jcjmw

I am planning to get the Kleeman S/C for my 99 E55. I was just wondering if anybody on this forum already installed a Kleeman S/C on their car (E55 or anyother mercedes) I am very interested to know your opinion on the S/C and the resulting hp and tq gains. Thanks ahead of time.

JamE55

jcjmw

Don't have one but i did ride in one and can honestly tell you that the power is just insane!! It's definitely worth the money if your looking for that extra juice!

Hank

1. Not a bad kompressor when it's working properly.

2. Only pay attention to RWHP, not HP @ crank. It's a game of numbers and more importantly, marketing.

3. Cheaper than the big name markup tuners (Brabus/Lorinser/Carlsson/Renntech)

4. No Engine Cover included with kit!!!!!!

5. Gotta love the front-mount heat exchanger (aftercooler).

6. Did I mention No ENGINE COVER included with kit!!!!! (*ahem* Kleemann)

If you do get one, make sure the distributor can immediately get a hold of KleemannUSA should any sudden problems emerge. I would recommend evosport for all potential Southern California customers, but make sure they are not overbooked when you do drop your car off. Vadim/Brandon are both very responsible and responsive to sudden problems. Josh is a knowledgeable tech @ evosport, but unfortunately he is the only tech who installs Kleemann available at evosport. But I hear another person will soon be trained to ease up Josh's workload.

There are other distributors in the SoCal area such as Steckman Bros, Sprewell Racing, Bergwerks who also may be good, but I have not dealt with them nor do I know of ppl with Kleemann superchargers installed by them. As far as I know, evosport has done the most Kleemann installs so far. (4 that I know of)

What I would like to see is for everyone with Kleemann S/Cs to post their dyno numbers. I am actually quite embarrassed by my numbers so far, but that was with a defective S/C. I will return to evosport after I rack up some miles with my new Kleemann S/C and hopefully it'll produce some numbers worth posting.

Shine

I do, W209/CLK500 + Kleemann S/C.
No dyno runs, walk away from SL55AMG twice from start , I believe the power is then over 480 hp....(stock 306 hp in Euro spec)
(0) Quarter mile finished by 119 mph,sounds about right.
(1) S/C whistles, I hate that ! while C32AMG/SL55AMG manage it perfectly well.
Hope it's just my case of W209.
(2) Hank mentions the learning curve, I totally agree that !
By the serial no. "70" of Kleemann S/C installation here
I feel confident to put it in. 69 other owners ahead of me to
train the engineer/technician only too well.
Don't be the pilot anywhere.
(3) Warranty concern, if you're running hard always like I do
(but mine is so far so good)make sure the coverage from your
local dealer.

Lucas

Whats the problem with the engine cover in the US ???.

Most models have the air filter on top of the engine, so no problem here.

E 55, CLK 430, 55, have OE air filter on top of the engine, after S/C install the is no space, so in the E 55 K the air filter from the
OE E 430 is used and in the CLK 43 / 55 K the OE CLK 320 is used,
hereafter the filter will be placed in the right inner wing as OE from the model it was taken from.

As engine cover for all above models, the OE engine cover from the E 430 is used with some small mods.

SO KLEEMANN HAVE AN ENGINE COVER.

For the above mentioned models, the OE E 430 cover is incl. in the kit, for other models where the car is born with engine cover, it has to be modified to fit after S/C install.

The OE engine cover, the MERCEDES-BENZ letters can stay on or they can be removed and the cover can be painted to customers wish.

I heard some say in the US, that it's a petty to cover the S/C, but to hear that is't a problem or something KLEEMANN didn't think of is not right.

Hank

In all of the magazine articles (European Car 12/2001, Benzo pre-release), Kleemann website(s), etc. There are all these pictures of these pretty titty pink covers that sit on top of the engine and shows off the kompressor nicely. Isn't it common sense for the average consumer to expect that to be included with the kit? I know I was expecting one, but was disappointed to see one wasn't present (in addition to the leaking water pump and grinding noise)! After all, isn't this how Kleemann markets their product? .... by showing off illustrious engine covers and slightly inflated numbers? Even Brabus paints the covers red even for a lowly B9 tuning kit. Is it really that much to ask for a cover to be included with the package? Or at least offer a package deal.

Cory, Brandon, et al...
Brandon, do you remember per our phone conversation? You already agreed to send the cover to Vadim. Thanx!

