Rouven036

Hi @ all:
few weeks ago, we installed aT65S kit on a '04 SL65.
It is quiet a big job, since the engine needs to be removed to replace the turbochargers and engine mount brakets.
first of all you have to remove the engine and ecu and send it to brabus.
it took 3 weeks or so until the parts came back.
turbochargers have a new manifolds, new turbine wheels and reworked boost control valves. the kit also includes 2 new engine mount brakets, because of the bigger manifolds, the stock ones wouldn't fit, further there are new catalytic converters, a new programmed ecu and some smaller bits n pieces...
the customer requested also for some more grip, so i ordered a set of pirelli p zero asimetrico tyres, front in stock size, rear ones in 295.
took the car to the dyno and iz puts down 596WHP.
but if i see now the new setup who puts down about 825hp crank, its a little bit frustrating, because of the price of the brabus kit.
anyway the car pull like hell and the tires are definatly worth the money.
here some shots from installation, i can add the dyno sheet tomorrow or so.
topspeed is now limited due to rear axle gear ratio to 335km/h.
enjoy.....
after the install:



stock turbos:



new manifolds:






short before putting back the engine into the car:

MarkoCL65

My car dyno'd 692 RWHP and 912 TQ with factory turbos but with upgraded intercoolers and air intake. This is equal to around 825 engine horsepower. I believe that the Brabus kit is advertised as 730 HP. It seems it is doing what it is designed to do. The intercoolers and air intake seems to be pretty restrictive. They appear to be stock pieces.

Rouven036

right, it was your car with the 825 chp...the babus turbos with bigger intercoolers and other things like on your car could be an option.
intercoolers on this car aren't changed. the brabus kit is to expensive for what you get.
this kit is rated with 715hp crank. the 730hp version includes a new crankshaft,con rods and pistons for 6,3l capacity instead on 6 on the stock 65.

2MANYCARS

So in other words, the Brabus kit doesn't deliver maximum performance and is probably the most expensive out there.

TMC M5

Very interesting (and hugely expensive) project. Thanks for taking the time and posting the pics!

So are you saying that there is only a 15hp gain (at the crank) with the .3L displacement increase. I would think it would net a bigger gain given the ability to flow more air in conjunction with the bigger turbos.

Tom

Rouven036

it was really a expensive project...
yes, you can check out the brabus homepage, there are the power outputs of the different setups displayed. i cant understand why i should do a even bigger mod with crankshaft and so on for only another 15hp and torque is anyway limited. on the 65s kit it is rated with 1100nm. 100nm more than stock.
i think if there is a possibility to fix the modified brabus turbos with the other modifications like on your car, a power level of about 900hp should be possible.

MarkoCL65

I agree with you. I think your software has a torque limit still active. Mine was removed. Brabus does this to protect the transmission. The stock engine has enough power to overpower the transmission. I don't know why they would change engine parts and turbochargers only to limit them even more over the factory parts. Must be marketing.

V12Godspeed

Thanks for the pictures!

Marcus Frost

Rouven,

Thank you for posting this project and taking the time to talk to us about it. I'm very sorry your Brabus kit is not living up to expectations. It upsets me a lot how these big European tuners have these incredibly expensive kits that really are not rocket science, and they set very HIGH expectations with these high prices, and when they don't meet them? Everyone loses.

Rouven keep an eye on this new kit Marko and VRP are developing. I'm going to have it on my 65 and it's really the PROPER way of approaching modifying the V12 - FIXING THE COOLING problem, not throwing on bigger turbos that make the problem worse. That should come after cooling.

-m

EXECMALIBU

I would be interested in buying your used and take-off parts. Like the turbos, manifolds, mounts or anything else...

Jeff
execmalibu@earthlink.net

V12Godspeed

I think he may not have much to sell as brabus keeps all the original parts and sends you modified ones...I may be wrong.

2MANYCARS

15hp for all the trouble!? I could easily get 15+ hp by modifying the intake, intercooler, and exhuast with a week down time & less money.

