bk62

Dear SL's,
Has anyone installed the performance kits bolt on - like GForce performance chips and electric superchargers from the following vendors or simillar;

1) http://www.superchargertuning.com/Mercedes-Benz/SL/
2) http://www.gforcechips.com/mercedessl600.aspx

I want to try this upgrade, but would like to know if it's really worth the money invested, before I commit to this investment. Please help to enlighten from point of technical and practicality.

thank you.

MB_Fahrer

Hahaha! If you want to waste your money on parts that don't work, then look no further. If you actually want performance gains, then contact Brabus or RENNtech.

abiby

The chip.... maybe.
The electric supercharger.... not a chance!

Quadrobenz

I have software tuned three V12's. The Biturbo V12's were done with Eurocharged software and the improvement was very noticable. Torque is likely up about 15%, HP about 10%. Several MPG improvement in fuel consumption.
The 1994 SL600 was tuned by replacing the computer chips in the two ECU's. I bought them in 2000 and do not remember the source. I had a private Mercedes tech do it, it is more complicated than the instruction sheet makes it sound and I did not want to damage the two ECU's through my incompetence. The performance improvements were subtle but improved the feel of the car. The timing was clearly advanced throughout the entire engine map and the mixture was likely leaned out slightly. Part throttle drive ability was really improved and the engine is running cooler in 35 to 55 suburban driving. Fuel consumption decreased slightly, less than a one MPG improvement.
The other noticable change was a 400RPM reduction in the transition from the long to the short intake runners (2300 down to 1900RPM). This change is noticable and improves low RPM acceleration. I would guess the peak TQ and HP to be up at most 5%.

bk62

thank you...

the two such as Brabus and RENNtech will definately be a place to go for major mods...

in view of you post - which one doesn't work? can you be more specific what technical flawed you encountered with the gforce performance chips and electric supercharger or simmillar products. valuable knowledge and experience shared would be much appreciated..

MB_Fahrer

Neither will work. The electronic *laughing* supercharger is simply funny. That belongs on a stanced out VW or a riced out civic. Electronic superchargers only work if your IQ is below 2 You'd get better performance gains by rigging up a CA/RAM intake.

The GF chips are crap. Utter crap. They attempt to trick the ECU(s) into thinking that the air coming in is colder (read: more dense) so that the mixture becomes richer. Simply put, they do nothing but waste your money.

A real performance chip/tune will alter many of the ECU's parameters.

In reality, the GF chips may give you one or two more "horsepower" but a real performance oriented tune will give you (big differences in FI and N/A) between 10-100hp/tq. Some companies will even dyno-tune your car and reflash the ECU's while on the dyno to acheive the best results--that gets expensive in a hurry though.

Cheers

Quadrobenz

I also got a good laugh out of the electronic supercharger.
Some really good points are made here that I can vouch for. The FI cars respond well to reflashing with big power gains, even more available when done on a Dyno.
The older NA V12 is harder to improve if it is already properly tuned and maintained. I doubt that an external chip that tricks the ECU into reading manipulated data would be worth the money. The two replacement chips I have contain a revised map and work reasonably well.
I would add that on an early V12 I would not spend any money on tuning until the engine wiring harness is replaced. All the originals will fail and prior to failure will cause intermittent problems. I think it would be best to tune those cars on a Dyno, the gains available are less and it would be desirable to maximize the improvement. Not sure how easy it would be to find a shop to tune the older SL600's.

Howudoinralph

Dear God stay away from the "Electric Supercharger"....You will get more performance from driving with your windows up. I saw the European version of Mythbusters see what electric Superchargers really did, if in fact they did anything. They usually run from $150.00 to $350.00 for the "Deluxe version" They used a Dyno at real time and "low and behold" they got more horsepower from taking it off rather than having it go full blast. Please. if you want to waste your money, go drive down the turnpike and throw your money out the window and watch people slam on their brakes.