Please send the following cover to Vadim!

jcjmw

Shine

Sounds like you your s/c clk 500 kicks a$$!!! Did you say that your Kleeman S/C is covered by the factory warranty? If so, how did you get that coverage?

Hank

If possible, can you disclose more info on your car? Which mercedes did you put the Kleeman S/C? What was the before and after rear wheel hp and tq? Are you having any problems with the S/C?

Anybody else with a Kleeman S/C?

Thanks for the responses!!!

Hank

Sure, it's a 2000 E320 with G3 Kompressor installed with 37,xxx dealer maintained miles on the clock.

Here is my baseline dyno.


I don't have my final dyno yet, but I can tell you that my best run so far only barely hit 249 RWHP. 249 - 179.6 = 69.4HP

Have I had problems other than the low output? Yes
Am I having problems other than the low output? No, as I only received my car back two days ago.

I'm not the one who designed the Kompressor so I won't speculate on what the problem was... But it sure made my gas vehicle sound like it was running on diesel.

Would I recommend this product to anyone else? Why not.... if you have the patience and generally better luck than me.

Brandon @ Kleemann

Hank-

I/We are free to do whatever we see fit to dress a vehicle for press work. No where is it written, idicated or otherwise promised that an engine cover of the type shown is included with the SC system. However I see your point and will suggest that we change our press photos to reflect the "as delivered" product.

I told you I would send you and engine cover, and I will. We dont make these so I will send you the very one shown in the picture you attached.

What I really dont care for is your insinuations- I keep our personal communications just that- personal. I explained in great detail to you what could be the potential problems with your 5% variation in power, yet you insist on insinuating that we are somehow lying to you about the power you can expect (smiley faces or not).

You have to be willing to accept the idea that there is a problem with one or more of your cars load sensors or another issue inherent to your car that is the root of your power figure. Vadim can find this issue for sure- but it falls outside the installation process.

Once Vadim installed the new H20 pump on the SC unit (whose leaking at its mating surface is the installers responsibilty to assure) and it was found not to adequately address the noise issue I FedEx'd an entirely new unit to him. We are all honoring our commitment to you.

Thank you for the kind remarks in the previous post-

Hank

Acknowlegded. My next step is to have another qualified independent shop/dealership change out whatever sensors that may be suspect. I'm also considering the shop perform a compression/leakdown test. I was already going to do so but unfortunately, something suddenly came up with the kompressor and I just received my car before the weekend. I just want to get an unbiased opinion and answers. I'm not out to falsify any claims.

Shine

Country(Case)dependent, the agent here happen to cover
both, Mercedes vehicle & kleemann tunning.
Thus you can recognize it's ALMOST an "performance option" of your Mercedes.
This helps the Kleemann business very very much, said, 70th for my car. Probably Top rank sales in Asia.
While in this forum, I see it struggles in the states, the S/C product itself is excellent, IMHO
(outstanding if w/engage clutch & ECU refine)
Learning curve is important for dealer to install it.
The agent here did screwup few cars in the very beginning.
, then they learned the knowledge.

absent

My authorized Benz dealer just signed up with Kleeman so warranty is no longer an issue and so is service.

Tezta

Good for you, too bad there are only a few dealers in america that acknowleges the quality and reliability of the big tuners out there.

Hank

Just a FYI, one of your associates posted the following.

https://mbworld.org/forums/showthrea...0&pagenumber=5

2nd post from the top.

That's why I thought Kleemann does make them. Anyway, thanks for sending the cover to Vadim. I will be anxiously awaiting.

Luwin1026

I can vouch for Steckman Bros., as Terry does a great job and is very professional. He was also doing an ML55 when my car was there, and that car was amazing! But I think I like the S500 that Harald took me for a spin in more.

Sleestack

I had a Kleemann SC installed by Evosport with absolutely no problems. I also had my car dynoed by Evosport and an independent shop. In both cases my numbers exceeded my expectations. My 4.3 liter engine dynoed at over 390 hp and 370 lb/ft torque at the REAR WHEEL. Hank seems to have a few issues, however, I'm a happy customer.

Lucas

Hank:

If I where you I would stick with Vadim to find the error with your car if there is one at all.

I have mostly the luxury to be involved with factory new cars, take
8 new ( with 0 on the clock ) C 320 and dyno test them before S/C
install, you will see 8 different results.
Then we install S/C on all cars, road test for 100 miles and then dyno test all 8, again we will see 8 different results.

