SuperDave

On my 05/-55 that I bought in November of 06, we have installed the Renntech ECU/Pulley and 2nd Intercooler and upgraded pump.....car runs great and now has 4.9K miles.......(It had 4K when I got it.)

With 10 grand more to spend...........what would be the best "bang-for-the-buck" to increase the performance and/or handling of this car???

Exhaust, Airbox, wheels............what?????

Input appreciated.

Thanks,

Dave

jmf003

I'd suggest adding the VRP throttle body and carbon fiber airbox. Awesome stuff at great prices. Search for VRUS in the E55 forum.

After that, lighter wheels. The stock AMG wheels are pretty heavy. Then if the budget permits, headers.

Let us know what you wind up with!

Tuskir

I would do: Kleemann headers, VRUS TB, VRUS air intake, lighter wheels/tires. Can't go wrong with nitrous either

AdamG@NorCal

Dave,

Hello buddy,

Basically you have two main choices to improve performance.

a) Adding bolt on parts, such as the headers, throttlebody

b) weight reduction, which means getting lighter wheel. Less of a rotating mass..

Mrdredd

I would go w/ headers first ... than throttle body later

NOTA4RE

Upgrade the nut behind the wheel with some driving school.

SuperDave

Best suggestion yet.......unfortunately, I am lots better on a bike than in a car, but I am trying.........

SuperDave

Let's nail this down a bit more...............

What is the weight of a stock '05 rim?....

What is the weight of a strong/light aftermarket rim?....

(percentage numbers accepted......like 10% lighter, 20%, etc.)


What is the HP gain with the throttle body/airbox mod?

What is the HP gain with the pipe mod?

Specifics......and Cost is a consideration.....

P.S. Wheels, I am somewhat familiar with.........for every lb of roatating mass you can shed on the wheels........it is like gaining 5-8 more HP and losing 10 lbs in non-rolling weight.....

jmf003

I've already worked through some wheel numbers because I'm planning to upgrade myself. Just haven't gotten to the point of pulling the trigger.

My 18" AMG Style V wheels weigh 29.1 lbs front, 31.3 lbs rear. Another common AMG wheel, 19" Style IV's, weigh 35.5 lbs front and rear.

There are limited choices in 18" wheels that fit an R230. I suspect Kinesis wheels will fit but have not verified. 18" Kinesis K28s weigh 21.5 lbs front (8.5"), 22.5 lbs rear (9.5"). There are many more choices for 19" wheels. 19" BBS RS-GT wheels weigh 21.9 lbs front (8.5"), 23.0 lbs rear (9.5").

So swapping out Style V's for K28's would save a total of 32.8 lbs. Swapping out Style IV's for RS-GT's would save even more: 52.2 lbs.

Cost is slightly north of $1,000 per wheel for either Kinesis or BBS.


Renntech claims +20 HP, +20 ft/lbs tq for their TB. The late Ken Speranza believes he picked up +30 HP, +30 ft/lbs tq with the VRP TB on his modded E55. (Discussion thread here: https://mbworld.org/forums/w211-amg/168304-omg-vrus-tb-shows-wicked-dyno-results.html)

Renntech charges $3,495 for their TB. Victor charges $2,500 for his.


Renntech claims +15 HP, +20 ft/lbs tq for their airbox. I don't believe anyone has dyno'd the VRP box but quite a few folks are expecting it to flow better than the Renntech.

Renntech charges $3,000 for their airbox. I'm not certain of Victor's price but am pretty sure it's less than $2,000.

I'm running the VRP TB (love it!) and am waiting on delivery for the VRP airbox.

IngenereAMG

Ditto. Unless you have a weekly appearance on F1 weekends, you should have enough hp to scare yourself silly.

NOTA4RE

With just a few driving lessons your car seems like a whole different vehicle.

Mrdredd

no amount of driving lessons makes it go faster on the high way or in a straight line though, and thats really the only place you would see all that power... so if he wants more now, then he probably needs it

jmf003

I understand and to a significant extent I agree with the comments that the base SL55 has plenty of HP and that driver improvement will make a bigger difference than car improvement.

For me, however, modding the SL55 is an end to itself rather than a means to some other end. It doesn't matter that I will only occasionally use the extra performance. I enjoy reading about the performance modifications that others are doing, planning out my own mods, then executing them.

SuperDave

Thank you,
Just as info, my street-Hayabusa has Dennis Clanton's/The Motorhead.....Ultra Kit......Garrett T-61 Turbo, Air-Air Intercooler and 2nd Plenum with 2ndary Injectors.......Carillo Rods, J-E Turbo Pistons....yada yada.......and at 34 lbs of boost, bike makes 528 RWHP on 112 Sunoco.......makes 370 on Pump at 16 lbs.........

Power to weight, our -55s cannot compete, soooooooooooo, I want the most productive bang-for-the-buck in performance mods........within my limited budget........10K more and that is all. Just to get as close to that "rush" as possible, within reason.



P.S. Thank you,
JMF003.........
Great info......

Doctodd33

swap the seats....maybe close to 100lbs there, but lose some of the creature comforts. Do a search.....has been discussed before....the SLR seats have been mentioned and there are some pics around here from a year or two back.

T