Rouven036

because of the old or lets say stock parts:
as v12godspeed already said, the manifolds and turbocharger parts were sent to brabus and modified there. these parts i couldn't get back.
i already talked to the customer and informed him about the new vrp kit, so lets see what happens.
anyway this car put me up to my new personal speed record, 317km/h before i have to brake for traffic, the previous one was with 305km/h in a slr 722 (also no space for higher speed)
@marcus: you will feel a a big drop of the engine power after 2-3times of hard acceleration. in summertime this effect would be much worse here in kuwait.
@2manycars: yes 15hp for all the trouble....

V12Godspeed

I wonder what those puppies (turbos) will do with a VRP upgrade, don't see it tough to achieve 900+ hp with IC upgrade and raising the torque limiter...Hmmm

carcommander

I wonder what happens to the stock transmission if you delimit the torque. I have read that the transmission is only good to 838.

MarkoCL65

We will find out as I'm not afraid to break the transmission in order to expose it's true torque limit and tolerance. Once I reach this point, I will share it with everyone. For now, it's been handling 900+ torque to the wheels without any issues.

DCMETRO22Z

Marko, Do you plan to get the VRP bullet trans ???

DCMETRO22Z

What I want to see are the "marko upgrades" but on the basis of a 6.3S brabus engine...

Can you imagine Marko's upgrades BUT with

- More displacement

-Bigger turbos

-Reworked heads.

I want VRP to put all their magical stuff on the brabus SV12S biturbo , withthe Bullet trans.

So They can reach the 1000hp limit whithout those weird rear mounted quad turbos (see 1000hp AMG's thread)

DCMETRO22Z

In fact, the 6.3 conversion is not for 65 engines... I emailed brabus and 6.3 is only for 600 cars.

So

65 cars -----> T65s kit 715hp (ECU + big turbos)


600 cars -----> brabus 6.3 conversion with stock turbos 640hp


Brabus 6.3S Conversion : Increased displacement + bigger turbochargers = 730 hp

scrwmpwr

I thought the 65 amgs used a 5.5l v12

Akademiks

WTF . . . 15 hp ? With different Turbos . . . ? May I inquire to a rough estimate of how much all this costs ? I know Mercedes are expensive so I'm just trying to get a good estimate here .

DCMETRO22Z

600 -------> 5.5


65---------> 6.0

DCMETRO22Z

15HP.... read the thread.


I got the brabus price list tell me exactly what price you want.

Madonna

Hello Guys

Very interesting post (by the way, would you excuse me for my poor english, I am from frog land...).
Anyway, I offered a new CL 65 to my wife 6 month ago. I guess here everybody are agree, that is a nice coupé, with something exceptionnal, the AMG V12.
Sure she is happy with it, but I would like to make it a little more special. So I though about Renntech and of course Brabus. Well obviously, from Brabus we can get 715hp, but I would like to get anything between 800 to 900hp with extra torque of course. Would you have any advice where I should search to get this type of power on it? I don't want to lose reliability, I want the car to look just like a stock CL65. I understand the transmission could be a weak part, but I am prepared to have it reinforce with Titan part, so we should avoid some gear break down. I also understand, turbos are the way to go for fast and easy improvement of power, and of course the appropriate ECU update, have you got something that could link me to get that done?
I do have another question, I am prepared to change the original AMG rims with the Monoblock VI, but I am still not confident if we keep 20" or we go for 21", what do you think, but don't forget here, we have very nice road surface compare to the US. Also what are the largest tyres they would fit on the CL at the back, but I dont want anything less than 25 at the back and 30 at the front if we cannot keep 35.
Thank you all for you help.

Sincerly,

MarkoCL65

My VRP 825 package outperforms any other tuner's offering for this engine. We are still making improvements to it. I believe we will be at over 900 HP by the end of this year. I am not sure how the transmission will accept that load. We may limit torque and allow horsepower to go higher.