In Germany the law gives a factory a tolerance up to -10%, this means if a manufactor promise 200 HP and it only have 180 HP
the customer can't claim a thing.
If the output is 179 HP, the customer has a case.

As a tuner, we have to live with these tolerances , it can be in the engine, manifolds, exhaust, ECU, sensors, ect.ect., there isn't a thing you can do about it and as a customer you have to live it too.

It could be if you pin point at 3000, 4000 and 5000 rpm at the dyno curve, that your car have exactly the same HP as the best car ever messured at 5000, but as a peak just before red line
your curve bend off a little. In real life on the street, just before red line is just before a gear shift, that means you have no use
of that extra power.
So in real life your car could be just as fast as a car with 5% more peak power.

Anyway, to bring the car to another shop, who has no idea what a KLEEMANN S/C is , could make things quite complicated if they start touching things they have no knowlegde of.

Hank

Lucas, granted that optimal gains are more common on brand new, zero-mile cars... This should assist the originator of this thread on his question if a Kleemann would be good on his '99 E55.

I see most of the consumers on the board are ppl who have owned their Mercedes for a little while; and are looking for that extra HP after the fact. If it is a fact that output won't be as expected on *used* cars, then we should let all the potential customers know about it beforehand. My baseline dyno was 179.4HP and that was considered a bit above average for 3.2L engines. (Comparing to the CLK320 on MBAutowerks website) So as you can see, I was a bit surprised to hear that there could be other inherent problems on my car since my baseline showed no abnormality.

BTW, I know the peak power (spikes) before each gearshift isn't a good representation of applicable power. I too see that spike reach as high as 280 on my dynos. We only look at the peak of the smooth curve, and so far the highest was 249HP on my previous kompressor. We have not dyno'd my replacement kompressor yet.... We will see in about two weeks, so stay tuned.

Lucas

Hank:

You don't understand what I am trying to explain you.

What I wrote was, even with new cars, nobody can say exactly what will precise come out of it.

Again, take 8 new C 320 ( the reason I always mention C 320, is because I have been involved in a full truck load a month of these cars for a whole year, so I know the 320 engine ) with the S/C installed, and you will see any thing from 320 HP - 354 HP at the flywheel.

To say that " used " cars do not get as much HP as a new is not fair, I read only about guys here at MBW with used cars and KLEEMANN S/C, and they all show nice numbers.

What I am trying to say between the lines, your car can have some easy fault, or you can spend $$$$$ on something you never will find.

Not 2 cars are the same, thats all.

Hank

Gotcha! Anyway, I'll be posting my new numbers when I get a chance. I wonder what those C320s you deal with produce at the wheels. BTW, how do you measure HP at the flywheel?

Lucas

The dyno messures the tranmision loss, and puts it on top of the RW curve, then there are 2 curves, 1 with RW HP and 1 on top with FW HP, European car manufactors use FW HP, so I have always done the same, no reason that's just the way it is.

On the 500 V8 I have seen all from 483 - 540 FW HP, it's just bad luck for me, that the lowest car I ever messured was my own, I tried all and spend really a lot of $$$$$$, nothing helps

So I know what I am talking about, I am living with it every day.

I assume your car feels exelent in power, the only things which doesn't feel good, is when you look at the dyno sheet, right ????

Hank

Exactly what I'm feeling.

Lucas

Take a look at the car and see if anything is way off, as Brandon said it could be a load sensor, it offen is.
If all seems right, I wouldn't spend so much $$$ if it was me.

Shine

Right, a case happened here, for your reference.
a C32K failed its mass flow sensor,(nothing to do w/the S/C)
& the owner didn't know of that.
Until a BMW330 walked away him(C32K), how is it possible ?!
Replace the sensor, he is now a happy 330 hp owner.

Todd1

I am a new CLK 430 owner and I was trained by Kleemann as one of their new SW distributors. I installed the Kleemann Kompressor on my personal higher mileage (46K) 1999 model. I did encounter some issues right after the system was installled. Brandon at Kleemann was very helpful in helping me with the diagnosis and solutions to my cars abnormal behavior. All I can add to this whole discussion is that every car is different. The installation and settings on my car were totally different from another car that we upgraded at the same time. After some minor changes including a new MAF, the car runs fantastic. All in all I feel that Kleemann makes an excellent product and I smile huge every time I mash the throttle.

FYI, I will be dyno testing my car this week and will post the data.

-Todd