ps2cho

I was thinking of something along those lines...From what I understand the stock MB air intake provides the best possible intake method for the stock CIS. Only thing better would be that dual intake OEM one that is the M104 IIRC?

Hanno

Has anyone noticed that the factory setup gets cold air (at least while moving) from its stock inlet location? It seems to work well at full tilt all day long on the autobahn. AMG stuff is great if your engine is modified to breath better, but for a stock engine, not needed or helpful. If you want to look cool, get a K&N or other questionable performance "enhancement".

ps2cho

You know how the stock inlet bends at the end, right?
...well what about cutting the bend off? Think it would allow more air through at all?

ZorroAMG

Hanno, K& N air filters aren't questionable.

ps2cho, that may be a gooder....

ps2cho

My only concern over it would be if the bend acts as a way for the air to "scoop" into the intake as opposed to just going to the side of it. I believe it was either designed to capture the air...or to avoid getting debris into the filter.

Anybody have any other thoughts about it?

Saijin_Naib

Copy the design of the V8 engines and get the scoop attachment for the right hand lens and cut into the left pipe and make a dual intake. That's my eventual plan. I may supplement that with double diesel fenders to make a 4way but that is really unnecessary probably.

ZorroAMG

Double diesel? They only come as one side with openings, I believe.

Saijin_Naib

Yeah they do, but I meant mirroring that design should be fairly easy to do and may help net some extra air exchange.

TheGerman

The development costs of these cars were over 2.000.000.000 German Marks. That were more than 1.000.000.000$US.

Do you realley think, if it is possible to get 2 more horsepowers with another air intake, they didn't build it?

ZorroAMG

Now THAT is naive, German. ALL cars have untapped potential and every engine can be improved (even F1)

For the daily average modder though, the stock setup is best.

pifcat2

Yes, development is for a general use purpose. Engine modifications or enhancements (AMG, Brabas, etc) are done for higher performance which have different criteria than stock. Hanno is correct, if the engine is stock more flow probably wouldn't help much.

The OP question is about a homemade (non-OEM) air intake. Those are available and duplicate common aftermarket systems with higher flow cone filters isolated from heat. Either the manufacturer convinced people they are better than stock or have data to show these systems improve performance. The M104 utilizes a remote airbox instead of one above the engine. Maybe that can be adapted to the M103.

When increasing flow you typically have less filtration (larger holes in the membrane) which may give you better performance but allow more dust or dirt into your intake. Another consideration is volume of flow. You would need to size your diesel side gill openings or any collecting duct large enough. Ideally you would test this on a dyno but I doubt anyone will spend the time or money. This is where the factory development costs incur.

I'm not sure if K&N claims their filters offer better flow or filtration but they can be cleaned instead of replaced which is worth the extra price...

TheGerman

You can make little things better. You can also optimize tolerances from the series production.

But i don't think that you can improve the hole construction.

The original air intake still has a cool air intake at the front with a design for not getting any water, sand or big thinks like stones and insects inside.

The M103 has a KE-Jetronic with an other air flowmeter than the M104. The M103 takes the air from all sides of the airfilterbox synchronistically through the air flowmeter down in the intake manifold.

If you change the airbox, you will change the aircolumn and it may be that you have less power than before.

ZorroAMG

Uh....okay....