jetjok

My SL450 should arrive here around mid-March, and I was just wondering if anyone has done any tuning of the motor, in the hopes of releasing some more horsepower from the V-6? If so: 1) are you happy with the results; 2) is this a DIY project, or do you have to send the box to the seller; 3) Would it be a correct assumption that having the car tuned will void the warranty? 4) Please provide a link to the company whose tune you used.

Thanks in advance for your help. I'm not sure if I'll actually do this, but I would like to understand the good and bad about tuning.

Steve Meltsner

PaulE550

Congratulations on your new car. If you want to tune your car, you have to send your ECU to the tuner for modification. No DIY for newer MB vehicles. Just do a search of this forum to get a list of the various tuners most people use. Several to choose from. You'll also find the answer to question 3, about your warranty, answered numerous times on this forum. Lots of good information here and a lot of helpful people.

subzero05

Dinan is getting ready in the next couple weeks (or sooner) to release their piggy back sport unit for the 450 variant. There is a few posts going around here about it . I have their unit on a C class and really like it. might be an option for you

jetjok

Guys, thanks so much for your responses. I've thought about having the ECU modified, but don't like the idea of it always being in jeopardy of being overwritten, when the car is at the dealers, and then having to go to the trouble of sending it back out to be reinitialized. Instead, I'm thinking of going with a Race Chip module. It appears to be about a 5 minute install, by connecting two cannon plugs to the car, and one to the module. According to the Race Chip guys, if it ever fails, the car automatically reverts to normal MB settings. As well, but of less importance, is the fact that the price is about half of what it would cost to reprogram the ECU. Here's a link to Race Chip. I'd be interested in hearing your thoughts. Thanks in advance.

Steve

https://www.racechip-usa.com/chiptun...31)/450-270kw/

subzero05

racechip has some decent stuff. I used their box on a previous car I had. I went with the Dinan unit because of their reputation and it was literally a 30 second install and works as advertised. Plus it was less than the racechip unit. There is a thread here of them releasing it for your car and I think a group buy or something > anyway, enjoy your car and selection

PaulE550

Are you planning to dyno your car before and after the piggyback installation to confirm it is actually delivering the quoted numbers from the Race Chip? Since most MB vehicles actually produce more power from the factory than their official numbers quote, it would be interesting to see what your actual baseline HP / TQ numbers are before and after the piggyback install.

jetjok

Paul, I've not thought that far ahead. I'll see how the car feels for the first few months and then decide if I really miss the torque of my E550.

jetjok

Subzero, thanks for the info. I called the nice folks at Dinan today and talked to the guy in their technical department. From what I could discern, he's the guy who actually does the testing, and then brings forward their product for the different vehicles. Anyway, they have a unit for the lower powered MB's, like some of the C class cars, but as of this moment, they don't for the SL's. However, he told me that he has "these cars" in the shop and although he wouldn't state categorically that they will have a unit for our cars, he said to give him about a month or a month and a half and then check back.

subzero05

sounds good. I only mention this because there is another thread going on here with the new Dinan release that should cover your model and engine. One of the members just got his car tuned and seems very happy and a group buy for this unit is being organized now so it should be anytime!

jetjok

I read the other thread before I called the folks at Dinan. I wonder where the disconnect is?

subzero05

Probably someone you talked to doesn't know the classes and engine combinations . Like many of us! Haha

jetjok

For the past week or so, I've tried perhaps 15 times to contact the good folks at Dinan by phone, all to no avail. So earlier today I sent them an instant message, explaining what I was getting and what I was interested in. Here's their response:

"We do not offer anything for the SL450 or any of the 3.0L motor equipped vehicles at present. We have a few cars in testing so it is in the works but jut not available yet."

Then, about 10 minutes ago, someone from Dinan called and we talked about if they were going to be creating the technology for the SL. He said that "they are working on it", but couldn't/wouldn't commit to it either becoming a reality, or if it did, when it would be available. He said to just keep checking back. He also mentioned that if/when it does come out, it'll only have a one year warranty.

PaulE550

just a comment and take it for what it is worth. You're getting a brand new car this month. Congratulations and enjoy it by the way. However, why, given the kind of response or lack of response you've gotten from this tuner, would you even consider putting anything they may develop on your car? It seems pretty clear from their latest response that if they do, at some point, develop something you would likely end up being a de facto beta tester for them. Do you really want to do that with your new car?

Wolfman

I am not getting the point of this thread. Should have gotten a SL550 if the Sl450 didn't have the hp/torque you desired.

