Dueclaws

I believe this (below)might have been in a previous post. Regardless great gains in wheel horsepower for the M278: Makes a tune even more tempting. Only concern is traction: When at the MBZ dealer yesterday for the A service, the tech said our rear tires are down to 4mm!

://www.***********.com/index.php?referrerid=7555

np888

Good lord!!! This is getting me very excited, my car is booked in for Renntech tune next month. Hope I'll be getting this latest tune

Phoenix9666

You need to add the cost of replacing rear tires every 5K miles into the cost of the tune...

Dueclaws

You might want to contact RT to insure you get the latest tune.
Also ask them about their new pump and radiator for the intercooler.

In another thread RT said the exhaust of the '12+ 550E Coupe doesn't flow as good as the '12+ 550CLS. Maybe they can tell you what changes to the 2012 exhaust can be made to equal (or better) the exhaust of a '12E550 CLS. I asked in a reply to their thread, but no response yet.

Please post what you learn.

D.C.

np888

Sent George @ RT an email. They are going to be giving me the new tune. My car has no resonators so sure it flows very slightly better. I think the intercooler/pump combo just isn't going to happen for me at $3K. RT said that the car will be just fine with ECU tune alone.

Dueclaws

Great news about the tune!
I agree that the heat exchanger/pump for the intercooler is too pricy: at least for my intended use.

Looking forward to your post after the tune.

Used2be

I have no experience with turbo engines and really don't know enough to ask pertinent questions of a tuner like RENNtech or Eurocharged, but it seems to me that the main ingredient for a horsepower increase from an ECU tune would be to increase the boost from the turbos. I can't remember the listed boost for the E550, but it's something like .8 or .9 bar. They would also do the necessary tweaks to fueling and ignition of course, but it's the turbo that's the key I'd think. How much boost increase is safe and how much faster do the turbos accelerate their pace to failure because of the increase? Since I've read they're welded to the exhaust, I assume a replacement includes a new exhaust manifold? If either Eurocharged or RENNtech would care to comment, if they can without giving away trade secrets, I'd be very interested! How much boost is safe with our compression and the stock intercooler? Thanks to any who have insight into this. I hope this isn't too far off topic for Dueclaws, no hijack intended!

Dueclaws

U2b-
No hijack felt: all part of the conversation.
If you haven't, please read the thread and following comments (some from RennTech) about the comparison of the MBZ M278 to the BMW N63. There are comments about the turbo size:
http://www.***********.com/index.php?referrerid=7555

"Twin-Turbo-V8-engine-design-tuning-and-power-potential-comparison-Mercedes-M278-(W212-E550)-versus-BMW-N63-(F10-550i)"

Used2be

I did read that article and was the only reply in that thread you posted. Maybe there aren't many who care a whole lot about how the engines work, but I was really impressed with BMW and how they reworked their motor to accomplish their goals for horsepower. Yes, someone will have to be very interested in maximizing the potential of our M278 to redesign the exhaust manifold to accept a larger turbo for more horsepower. Is the basic block of the M278 identical to the 5.5 liter M157? If so, it would seem someone intent on maximum HP would start with that motor and swap it into the E550 series for a bit of a sleeper.

Dueclaws

I wouldn't spend that kind of money to modify our coupes to extreme, but would buy an AMG.
Note
There's speculation that the exhaust manifolds from the M157 engines bolt on to the M278