensors. Asides that these stuff is a choking point...it weighs a lot. So, the engine runs and breaths better...and also much lighter. I also changed the air filters to performance filters (BNCs). They are known to be better than K&Ns cause they are less greasy and less likely to mess up with the oxygen sensors. Wheels 19x10 (front), and 19x11 (rear)... Much lighter than OEM rims...and wider as well...getting better traction. Double benefit! More pics...would follow in the upcoming days...

CLK_63_Black

When you look at torque...you can't look at it without looking at the rpm and how much of that torque you can get at the lowest rpm possible. Just because you have 1150 pounds of torque is one thing. The next question you should be asking yourself would be...how high in rpm does your engine have to be to give you that torque. And the third one...which to me is the most important of all. How can you get most of your torque at the lowest rpm possible. In fact, this is one thing the AMG shop is known for...torque...and giving it at as low rpm as possible. Getting 80% of 465 torque at only 2000 rpm is nothing to sneeze. In your case, you may be running 1150 pounds for example, but say if you get 70% at 4000 rpm, you may still be at dissadvantage. With the 1150 pounds of torque you mentioned, if you can get 80% at 2000 rpm, then the answer is yes you would be able to smoke me with closed eyes (all other things being equal). Not sure how much of your torque you get at 2000 rpm, but I would doubt that you are in 80% range. On the other hand, given that you have that much torque...you may be able to get only 70% at 2000 rpm, and chances are that you would still smoke me with closed eyes...simply because you engine has a lot of torque. I emphasize...all other things being equal (weight, etc.). In any case, torque is important but you also have to account rpm and how much of your torque can be disspensed at the lower rpm possible. Btw, I agree that i need to work on cleaning up the intake system. I am planning to do that. That is a good advise. Cheers!!

ecampbell

LOL I am over 800 pounds at 2,500 rpm....you need to factor in gearing my friend gearing!

I appreciate how happy you are with the car and I think that is great but there is no way the clk would take the 430 (I used to have one) based on freeing up the clk exhaust unless the f driver didn't know he was racing until you had already put a jump on him.

CLK_63_Black

if you are at 800 pounds at 2500 rpm then you have your answer already, and then yes you would be able to smoke my car. I would assume you've done some serious work on your car. Gearing is important and I do agree that the F430 is shifting a bit faster than the CLK black, particularly the F430 Scuderia. But like I said, you can get a F430 against any OEM CLK Black (and never mind the exhaust upgrades) from say to 40MPH to 120 or 140MPH... and the CLK Black would smoke the F430 with closed eyes each and every time consistently!!! It's all in the numbers my friend. The CLK Black with the OEM set up would give you 465 ft·lb at 5250 rpm. Where the Ferrari F430 just 343 lb·ft at same rpm (5250 rpm). The CLK Black would give you 80% of its torque at 2000 rpm, where in the F430 you have to be at 3500rpm to give you 80% of its torque. Numbers speak loud!!! Not a rocket science. Like I said...look at the torque figures for the Black and then for the F430 (I listed them above for you so you wont have to search for it on the net)...the answer would be in front of you. There is nothing to debate over...its all in numbers... Btw, saying that the F430 got smoked is an understatment...that guy in all runs was left behind at least 6-7 cars distance behind. I'll even make it easier for you... I had even let him take off first and have a very slight early start (about half a sec ahead)...just to make sure that there was no doubt. Ok...maybe we went a bit higher than 120...probably 140MPH or so but I wasn't keeping an eye on the speedometer...but rather at my rpm gauge and making sure I shifted gears exactly at the peak of my torque. He knew he was racing and he got smooookkeeeeeddd!!!!!!!

ecampbell

....you win this conversation as you don't understand gearing and weight and I am to lazy to explain again

enjoy your car and perhaps we will meet at the strip.

CLK_63_Black

I am enjoying the hell out of this car!! Thanks mate!!! Well...hopefully you won't have the 1150 lb-ft Dodge with you, 'cause I would be hesitant to race you...cause something tells me that you would smoke my car... But in the mean time...I am enjoying the heck out of smoking those F430s. Don't give me wrong...I like Ferraris too...but even though the F430 may be pulling faster from stop to say around 40 MPH (mainly due to the lighter frame...once you reach a certain speed (say around 40MPH)...then torque becomes the priority...the CLK would be pulling hard...while the F430 would be accelareting much slower (regresively) compared to the CLK Black. They are both good cars...but I prefer the one that smokes the other from 40MPH to say 120MPH...and we both know which one it is based on the torque figures.

ecampbell

I wouldn't worry about my truck...the car, well thats another story...

PaulWdz

I am almost positive that from your (limited) perspective when you get long tubes and a tune you will have the fastest car on the plant and be putting 50 car lengths on UGR cars left and right.
Glad you are enjoying your BS, but you really need to understand that it is not nearly as fast as you think it is and most of what you have said here is complete nonsense.

CLK_63_Black

Ouch!! ...so I would assume you are the sensible brain with the unlimited perspective!!! Great!!!! Amen mate!!! We can all learn from a sensible unlimited perspective like yours!!! What exactly did you say? When exactly was the last time you looked into understanding how torque comparisons work? Thank you!! You get the point. You seem to insist in horsepower and weight. There are more things into cars, asides horsepower and weight. Torque is one of them. I think I am very close to saying what Ecambell used on me... "I give up...you win...as you don't understand about torque and I am just too lazy to educate you".

ecampbell

Actually I missed the Florida bit. We might meet up after all although I would not want to race you when you have the LTH and ECU tune on as you will most definitely smoke me like the other cars!!

yarf

LOL

ecampbell

the board has been slow lately...

CLK_63_Black

As long as you don't bring down the Dodge...then I will race you. You bring the Dodge and I give up. 1150 lb-ft...I don't even wanna try it. Forget about it. What's the point. LMAO.

ecampbell

I have a 1,000 HP Black Series if you prefer....your choice.