PaulE550

So true. OP wouldn't need to play with finding a piggyback or risk screwing up something on his new ride. It is not like MB can't tell someone has been running a piggyback by going through the ECU's various sensor logs and seeing the periods where the piggyback was operationally in place versus normal operational sensor feedback. There are only so many ways these piggybacks can send false signals to the ECU to get it to compensate and produce more power. Plus MB must have already cateloged what to look for. So it is just so much simpler and less hassle to just get the vehicle that already has the hp/torque desired.

subzero05

We're talking about Dinan here , not some podunk outfit . Golan at auto talent is now accepting initial buy orders in another thread here for this tuner from Dinan . It's for the 3.0l engine family variants . Perhaps not all the people on the phones there know everything that is happening in R&D development ? If something hasn't been released or whatever , the phone guys may only know so much and like many of us they probably don't know what engines are in what platforms so cut them some slack !
Look at auto talent and you will see the group buy going on now for this tuner for your car . I have one on mine and really like it . Wayne and his C400 has already been the beta tester for Dinan and is posting on it now with good results !!

Wolfman

Dinan? I wouldn't consider them if thinking about tuning an MB.
There are plenty MB tuning companies.

Also remember several BMW members with significant Dinan upgrades and mediocre performance gains...

rorywquin

many reviewers prefer the handling of the lighter car.

Wolfman

I keep on reading this about these reviews and seen a few of these. I just personally disagree with reasoning and conclusions.

I understand that in lieu of driving both extensively, reviews are a great reference but the difference is just some 130 lbs. To me, this is negligible...

The SL400/450 is a very fine car and a great value, no doubt, it just lacks some punch for my taste.
Having driven nearly 5000 miles in SL400's in Europe, much of it in Germany, I had some opportunities to compare those two variants and their handling.

rorywquin

I guess it also depends on which version you drove. The facelift has ~50hp more and the new motor mated with the 9 speed gearbox is a combination the reviewers all like.


The 130lbs extra weight in the 500 is from the engine, right over the front wheels, and is bound (not having driven one very far or fast) to make a handling difference.

Personally I looked at and drove both and found the 400/450 has more than enough power for what I want which, is to go touring in Europe. However some may have purchased a 400 and find it wanting so no reason not to tune it.


I already have a trip booked to Scotland in May, France / Germany (AMG and Porsche factory visits) in June and currently planning a drive down Stelvio pass August / September with a friend, who has a 911 S4, en route to his place in Tuscany.

Wolfman

Sounds like a couple a great trips. Enjoy!

I did drive both versions. I pushed the newer one hard in Germany and had some mountain driving since we stayed in Switzerland. Took the Splügen Pass from Lake Como on the way to Munich. The SL did very well and was fun to drive on very tight serpentine roads.
That pass has a couple very tight spots in tunnels which literally doesn't allow two large vehicle to pass at the same time.

Back to the ongoing discussions of V6 vs. V8, my point is that both cars are great cars and people pick either model for one reason or another. It's simply a matter what priorities people place on certain attributes...

But to make the SL550 sounds like a less agile car is just laughable. It's a non-argument. Clocking thousands of miles back to back between the current SL400 and our SL550 confirmed that.

Pic of our (dirty) last ride in Europe

subzero05

agreed, but in all fairness Dinan has never boasted about the "highest HP" out there. They are the gentlemen's hot rod if you will of the industry. nice linear power gains and a focus on vehicle drivability and longevity has always been their claim to fame. Seems like for over 30 years they have done something right . And at some point companies need to branch out, to me it makes sense for Dinan to do MB, Audi etc. They are known worldwide for their BMW stuff, sticking with Euro and what they know best is a good business move to expand beyond BMW

rorywquin

Sorry - I cannot agree with you.


Take two identical cars except one has more power but also weighs ~130Lbs more (all on the front wheels) and then argue that the handling is identical is laughable. It has to affect the balance of the car and therefore the handling.


I don't have to drive both to know that!

Wolfman

I suppose I should have used different verbiage. I am not arguing about physics; after all, the SL is neither mid-engined, nor a lightweight, nor a sports car. It is very capable but designed for different priorities.

This is a luxo top-down cruiser designed for comfort.

This car was designed with the V8 as the base engine in regards to suspension/weight distribution. It was designed to accommodate smaller and larger engine variants. Without a doubt the aging V12 engine places a larger burden on the drive dynamics.

So in regards to my prior post I will use the term negligible impact.

We all have our own experiences with the SL and also our own preferences which we share here. Opinions obviously vary by personal priorities.

If you feel that you have a good understanding about the differences by looking at a spec sheet or driving one for a dozen miles or so, then more power to you. My conclusions came from a longer driving experience that I shared here.

Funny thing is what bothered me most about the V6 SL is the exhaust sound. Loud and sporty, but tiring during a full day of top-down driving (in sport/sport plus mode) and an engine that didn't quite backup the sound.
I wish that MB would offer a quieter exhaust option for the SL400/450

ibanezking

I've had my M3 for 6 years now and LOVE it............ but the one thing that people complain of(on the M3's)......... is a wish for a bit more noise from the exhaust
I have the M/// Performance exhaust now, which is a bit louder but not like Sue's SL400.